Composing music in the contemporary musical language was an essential skill for all well-qualified musicians until well into the 19th century. The improvisational approach played a decisive role in the programme and forms the basis of the master’s degree in Improvisation at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. Improvisation in its various forms is central to historical music practice. This is where almost all the skills acquired in early music flow together. In addition to contemporary descriptions and methods, traditional compositions are essential and often the only sources for the unscripted practice of certain epochs. Stylistic composition is therefore a central element of the degree programme, as are improvisation in the ensemble, questions of methodological teaching and performance-related aspects.
Factsheet
- Degree
- Master of Arts FHNW in Spezialisierter Musikalischer Performance, Studienrichtung Alte Musik Improvisation instrumental
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Learning environment
- Onsite
- ECTS points
- 120
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Language
- level B1 in German is required
- Staying abroad
- Possible
- Application fee
- 200 CHF
- Semester fee
- 750 CHF (CH) | 1000 CHF (EU/EFTA) | 1250 CHF (Not-EU/Not-EFTA)
At a glance
- Deepening knowledge of historical compositional theory, the thoroughbass and historical sources, and communicating in improvisation and composition in a reflective, creative and artistically convincing manner.
- Developing the highest technical skills and personal creativity in order to express yourself in a stylistically differentiated manner in improvisational and compositional discourse.
Why study this?
This programme is aimed particularly at keyboard instrumentalists who are advanced not only technically but also in their ability to improvise according to historically informed criteria. Players of melody instruments may also be accepted on this programme, if they show a special talent and affinity for improvisation.
Graduates can make improvisation and composition in styles from the 16th to 18th centuries a centrepiece of their concert programmes and apply these in their work as a professional ensemble director/continuo player. In addition, for those working as lecturers, teachers and tutors, the historically-informed and methodically reflected approach to improvisation and composition in different Early Music styles, which they have acquired during their studies, will form a central component of their work as educators.
Structure and programme contents
Historically informed improvisation
Until well into the 19th century, among the many talents well-qualified musicians had to have was the ability to perform in the musical idiom of the time. This also formed an essential part of the improvisational training they received.
In addition to contemporary accounts and methods, the compositions which have been passed down through the centuries constitute important, and often the only, sources for unwritten musical practices of certain eras. Consequently, stylistically-informed composition is a core part of this study programme.
This specialized Master’s programme also focuses on improvisation within an ensemble, as well as issues pertaining to the sharing of methodological expertise and performance practice (clarity, sound aesthetics, contact with the public, stage presence).
Improvisation in all its variants – for keyboard players, practically all forms of solo repertoire; for players of melody instruments particularly ornamentation, diminution, variations and cadences – is a central element of historical performance practice. Ideally, this is where all the specific knowledge and competence gained in the field of Early Music flows together to create an exciting realm of ‘composition in performance’. The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (SCB) offers a unique combination of courses in practical improvisation, history, and historical composition techniques, which have been developed and refined over the course of its degree programmes.
The aim of this programme is to provide students with the ability to improvise with a high degree of stylistic differentiation, as well as attaining knowledge of historic composition techniques and thoroughbass, advanced instrument proficiency, and individual musical creativity.
Modules and regulations
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
Module descriptions
Below please find the link with all the information on the module descriptions of several FHNW schools.
- 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
Dirk Börner
Emmanuel Le Divellec
Sven Schwannberger
Markus Schwenkreis
Schola Cantorum Basiliensis
Requirements, admission, entrance exam
We expect students to have good German language skills at the beginning of the studies. 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 (CEFR)) at the beginning of the studies.
Admission Criteria
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 pass an entrance exam. It breaks down as follows:
- Verification that the applicant meets all formal admission criteria
- Admission to the entrance exam
- Entrance exam
- Decision on admission.
Admission shall be granted for the academic year to which the entrance exam applies. This test may be retaken no more than once per degree programme/major, but no earlier than the next official entrance exam 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.
For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Study Course Regulations MA Specialised Music Performance Early Music instrumental improvisation in German.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam is individual for each study programme direction.
Dates
Registration
You may apply from 15 December until 31 January.
The following documents must be handed in with your registration:
- A curriculum Vitae incl. motivational letter
- school leaving qualification (Matura, Abitur, Baccalauréat, High School-Diploma)
- Bachelor Diploma
- Second Master students: Master Diploma
On-site
The on-site auditions will take place between mid-March and mid-April. The exact dates may be seen here in the beginning of January.
Announcement of the results
The results of the on-site entrance exam will be communicated by email in the beginning of May.
Procedure
The entrance exams consist of an on-site audition.
Persons unable to take an on-site assessment for visa, financial or environmental (long distance travel) reasons may submit a request for an online entrance assessment (video presentation and live interview). This request must be sent to scb.hsm@fhnw.ch at the same time as the registration (by 31 January), stating the reasons, and must then be approved by the management.
On-site audition
Please also refer to the document Eignungsabklärung.
Audition plus interview
The tasks of the exam can come from the following fields:
- task with 3 days preparation time
Improvisation of a fugue or a ricercare on a given theme. The theme will be sent to the candidate electronically 3 days before the examination. As a complementary prima vista task, a modulating prelude or toccata is to be played before the fugue or ricercare. The initial key or mode will be announced immediately before the exam. Candidates for melody instruments or voice can choose instead between ornamentation/diminution of a madrigal or a slow aria. - task with twenty minutes preparation time
Performance of a partimento bass - possible prima vista tasks (no preparation time)
Variations on an ostinato bass, improvisation of one or more suites of own choice on a given bass, improvisation of a chorale prelude on a given chorale, improvisation of a fughette or an invention on a given theme, musical performance of a given affect. - Composition
Please prepare an audition of a self-composed solo piece for your own instrument, no longer than 4' and bring the score in quadruplicate.
The short interview about the study objectives and content, previous education, career goals, preferred lecturers, etc.will follow the audition.
The general section of the entrance exam (theory) and proof of proficiency on a keyboard instrument take place on the same day, usually before or after the on-site audition for the main subject (duration: 20 min.).
- sing and identify intervals played on the harpsichord (closed and open position)
- active singing of intervals above or below a given pitch
- sing and identify seventh chords (7, 5/6, 3/4/6, 2/4/6)
- Dictation: sing and notate a two-voice setting (soprano and bass)
- identify the chords (preferably figured bass; modern harmony also acceptable)
- Improvisation: sing a continuation of the dictated melody
- Sight-sing a melody of medium difficulty from the 17th or 18th century, notated in treble or bass clef
- Performance of a prepared, short piece of your choice on the harpsichord (not required for those with major keyboard or plucked instruments)
- Tonality and mode issues
Further information can be found here.
Organisational matters
Advising and information events
Contact
Prof. C. Federico Sepúlveda
- Phone
- +41 61 261 57 57
Information events
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Registration
The next registration window is open from 15th December to 31th January.