MA Music Pedagogy | Jazz, Basel Academy of Music

Registration
You may apply between 15th December and 15th February.
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, second Master-students: the Master Diploma, the link(s) to the video(s).

On-Site
The practical and pedagogic exams will take place in April. The exact dates may be seen here.

The admission procedure of the Academy of Music Basel for the Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy Jazz with focus on Performance takes place in several phases:

First round: Video dossier
An audiovisual (image/sound) recording must be submitted. At least three pieces of the candidate's current musical work are presented with an ensemble and/or as a soloist. We are interested in getting to know the applicant’s artistic identity, which can be rendered through musical interaction and expression as well as through personal compositions and arrangements by the candidate. The selection of the recorded music should document both the interpretative and improvisational skills and the applicant’s familiarity and affinity with jazz and/or with jazz related musical genres.

Please note:

• All tracks should be unedited full takes
• We recommend using a stereo microphone and placing it properly. If no stereo microphone is available, the microphone of a camera, computer or smartphone can also be used.
• The video should be filmed in a static perspective, hands and face should be visible.
• Public recordings may be submitted, provided that they meet the above criteria and have not been edited.
• The recordings should be recent, in no case older than one year.
• The individual pieces can be recorded separately.

Upload and transmission

• Please upload to either Vimeo (https://vimeo.com) or YouTube (https://youtube.com).
• Access to the video must be granted until the end of June of the year of registration.
• Please submit the list of video links (instrumental/vocal performances) together with the registration no later than 15th February.

Pre-selection
Based on the submitted dossier, a committee decides on the admission to the second round that constitutes of a live audition. Candidates who are admitted to the second round will be notified about the date of the live audition.

Second round: Audition on site*
Ensemble- and/or solo performance (duration: 30 Minutes)

Sufficient artistic and instrumental/vocal skills must be demonstrated in the audition. The selection of prepared pieces should demonstrate stylistic diversity, revealing an engagement with several different genres of jazz. The selection may include standards as well as stylistically related original compositions or arrangements. The jury selects the pieces to be performed from the list prepared by the candidate.

The repertoire may include the same pieces as those submitted on the video for the preselection/first round. Furthermore, it is desirable that the examination board is given a list as complete as possible of the (jazz) pieces studied to date, preferably those mastered by heart, at the time of the examination.

The examination board reserves the right to include an unprepared individual part of the examination, e.g. sight-reading/sight-singing or free improvisation, to provide further information about the candidate's playing practice.

Ensemble performances can be completed with your own rhythm section (usually the case for online auditions) or with one provided by the academy. For the rhythm section provided by us (piano or guitar, bass, drums), the repertoire should be selected so that it can be accompanied without prior rehearsal using the sheet music you bring with you.

Pedagogc entrance exam (On-Site*)
Upon successful completion of the practical examination, candidates will be invited to an interview (approx. 15 minutes, on-site*) with the MA Music Pedagogy programme director and a member of the institute's management team. During this interview, candidates should explain their motivation for pursuing a Master's degree in Jazz Music Pedagogy, report on their previous teaching experience, and be open to questions and reflections on this topic.

*Examination mode
The second round (live audition) and the pedagogic entrance exam usually take place in person (on site). Upon request, the audition can be completed online. Assignment to the online procedure takes place after approval of the request, which must be submitted with the dossier and is binding. Without a corresponding request, assignment to the in-person procedure will take place.

Requirements for the online audition process

• The online audition should, if possible, be performed with an independently organised ensemble (at least a duo). The use of suitable playalongs or solo performances is permitted.
• Please ensure the best possible conditions for good stream transmission quality, for which we use the ZOOM platform. We recommend registering in advance at https://zoom.us and familiarising yourself with the platform.
• We recommend using an external microphone and, if necessary, an audio interface. We will send you a Zoom link by email in good time for the online audition. 

Second master students
Second master students have to pass the same entrance exam.

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

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