MA Music Pedagogy | Early Music Instrument /Voice

Hochschule für Musik Basel

Early music has long since ceased to be a marginal phenomenon in the cultural scene and has also been included in the educational offerings of music schools and universities for some time now. The master’s qualification at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis enables graduates to teach in music schools and conservatories around the world in a sound and inspiring manner. At the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, you will find a unique international community of high-calibre lecturers and students for your educational and artistic development.

  • Learning the tools and skills of historical didactics and methodology
  • Gaining a high level of artistic qualification to develop a distinctive profile as a musician
  • Developing the theory and history of early music in order to make competent performance and aesthetic decisions

Steckbrief

ECTS-Punkte
120
Abschluss
Master of Arts FHNW in Musikpädagogik, Studienrichtung Alte Musik instrumental / vokal
Studienbeginn
September
Dauer
4 semesters
Studienmodus
Vollzeit
Unterrichtssprache
Deutsch
(
level B2 is required
)
Semestergebühr
750 CHF (CH) | 1000 CHF (EU/EFTA) | 1250 CHF (Not-EU/Not-EFTA)
Anmeldegebühr
200 CHF
Lernsetting
Präsenz
Auslandaufenthalt
nicht vorgesehen
Ort
Campus Musik-Akademie Basel / Provisorium Letzi

Zukunftsaussichten

The master's degree qualifies graduates to teach at music schools and conservatories worldwide and to impart their main subject in the field of historical music practice in a sound and inspiring manner. With a focus on teaching the technique and music of their main instrument, students acquire the skills and tools of historical didactics and methodology. This theoretical and practical contextualisation opens up a wide range of perspectives for contemporary, diverse teaching activities.

Learning outcomes

The MA programme in Music Pedagogy is geared towards students who wish to add teaching qualifications to a well-founded course of study as a practising musician. Essential prerequisites are an interest in teaching and a flair for communication, as well as conversational fluency in the German language.

The aim of this Master’s degree programme is to develop the independent artistic personality of instrumentalists and singers with excellent musical and technical ability, both as soloists and ensemble performers. It also imparts specific knowledge of music theory and history pertinent to Early Music, which will equip students to make independent and well-founded decisions about performance practice and aesthetics. This artistic and intellectual autonomy is necessary in order to succeed in a market which is dominated less by traditional institutional employers and more by an interest in the creativity and persuasiveness of individual musicians.

Holders of an MA in Music Pedagogy with an Early Music specialisation are equipped to share and teach their specialist knowledge and skills within music school and upper-secondary settings.

Career prospects

The MA in Music Pedagogy with an Early Music specialisation offered by the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis enables students to provide professional instrumental/singing tuition at music schools and at the upper-secondary level. Generally speaking, teaching positions are rare in this highly specialised field. The one notable exception is recorder teaching, which remains in demand among the amateur musician community and draws on a repertoire that extends beyond Early Music.

Aufbau und Inhalte

The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB), together with the FHNW School of Music (HSM), offers a Master’s degree in Music Pedagogy with an Early Music specialization. Teaching methodology specific to Early Music as well as courses in the major subject take place at the SCB, while the HSM is responsible for the general music pedagogy courses. Alongside teacher training, the programme also nurtures the students’ own artistic development as a harmonious combination of these two aspects, one that is essential for a truly effective and fruitful pedagogical qualification.  Students will also acquire a sound background in theoretical and practical subjects relevant to Early Music.

What sets certain major instruments (baroque bassoon, baroque oboe, recorder, harpsichord, voice, lute, organ, viola de gamba) apart from others is a current and ongoing demand for teachers of these instruments. Consequently, the SCB offers these majors as part of its regular MA in Music Pedagogy programme. Other instrumental majors that exist in a modern form (violin, cello, fortepiano, flute, trombone  etc.) are only offered through the SCB under special conditions and generally require a previous Master's degree on the modern instrument.
Such holders of a recognised Master’s degree may, in close consultation with the FHNW Academy of Music, Klassik, tailor their Music Pedagogy studies to their chosen instrument. The relevant instrumental teaching methodology classes are dispensed by the HSM.

Please note that the SCB may not offer the MA programme in Music Pedagogy every year.

Modules and Reglements

The BA and MA degree programs at the Basel Academy of Music are based on modules.

The legally binding structure provides an initial guide to the content and weighting of the subjects on the degree program.
The detailed content and modalities of the individual subjects can be found in the module descriptions.
The study regulations come into force together with the study and examination regulations of the Basel Academy of Music FHNW and form the legal framework.

Structure

Structure MA Early Music Music Pedagogy instrument/voice in German

Module descriptions

Below please find the link with all the information on the module descriptions of several FHNW universities.

  • At the top right, switch the language settings to English.
  • At the bottom right, filter by semester, Hochschule für Musik Basel FHNW, the desired degree programme or other criteria to display the relevant module information.
  • Use the PDF button at the top left to call up a document from each overview and save it for yourself.
  • Course registrations are made via the intranet.
Study Regulations

Study Course Regulation MA Early Music Music Pedagogy instrument/voice in German

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International

Leitung und Dozierende

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Voraussetzungen, Zulassung, Eignungsabklärung

Language skills

We expect students to have good German language skills at the beginning of the studies. Students who are not German native speakers must present at least a B1 German language certificate (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)) at the beginning of the studies.

Admission

To be admitted to the Master’s programme, applicants must hold a Bachelor degree in Music/Music and Movement or an equivalent qualification.

Applicants who have failed any part of their Bachelor degree programme may be provisionally admitted to the Master’s programme under the condition that they successfully resit the relevant exam(s) by the end of the first MA semester. In order to be accepted for study, enough billable ECTS credit points must be available to fulfil all requirements of the diploma programme. For the Master's degree the minimum is 30 ECTS credit points. Applicants must declare any ECTS credits they have acquired from a previous course of study that they had failed to complete.

The admission procedure requires applicants pass an aptitude test.

The admission procedure breaks down as follows:

  1. Verification that the applicant meets all formal admission criteria
  2. Admission to the aptitude test
  3. Aptitude test (entrance exam)
  4. Decision on admission.

Admission shall be granted for the academic year to which the aptitude test applies. This test may be retaken no more than once per degree programme/major, but no earlier than the next official aptitude test date.

Places on the degree programme are limited; a quota is set for first-year admissions. Based on the framework regulations governing student intake restrictions for Bachelor and Master’s degree programmes at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts (FHNW), the FHNW Academy of Music shall make its final selection based on the level and comparative ranking of the applicants' examination results.

For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Study Course Regulation MA Early Music Music Pedagogy instrument/voice in German

Entrance exam

The entrance exams consist of an on-site audition.

There will be a first round "by video" (details below) for the majors violin, recorder (renaissance-romantic) and voice (renaissance-romantic). Exams for all other majors will take place directly on-site.

Persons unable to take an on-site assessment for visa, financial or environmental (long distance travel) reasons may submit a request for an online entrance assessment (video presentation and live interview). This request must be sent to scb.hsm@fhnw.ch at the same time as the application (by 31 January), stating the reasons, and must then be approved by the management.

First round: Video recordings

(only for violin, recorder (renaissance-romantic) and voice (renaissance-romantic))

Video recordings must be handed in as part of the application.

  • Content: Please prepare 3 pieces that present a selection of different stylistic fields. Use the repertoire samples as a guide. Applicants must perform on period instruments or replicas thereof in the entrance exams. List the information on your list of works for the first round.
  • Form: three separate uncut videos of music (one per piece)
  • Total length of the videos together: 15 – max. 20 minutes.
  • Date: The recordings should usually be new and prepared for the entrance exams. Published videos only uncut and not older than six months.
  • (Continuo-)Accompaniment: is requested. You can work with people from your own setting.

Technical requirements:

  • Camera Position: Please record the video from a fixed point of view, ideally using a tripod. The hands and the face of the candidate/musician plus the instrument must be visible.
  • Audio: We recommend using a separate stereo microphone and placing it properly (if necessary, you may also use the microphone of a camera, computer, or smartphone).

Transmission:

  • Video Platform: Please upload your three videos unlisted to YouTube. (exception: candidates from China may use a corresponding alternative platform).
  • Add the corresponding direct link from YouTube per work in the list of works for the first round.
  • Please also enter the YouTube links in the registration tool.
  • Please ensure that the videos are accessible for four months.
  • Submit the list of works with the rest of your application or send it via email to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch by 31 January.

Only applicants considered for the second round will be invited to an on-site audition.

On-site audition (second round)

Please also refer to the document Eignungsabklärung.

Audition plus interview
Please prepare a programme of 15 to max. 20 minutes with pieces from at least three different stylistic fields. Use the repertoire samples as a guide. The programme (may be identical to the one of the video) must be submitted together with the list of works for the entrance exam on-site. The candidate may choose the first piece. Then, the jury will decide which works to play and is allowed to interrupt the audition at any time. Afterwards, there will be a short conversation about the study objectives and contents as well as the applicant’s prior education, experience and career goals, the preferred professor, etc.

The general section of the entrance exam (theory) and proof of proficiency on a keyboard instrument take place on the same day, usually before or after the on-site audition for the main subject (duration: 20 min.).

  • sing and identify intervals played on the harpsichord (closed and open position)
  • active singing of intervals above or below a given pitch
  • sing and identify seventh chords (7, 5/6, 3/4/6, 2/4/6)
  • Dictation: sing and notate a two-voice setting (soprano and bass)
  • identify the chords (preferably figured bass; modern harmony also acceptable)
  • Improvisation: sing a continuation of the dictated melody
  • Sight-sing a melody of medium difficulty from the 17th or 18th century, notated in treble or bass clef
  • Performance of a prepared, short piece of your choice on the harpsichord (not required for those with major keyboard or plucked instruments)
  • Tonality and mode issues

Further information can be found here.

Pedagogical exam
The pedagogical entrance exam can only be taken if the artistic entrance exam was successful and lasts 30'. During an interview, essential prerequisites for the study of music pedagogy are examined, especially the motivation and the pedagogical ideas of the candidate. Other elements of the entrance exam depend on the background of the candidate. They are determined by the jury itself and communicated in advance.

Dates

Registration
You may apply from 15 December until 31 January.

The following documents must be handed in with your application

  • Curriculum Vitae including motivational letter
  • Diplomas: school leaving qualification (Matura, Abitur, Baccalauréat, High School-Diploma), Bachelor Diploma, Second master's students: Master Diploma
  • Not German native speakers: German Language Certificate (B2)

On-site
The on-site auditions will take place between mid-March and mid-April. The exact dates may be seen here after the beginning of January.

Announcement of the results
The results of the first round will be communicated by email by the end of February.
The results of the second round will be communicated by email in May.

Beratung und Info-Anlässe

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Kontakt

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