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January 2025

Open Creation

Music creation and performance that transcend the boundaries of conventional artistic disciplines.

Key data

Degree: Master of Arts FHNW in Spezialisierter Musikalischer Performance, Open Creation
ECTS points: 120
Start of semester: Beginning of September
Studying mode: Full time
Duration: 4 semesters
Teaching language: German/English
Place: Campus Musik-Akademie Basel
Stay abroad: Possible, not curricular
Application fee: 200 CHF
Semester fee: 700 CHF (CH) | 1000 CHF (EU/EFTA) | 1250 CHF (Not-EU/Not-EFTA) More Fees

You may apply between 15th December and 15th February.

The Open Creation Major is aimed at students who want to apply their creative talents in more than one discipline (e.g. composer-performer-improviser). It provides them with a platform where they have the possibility of designing a custom curriculum that fully reflects their artistic intentions. The highly modular nature of the programme allows students to choose, in consultation with their tutors, when and how they wish to take the four core elements of the curriculum – improvisation, composition, contemporary performance and open art formats (electronics, media composition, sound art, open performance, installation, sonic art, etc.) – over the programme's four semesters. Artistic practice, independent study and collaborative learning are central to this flexible and customisable Master's programme.

Overview

The Open Creation Major thoroughly prepares students for a career in analogue, digital and media music creation and performance. It equips them with the design, technical and logistical skills to pursue, reflect on, market and professionally document their own artistic projects. One-on-one classes with our globally connected teaching staff from a wide range of creative backgrounds and artistic disciplines offer students a broad-based learning experience which is free from aesthetic bias and centred around collaboration. The Open Creation Major graduates leave with a ready-made network of contacts, including sonic space basel's national and international project partners, which will give them a valuable head start in their transition from college life to the professional world.

The Open Creation Major prepares students for a career in analogue/digital and media music creation and performance which transcend geographical, stylistic and aesthetic boundaries. It equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to carve out a distinctive place within the analogue and/or digital music industry as highly professional and original creative performers, transnational artists, curators or festival organisers.

The core curriculum is divided into three parts:

Major A:
Improvisation, composition, contemporary performance or open art formats*
Major B:
Improvisation, composition, contemporary performance or open art formats*
Semester project/Master's project

Successful applicants choose their Major A subject as well as their lead tutor in consultation with the Master's programme director. It should be noted that students may not change this choice at any point during their studies. In contrast, they can switch from one Major B subject to another every semester; the chosen Major B subject must not be the same as the student's Major A subject. Teaching is provided by lecturers from sonic space basel and the FHNW School of Art and Design.
Each semester, students must develop and complete an approximately 25-minute, original project for public presentation (a project budget will be provided). In the final semester, students will present their 45-minute Master's project.

Subjects such as context, practice, reflection and communication are taught within the complementary part of the Open Creation Major. Students can choose from an extensive range of electives, which allow them not only to build on their knowledge and skills in their preferred areas of specialisation and applications, but also to supplement the core content of their studies.

* = Electronics, media composition, sound art, sonic arts, open performance, sonic installation, etc.

Structures

Major A: Improvisation
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major A Improvisation in German valid

Major A: Composition
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major A Composition in German valid

Major A: Contemporary Performance
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major A Contemporary Performance in German valid

Major A: Open Art Formats
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major A Open Art Formats in German valid

Major B: Improvisation
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major B Improvisation in German valid

Major B: Composition
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major B Composition in German valid

Major B: Contemporary Performance
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major B Contemporary Performance in German

Major B: Open Art Formats
Structure MA SP Klassik Open Creation Major B Open Art Formats 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.

Module descriptions

Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Specialized Musical Performance programme with a Open Creation Major, applicants must be awarded at least a Bachelor with an instrumental/vocal/SoundArt/Com-position/Improvisation/Audiodesign (or equivalent electronic Music Major) Major or an equivalent/related artistical study course as well as they have to have passed the entrance exam and were offered a free place at the Academy (limited places). Applicants who have submitted all the necessary registration documents in time and have passed the first round of the entrance exam will be invited to play a live audition. For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Master of Arts FHNW in Specialized Music Performance.

Language Skills
We recommend having sufficient German language skills.

Entrance exam
Conversation (online, ca. 30 minutes)
After reviewing the submitted portfolio, the jury will invite chosen applicants for an online interview.

Dates
The entrance exam by the zoom meeting will take place at the end of April. The exact dates may be seen here.

Registration
You may apply between 15th December and 15th February.
Along with the registration, it is mandatory to submit the following documents:

A short biography
The school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma
In case that the applicant already holds a Master Diploma, we also need a copy of that.
Portfolio that fully reflects the applicant's artistry and creative output, e.g. concerts/performances/improvisations (audio/video); music scores; analytical work; soundtracks; installations; documentation on earlier artistic projects.
Project proposal (max. project running time: 20–25 min). The applicant must present a project they would like to execute as part of the Open Creation Major. The proposal should de-tail the artistic goals of the project, the implementation pro-cess and the resources required (performers, audio, visuals etc.). Please note that the proposal must be submitted in video format (approx. running time: 5-7 min).

Upload your video onto YouTube and add the link in the registration tool.

Announcement of the results
The results will be communicated by mail in May.