Early Music Medieval-Renaissance instrument/voice

The music of the Middle Ages: a specialisation like no other

The study of music from the Medieval-Renaissance period encompasses works dating from around 900 to 1530, and up to 1600 in specific cases.

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 medieval and Early Modern music, the study programme also focuses on nurturing excellent ensemble musicianship, allowing students to acquire the skills needed to put their musical knowledge and expertise into practice in ensemble performance and direction.

This specialised Master’s programme requires students to have a thorough foundation in theoretical, practical and contextual subjects and topics that are of direct relevance to medieval and Early Modern Music. They must also be capable of independent study and inquiry. The in-depth study of a specialist subject from the period as well as the writing of a Master’s thesis provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their academic research skills and their ability to apply these in practice.

Overview

The primary goal of this programme is to help to develop an independent artistic personality as well as the ability to combine historic and artistic aspects of Early Music both creatively and with outstanding instrumental/vocal proficiency. Given that career prospects for musicians specialising in the medieval and Renaissance periods is limited to the open ‘music market’ (i.e. concerts, tuition and recordings), it is especially important that students nurture their artistic and intellectual independence, develop a distinctive and creative musical personality and perfect their ability to deliver compelling performances of the highest calibre.

This Master’s programme is aimed at students who hold a very good Bachelor of Arts with a specialisation in medieval-Renaissance music from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, as well as those who have studied elsewhere but have a solid grounding in the theory and practice of relevant to these eras. The focus of the study programme is European music from Carolingian period until the 16^th century.

Career opportunities for medieval-Renaissance music specialists include performance work in concert, festival and Early Music concert series settings. As expert ensemble musicians, they are qualified to play with existing ensembles or establish their own ensemble. A number of graduates opt to pursue a career in academic research within their chosen field of specialisation, while others choose to share their experience and expertise in workshops and masterclasses.

The primary aim of this Master’s programme is to hone the students’ instrumental and vocal proficiency as well as their ability to work as part of an ensemble. Furthermore, independent academic work and the students’ artistic/creative output are fostered through a yearly project, under the supervision of a member of the teaching staff, on a subject specific to medieval-Renaissance music. A Master’s thesis provides proof of the candidate’s capacity to deal with a subject in a scholarly and reflective manner.

The Master’s programme also provides students with extensive ensemble-playing experience, as well as the skills needed to direct such formations.

Core curriculum (CP 80)

Major module

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

Complementary courses (CP 22)

Music Theory module, advanced level

Specialisation – practice, theory, context
Master thesis colloquium

Elective courses (CP 18)

Personalised module

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 (or 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.

In principle, applicants must perform on period instruments, or replicas thereof. Both vocalists and instrumentalists must prepare at least three pieces of different styles. One short piece (max. 4 mins) may date from up to 1650. The remaining two pieces must date before 1530.

Sample repertoires