The present paper discusses the two concepts 'music as art' and 'music as function', put in a historical context but also based on my own experiences and development throughout the Nordic Master in Folk Music. Special regard is given to how my changing relationship to these two concepts have affected my own development. The paper also describes several different methods for artistic development as well as some ideas about what (folk) music can be and how we can think about it. / <p>Bilaga: 1 DVD</p>