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MA Music Pedagogy | instrument / voice | Wind Orchestra Conducting, Basel Academy of Music

Basel Academy of Music


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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, instrument/voice, you have the opportunity to combine the artistic specialisation in Wind Orchestra Conducting with a teaching qualification for your own instrument as part of an MA in Music Pedagogy. This dual profile expands your range of opportunities: conducting orchestras and ensembles, as well as teaching as an instrument or vocal teacher at educational institutions or on a freelance basis.


Factsheet

Degree
Master of Arts FHNW in Musikpädagogik, Studienrichtung instrumental/ vokal, Zweites künstlerisches Hauptfach Blasorchesterdirektion
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

  • The combined master’s degree – Wind Orchestra Conducting and Music Pedagogy requires an MA in Performance, instrument/voice
  • Development of comprehensive knowledge of conducting technique as well as skills in Instrumentation and Score Studies
  • Practical orchestral work and rehearsal methodology
  • In parallel, practical teaching qualification for your own instrument; graduate with an MA Music Pedagogy, instrumental/voice, required for employment at music schools

Why study this?

The programme pursues two objectives:

Training as a conductor of a wind orchestra

The programme prepares students for the artistically demanding task of conducting wind orchestras, both with professional musicians and amateurs. Students acquire comprehensive knowledge of conducting and related disciplines. In particular, they learn to interpret a score in its style-specific sonority and with clarity of conducting technique. Practical work with the orchestra is important here: students train and deepen their psychologically and methodologically demanding interaction with the musicians.

Instrumental/vocal teaching training

In addition to the artistic specialisation in Wind Orchestra Conducting, 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.

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. It is also possible to combine both activities at the HSM Basel.
Nearly all music schools in Switzerland now require prospective teaching staff to have a Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy (or an equivalent qualification).

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. 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.

Structure

Second Major: Wind Orchestra Conducting
Structure MA MP Klassik instrumental/vokal 2Major Wind Orchestra Conducting 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 at the top left to call up a document from each overview and save it for yourself.
  • Course registrations are made via the intranet.

Module descriptions

Study Regulations

Study Regulations Master of Arts FHNW in Music Pedagogy in German


Lecturers

Music Pedagogy

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More details (in German)

Bjørn Sagstad

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More details

Institut Klassik

HSM_Klassik_Dozierende_Hände_auf_Klavier_mit_Orchester25_Susanna-Drescher.jpg
All Lecturers

Requirements, admission, entrance exam

  • 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

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. This invitation also serves as admission to the educational entrance exam.
For further information on the admission criteria, please see 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.

General Registration ProcedureAll about Studying in Basel

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
  • The Master Diploma

On-site
The artistic live auditions will take place at the end of April. The exact dates may be seen here.

Pedagogical 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 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 Wind Orchestra Conducting
Please mind the procedure of entrance exam of the respective artistic specialised major.

Live audition on-site 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 entrance exam
The pedagogical entrance exam refers to the instrument of the first Master’s major.
Candidates (external and internal) 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 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:

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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
  • Welcome: A brief overview
  • Studying in Switzerland
  • Tuition fees & Financing
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  • Module descriptions
Files and Regulations
  • Dates Entrance Exam on Site
  • List of works for Entrance Exam
  • Study Regulations
  • Semester dates

Advising and information events

Contact

Student Administration Academy of Music, Klassik

Student Administration Academy of Music, Klassik

Contact for all administrative matters.
Phone
+41 61 264 57 32 (Direct)
E-Mail
klassik.hsm@fhnw.ch

Prof. Annekatrin Klein

Head of MA & DAS Music Pedagogy instrumental/vocal, CO-Head MA MP Music Theory
Phone
+41 61 264 58 36
E-Mail
annekatrin.klein@fhnw.ch
Beat Hofstetter

Prof. Beat Hofstetter

Head of BA and MA Music in schools I and II, Head of MA Specialised Performance Choral conducting and Wind orchestra conducting
Phone
+41 61 264 57 36
E-Mail
beat.hofstetter@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 | Wind Orchestra Conducting

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.
Register

Basel Academy of Music FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland

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