Wind orchestra conducting

The FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance Wind Orchestra Conducting builds on the knowledge students have already acquired in their previous music pedagogy or music performance studies at Master’s level. Students will leverage their existing instrumental proficiency and experience of ensemble work to expand their conducting repertoire and hone their instrument-playing and score-reading abilities.

The FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance with a Wind Orchestra Conducting is aimed at students who hold a Bachelor degree in Music and who wish to specialise in wind orchestra conducting.

Holders of a FHNW Master of Arts in Specialised Music Performance with a Wind Orchestra Conducting are qualified to lead wind orchestras, brass bands and wind ensembles, whether amateur, semi-professional or professional.

Structure MA SP Klassik Wind Orchestra Conducting 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 Wind Orchestra Conducting Major, applicants must be awarded a Bachelor in Music/Music and Movement 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 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.

Required skills

• Basic knowledge of conducting and rehearsal techniques
• Piano and score-playing proficiency
• Ability to analyse a score for a wind orchestra
• Knowledge of the seminal works in the wind orchestra repertoire

Language Skills
We recommend having sufficient German language skills.

Entrance exam
The entrance exam is split into several parts.

Procedure
Duration: 40 Minutes
Analysis of a wind orchestra work of applicant’s choosing (approx. 20 mins)
Conducting of a score
Score-playing of a simple wind orchestra work
Discussion on the seminal works from the wind orchestra repertoire

Dates
The live auditions 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, the school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma. In case that the applicant already holds a Master Diploma, we also need a copy of that.

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 Blasorchesterdirektion

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

Semester fee Second major
800 CHF

Registration for the second artistic Major Wind Orchestra Conducting as part of the Master of Arts FHNW in Music Pedagogy requires a completed Master's degree in vocal or instrumental performance. In this study programme, students will leverage their existing instrumental proficiency and experience in ensemble work to expand their conducting repertoire and hone their instrument-playing and score-reading abilities. 

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

This programme is aimed at students who hold a Master's degree in vocal or instrumental performance and who wish to combine a specialisation in Wind Orchestra Conducting with a Master's degree in pedagogy for their own instrument or voice. 

The Master's degree in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice (second artistic Major Wind Orchestra Conducting) allows students to acquire a dual profile:
Graduates are qualified to lead wind orchestras, brass bands and wind ensembles, whether amateur, semi-professional or professional. Furthermore, graduates will acquire a Master's degree in instrumental and vocal pedagogy for their own instrument and will then be qualified to teach this subject in music education institutions as well as independently.

Second Major: Wind Orchestra Conducting
Structure MA MP Klassik instrumental/vokal 2Major Wind Orchestra Conducting 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 Wind Orchestra Conducting 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: 

• Basic knowledge of conducting and rehearsal techniques
• Piano and score-playing proficiency
• Ability to analyse a score for a wind orchestra
• Knowledge of the seminal works in the wind orchestra repertoire
• 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 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. 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.

Entrance exam
The entrance exam is split into several parts.

Procedure
Artistic Major Wind Orchestra Conducting 
Duration: 40 Minutes
Analysis of a wind orchestra work of applicant’s choosing (approx. 20 mins)
Conducting of a score
Score-playing of a simple wind orchestra work
Discussion on the seminal works from the wind orchestra repertoire

Pedagogical aptitude assessment
The pedagogical aptitude assessment refers to the instrument of the first Master’s major. 

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 ad-vanced 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 according-ly.  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 live auditions will take place in 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, the school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma and Master Diploma.

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