Contemporary music

The FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance (MA SP) with a Contemporary Music Major is a consecutive graduate programme that in formal terms builds on the skills gained at Bachelor level. Due to the high degree of specialisation required, as a rule it follows on from an MA in Music Pedagogy or an MA in Music Performance. The core competencies acquired prior to this programme are here pursued to a level that matches the highest international standards; those skills are consolidated in the specific disciplines listed below so that exceptional standards may be achieved on the national and international concert stage and at competitions.

The FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance (MA SP) with a Contemporary Music Major is aimed at musicians who wish to build on their comprehensive instrumental/vocal training by specialising in the field of the Contemporary Music, with a view to a career in this field.

The FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance (MA SP) with a Contemporary Music Major equips students to pursue a career as a professional performer in a contemporary music ensemble or in the open music scene. It also provides them with the knowledge and skills to set up their own ensembles, design and curate concert series and other performance formats, and successfully market their ventures on both analogue and digital platforms.

Structure MA SP Klassik Contemporary Music in German

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.

Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Specialized Musical Performance programme with a Contemporary Music Major, applicants must be awarded a Master in Music Performance with a instrumental/vocal or a Master in Music Pedagogy or equivalent 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 will be invited to the online entrance exam. For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Master of Arts FHNW in Specialized Music Performance.

• Excellent knowledge of the “classical/classic” repertoire on own instrument.
• High instrumental proficiency.
• Independent, artistic ability and high level of motivation to develop and hone an individual repertoire.
• High level of motivation to engage with different forms of contemporary music and their aesthetic, technical and historical context.

Language Skills
We recommend having sufficient German language skills but not required.

Entrance exam
The entrance exam is split into several parts.

Procedure
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 curriculum vitae, a motivational letter, a short biography
• The school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma, the Master Diploma (if available)
• Wishlist with five chamber music works that you want to acquire during the study course
• List of works with the works/movements/excerpts of the video
• A video with a Programme of 30-40 minutes not less than three works of the 20^th/21^st century (various genres) of which at least one must be from the past 20 years
• One representative work (or a movement/excerpt from a work) from the classic classical repertoire

Video requirements
The single works/movements submitted must indispensably be recorded without any cuts.
If applicants submit one straight video with the whole programme, the applicant must set marks after every work/movement so that it is possible for the jury to purposely skip within the video.
Microphone: We recommend using a suitable stereo microphone and place it conveniently. If necessary, you may also use the microphone of a camera, computer, or smartphone.
Please record the video from a fixed point of view. The hands and the face of the musician must be visible.
Please upload the video onto YouTube and add the link to your list of works and in the registration tool. Please add the link to your application or send it by mail to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch until 15th February at the latest.

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

At Hochschule für Musik Basel, students have the opportunity to participate in various project and ensemble programmes.
To the overview of the recurring offers.

• Welcome: A brief overview
• Studying in Switzerland
• Tuition fees & Financing
• Scholarship
• Module descriptions

• Dates Entrance Exam on Site
• List of works for Entrance Exam
• Study Regulations
• Semester dates

Degree
MA FHNW in Musikpädagogik, Studienrichtung instrumental/ vokal, Zweites künstlerisches Hauptfach Zeitgenössische Musik

Teaching language
German/English
Level B1 is required for the German language in the MA MP.

Registration for the second artistic Major Contemporary music as part of the Master of Arts FHNW in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice requires a completed Master's degree in vocal or instrumental performance for voice or piano. The core competencies on the instrument, in singing, in the field of contemporary music creation and ensemble work acquired prior to this programme are pursued to a level that matches the highest international levels. By this way, exceptional standards may be achieved on the national and international concert stage and at competitions. 

In addition to the artistic training, the practice-oriented, concentrated pedagogical training enables the students to teach the instrument studied in the first master's programme professionally in individual and group lessons at musical educational institutions or independently at all levels.

This study programme is aimed at musicians who wish to build on their comprehensive instrumental/vocal training by specialising in the field of the Contemporary Music, with a view to a career in this field. Enrolment in the corresponding Master's programme in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice requires a Master's degree in vocal or instrumental performance and enables students to combine their artistic profile with a Master's degree in pedagogy for their own instrument.

The Master's degree in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice (second artistic Major Contemporary music) allows students to acquire a dual profile:
The degree programme equips students to pursue a career as a professional performer in a contemporary music ensemble or in the open music scene. It also provides them with the knowledge and skills to set up their own ensembles, design and curate concert series and other performance formats, and successfully market their ventures on both analogue and digital platforms. Furthermore, the pedagogical Master's qualification enables them to teach their instrument in music education institutions as well as independently.

Second Major: Contemporary Music
Structure MA MP Klassik instrumental/vocal 2Major Contemporary Music in German

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.

Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy programme with a Contemporary Music major, applicants must be awarded with a Master in Music Performance with an instrumental/vocal major or equivalent as well as they must 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 Music Pedagogy.

Required skills

• Excellent knowledge of the “classical/classic” repertoire on own instrument.
• High instrumental proficiency.
• Independent, artistic ability and high level of motivation to develop and hone an individual repertoire.
• High level of motivation to engage with different forms of contemporary music and their aesthetic, technical and historical context.
• Pedagogical interest and appropriate aptitude

Language Skills
We expect students to have very good German language skills at the beginning of the studies. Students who are not German native speakers must at least present a B1 German language certificate according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at the beginning of the studies. This certificate must be complete, i.e. all modules (reading, listening, writing, speaking) have been tested separately and passed at least at level B1 overall. Only certificates that have been certified with the ALTE-Q-Mark seal of approval (e.g. the B1 certificate of the Goethe-Institut or the telc certificate) are accepted. The required certificate B1 must be submitted with the confirmation of admission but not later than Mai 31. Exceptions will be decided upon by the head of degree programme.

Aptitude Assessment 
The aptidude assessment is split into several parts:

Procedure
Conversation:
After reviewing the submitted portfolio, the jury will invite chosen applicants for an online interview (ca. 30 minutes) by videoconference/zoom.

Pedagogical aptitude assessment (external applicants)
Candidates who are invited to the second round (on-site audition) are asked to submit a video of a demonstration lesson of 20' duration with a student of their own instrument. The student can be beginner or advanced and there is no age limit. If possible, the lesson should be held in German. If this is not possible for organizational reasons, the lesson must either be held in English or the video must be subtitled accordingly.  The recording must not be older than 6 months. Please upload the video onto Youtube and send the following information/documents by April 10 to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch by mail:

• the link
• information about the student (age and characteristics, since when)
• copies of the sheet music used (if applicable)
• a short written reflection of your lesson 

Pedagogical aptitude assessment (internal applicants)
For internal applicants, the pedagogical aptitude test takes place on-site during the spring semester (after the head of degree programme has been able to check whether a place is available). The dates will be communicated individually.
The pedagogical aptitude test consists of a demonstration lesson of 20' duration (the allocation of students is taken on by the subject didactics teachers) in German language and a reflection talk following the lesson.

Dates
The exact dates for the aptitude assessment by zoom meeting 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:  

To be submitted by PDF:

• A short biography
• the school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma, the Master Diploma
• Wishlist with five chamber music works that you want to acquire during the study course
• List of works with the works/movements/excerpts of the video 

To be submitted by video (Programme of 30-40 minutes)

• Not less than three works of the 20th/21st century (various genres) of which at least one must be from the past 20 years
• One representative work (or a movement/excerpt from a work) from the classic classical repertoire 

Video requirementsThe single works/movements submitted must indispensably be recorded without any cuts.
If applicants submit one straight video with the whole programme, the applicant must set marks after every work/movement so that it is possible for the jury to purposely skip within the video.
Microphone: We recommend using a suitable stereo microphone and place it conveniently. If necessary, you may also use the microphone of a camera, computer, or smartphone.
Please record the video from a fixed point of view. The hands and the face of the musician must be visible.
Please upload the video onto YouTube and add the link to your list of works and in the registration tool. Please add the link to your application or send it by mail to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch until 15th February at the latest.

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