Early Music Renaissance - Romantic instrument/voice

Consolidation of instrumental/vocal proficiency and fluency

The Master of Arts in Musical Performance focuses on the intensive engagement with Early Music playing techniques and performance practices, coupled with an in-depth examination of historical source material. As a result, students advance their understanding of the stylistic and aesthetic aspects of music and the need to creatively convey these qualities in contemporary performances.

Course description

This MA builds on the knowledge and skills acquired from the SCB’s Bachelor programme with an instrumental/vocal major. Students who hold a BA in Music from a different music education study programme will follow a special curriculum that comprises key theory-based subjects included in the specialised study programmes offered by the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.

Achieving the highest level of proficiency as an instrumental/vocal soloist is an important goal of this Master’s programme. Given that ensemble playing is integral to Early Music, the study programme also focuses on nurturing excellent ensemble musicianship. A Master’s thesis provides proof of the candidate’s capacity to deal with a subject in a scholarly and reflective manner.

Overview

The aim of this Master’s programme is to 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 defined less by traditional institutional employers and more by an interest in the creativity and persuasiveness of individual musicians.

This Master’s programme is aimed at students (instrumental/vocal) who are highly qualified and prepared to dedicate themselves to a course of study in historical performance practice that meets the highest artistic standards.
Prerequisites are: talent, high level of ability (voice/instrument) as well as potential for further artistic development, experience in Early Music and an interest in the historical foundations underpinning its practice.

Holders of an MA in Music Performance with a specialisation in Early Music are qualified to pursue a career as a soloist and/or as an ensemble musician, delivering performances that are stylistically appropriate, artistically compelling and of the highest calibre.

Graduates share their expertise and experience in workshops and masterclasses, and have the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to academic research on historical performance practice in their chosen fields.

Core curriculum (88 CP)

Major module

Major subject: individual and group tuition
Major-specific courses/regulations

Minor module

Introduction to thoroughbass and counterpoint
Practical minor subjects

Complementary courses (12 CP)

Music Theory module, foundation level

Ear training R-R (dictation and seminar)
Historical composition techniques R-R (seminars)
Notation R‐R (basis seminar)

Music Theory module, advanced level

Theory seminars
Master thesis colloquium

Elective courses (20 CP)

Personalised module

Minor or courses/activities chosen from the electives on offer

Detailed module descriptions

Modulplan

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 to pass an aptitude test.
The admission procedure breaks down as follows:

Verification that the applicant meets all formal admission criteria
Admission to the aptitude test
Aptitude test (entrance exam)
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.

General information about the entrance exam, aptitude test and exam dates can be found on the Entrance Exams page.

The aptitude test is divided into two parts: a music theory examination and a Major-specific audition. Both are 20 minutes long.

Aptitude test (German)

Theory examination (English)

In principle, applicants must perform on period instruments, or replicas thereof. Both vocalists and instrumentalists must prepare at least three pieces of different styles.

Sample repertoires