Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy - Early Music Instrument /Voice

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.

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.

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

Structure MA Early Music Music Pedagogy instrument/voice 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.

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

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.

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 the 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.

• 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).

• 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.

Audition plus interview:  Please prepare a programme of 15 to max. 20 minutes with pieces from at least three different stylistic fields. (Also) 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.

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.

You may apply from 15 December until 31 January.

The following documents must be handed in with your application:
Curriculum Vitae including motivational letter, school leaving qualification (Matura, Abitur, Baccalauréat, High School-Diploma), Bachelor Diploma and a German Language Certificate (B2). If the applicant already holds a Master Diploma, please include.

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.

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

• Dates Entrance Exam on-site
• List of works for Entrance Exam on-site
• Regulations
• Semester dates