The Nepal Music Center (NMC) is a non-profit organization established by Music Nepal to undertake non-commercial activities in the fields of music and culture for the preservation of the intangible heritage of Nepal. In collaboration with Rikskonsertene (Concerts Norway), NMC works to preserve, teach, and promote the music and dance of various ethnic groups of Nepal at the national and international levels. As such, its four areas of focus are formal music education; research, documentation, preservation and dissemination; international exchange; and the promotion of local musicians.

NMC derives much of its strength from partnerships with other stakeholders in music in Nepal. Rikskonsertene is our first port of call for collaboration, and plays a significant role in both the selection and preparation of Nepali and Norwegian musicians for exchanges, as well as in the provision of linkages to other institutes and individuals who share our goals. The Royal Norwegian Embassy and NORAD, a Norwegian development organization, are two other partners with whom we work regularly. Of course, the government of Nepal and schools across the country are key stakeholders, and both are working in close collaboration with NMC to further music education in Nepal. Finally, the center is eager to forge partnerships with international universities and research centers to facilitate the exchange of students, teachers, and researchers.

NMC sees for itself several roles in the development of music and music education in Nepal. First and foremost, it serves as a music school, a space where students of all ages can come for formal music education. It also strives to scout and promote talent across the country, with an intensive program designed to nurture exceptionally promising students. The Center also provides professional development for emerging musicians, based on its recognition of the challenges musicians may face in starting a career.

We also pay special attention to issues of research, access, and dissemination. The center is intended for community access, as a space for the enjoyment of and participation in music by all. We have also been preserving recordings of Nepali music in order to sustain the longevity of these important documents. Finally, NMC sees itself as a driver of curriculum development in the field of music, being the first school authorized by the Ministry of Education to design a music curriculum. With all these, NMC hopes to become a place where local and international musicians, students, teachers, researchers, and academics can all come together and liaise to innovate and promote music and music education in Nepal.

The center is housed in a plot measuring 30,000 square feet, though the building takes up slightly less than half of this space. The eighty million rupee building stands near Tribhuvan International Airport, in Battisputali. Our facilities include practice and teaching rooms, a resource and research center, and performance spaces. There is an indoor auditorium which seats 125 guests, and an open air theatre than can accommodate up to 250 people. The compound also houses accommodations for out-of-town scholarship students as well as visiting scholars and teachers. It is envisaged that a professional recording studio, two fully-equipped percussion classrooms, an ensemble chamber, four classrooms, and an E-library will be built in the near future.