Thinking of choosing an artistic specialisation or Music Pedagogy as a second master’s degree? Why not both? If you already have a master’s degree in Performance with a major in singing or piano, you have the opportunity to combine your artistic specialisation in Lied Performance with a teaching qualification for your instrument (singing or piano) as part of an MA in Music Pedagogy.
Factsheet
- Degree
- Master of Arts FHNW in Musikpädagogik, Studienrichtung instrumental/vokal, Zweites künstlerisches Hauptfach Liedgestaltung
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Learning environment
- Onsite
- ECTS points
- 120
- Next start
- 14.9.2026
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Language
- B1 level in German required
- Staying abroad
- Possible
- Application fee
- 200 CHF
- Semester fee
- Second major 800 CHF
At a glance
- requires a degree in MA Performance (Piano or Singing)
- Development of a broad repertoire of songs in different languages and styles with individual focus areas and different partners
- Implementation of own musical and dramaturgical concepts
- In parallel, practical teaching qualification for piano or singing; graduate with an MA Music Pedagogy instrument/voice required for employment at music schools
Why study this?
The Master's degree in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice with artistic Major Lied performance allows students to acquire a dual profile:
The degree programme provides students with the necessary qualifications to work as professional lied singers/accompanists and to perform at specialist lied concerts and Recitals or in chamber music concerts. The pedagogical Master's qualification enables them to teach their instrument or voice in music education institutions as well as independently.
Nearly all music schools in Switzerland now require prospective teaching staff to have a Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy.
This programme is aimed at lied duos, singers and pianists wishing to receive intensive and specialised training in this discipline.
Enrolment in the Master's programme in Music Pedagogy instrument/voice with a second artistic Major in Lied performance requires a Master's degree in vocal or instrumental performance (voice or piano) and enables students to combine their artistic specialisation with a Master's degree in pedagogy for their own instrument. The second artistic major replaces the artistic major instrumental/vocal.
Structure and programme contents
The BA and MA degree programmes at the Basel Academy of Music are based on modules.
The legally binding structure provides an initial guide to the content and weighting of the subjects on the degree programme.
The detailed content and modalities of the individual subjects can be found in the module descriptions.
The study regulations come into force together with the study and examination regulations of the Basel Academy of Music FHNW and form the legal framework.
Structures
Second Major: Lied Performance Singing
Structure MA MP Klassik instrumental/vocal 2Major Lied Performance Singing in German
Second Major: Lied Performance Piano
Structure MA MP Klassik instrumental/vocal 2Major Lied Performance Piano in German
Module descriptions
Below please find the link with all the information on the module descriptions of several FHNW universities.
- Switch the language settings to English.
- 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 to call up a document from each overview and save it for yourself.
- Course registrations are made via the intranet.
Study Regulations
Lecturers
Requirements, admission, entrance exam
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy programme with a Lied Performance 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).
For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Studienreglement of the Master of Arts FHNW in Music Pedagogy.
We expect students to have very good German language skills.
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).* This certificate must be complete, i.e. all modules (reading, listening, writing, speaking) have been tested separately and passed at a minimum level of B1 overall.
Only certificates that have been certified with the ALTE-Q-Mark seal of approval (e.g. the B1 certificate of the Goethe Institute or the telc certificate) are accepted. The required certificate B1 must be submitted with the confirmation of admission but not later than 31 May.
*For Swiss citizens whose native language is not German, the Matura is considered equivalent to the required language certificate, provided that the subject German was completed with at least a ‘sufficient/genügend’ grade.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam is individual for each study programme direction.
Dates
Registration
You may apply between 15th December and 1st March.
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
- For second Master students the Master Diploma
- video recordings (in detail in Procedure)
On-Site
The live auditions will take place in April. The exact dates may be seen here.
Pedagogic Entrance Exam
Deadline for the informations/documents to be send is 10th April. Details below under Procedure, Pedagogical Entrance Exam.
Announcement of the results
The results of the first round will be communicated by mail at the end of March.
The results of the second round will be communicated by mail in May.
Procedure
The entrance exam is split into two parts – one major exam and one pedagogic exam.
Procedure
Artistic Major Lied Performance
The artistic major examination corresponds to the entrance exam in the MA Specialised Music Performance Lied Performance.
Please mind the procedure of entrance exam of the respective artistic specialised major.
First round: Video recordings
Applicants must submit a video when registering. The length of the video should be minimum 20 minutes. It should contain a representative selection of Lieder of at least three different stylistic epochs and in at least two different languages.
Video requirements
The single Lieder have to be recorded from a fixed point of view and without any cuts.
The hands and the face of the musician must be visible.
We recommend using a suitable stereo microphone and place it conveniently.
The recording should not be older than 6 months.
Publicly recorded concerts may be submitted as long as they correspond to the above-mentioned requirements.
Please upload the video onto YouTube and add the link in the registration tool. If one straight video with the whole programme is submitted, the applicant must set marks after every Lied so that it is possible to purposely skip within the video.
Second round: Live audition on site
Only those applicants who will be considered for the second round will be invited for the live audition.
Repertoire requirements
Please prepare a programme of minimum 60 minutes with Lieder from at least three different stylistic epochs and of at least two different languages and a set of at least five coherent Lieder. Pianists also need to prepare a solo piece of at least 10 minutes.
The choice of the programme may be identical as the one of the video. 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 goals of the studies and the study course content as well as the applicant´s prior education, experience, the choice of the professor, etc.
Pedagogical entrance exam
The pedagogical entrance exam refers to the Piano/Voice
Candidates who are invited to the second round 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. The lesson should be held in German. If this is not possible for organizational reasons for external candidates, 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 10th April 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
Organisational matters
More Study variations
Students are able to graduate the pedagogical education on their instrument/voice and chose even more alternative artistic Majors:
Projects / Ensembles
At Hochschule für Musik Basel, students have the opportunity to participate in various project and ensemble programmes.
To the overview of the recurring offers.
Quicklinks
Advising and information events
Contact
Student Administration Academy of Music, Klassik
- Phone
- +41 61 264 57 32 (Direct)
- klassik.hsm@fhnw.ch
Prof. Annekatrin Klein
- Phone
- +41 61 264 58 36
- annekatrin.klein@fhnw.ch
Prof. Carl Wolf
- Phone
- +41 79 718 81 37 (Direct)
- carl.wolf@fhnw.ch
Information events
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Registration
The registration window is open from 15th December to 1st March.
MA Music Pedagogy | instrument / voice | Lied Performance
- Date
- 14.9.2026
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Notes
- Mandatory events take place before the start of the semester. Details will be sent out by the student administration.