About

Active Music Journal is an English-language publication about the ordinary, rewarding work of making music. It considers instruments, playing together, musical forms, practice and the customs that give music a place in the year.

Music for curious players

Our readers may be picking up an instrument, returning to one after a pause, or simply wondering how a tune is put together. We aim to make room for beginners and long-time amateurs alike, without treating music as a contest or a test of credentials.

A field almanac, not a lesson room

We explain musical ideas in plain language and attend to the small details that shape playing: a shared pulse, a useful part, a tune's form or the way a seasonal gathering changes what people sing. Articles are written to inform and encourage, not to replace a teacher or the reader's own musical judgement.

The year's music

Music-making often follows the calendar: a winter song, a summer gathering, a familiar tune brought out for a yearly occasion. We look at those customs with curiosity, while remembering that traditions vary and are never the property of only one place or group.