Experience Lied, for some the highest of all art forms, in all its facets and uncover hidden treasures as an individual or as an existing Lied duo: top-class lecturers will accompany you on your two-year singing, playing and designing journey through the centuries.
Factsheet
- Degree
- Master of Arts FHNW in Spezialisierter Musikalischer Performance, Studienrichtung Liedgestaltung
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Learning environment
- Onsite
- ECTS points
- 120
- Next start
- 14.9.2026
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- 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
- A course of study for singers, pianists or existing duos
- Two years dedicated to the core subject of Lied
- Building up a broad repertoire – defining focal points – discovering new things
Why study this?
Graduates of this programme pursue careers as professional lied singers or accompanists on concert stages, at recitals or in concert series specialising in chamber music.
They are able to rehearse and perform at a very high level, with different partners and in different styles and languages. Emphasis is placed on developing one’s own musical and staging ideas in this specialist musical discipline. The programme requires students both to master a broad lied repertoire and specialise in specific Areas.
This study course is aimed at lied duos, singers and pianists wishing to receive intensive and specialised training in this discipline.
Study variant available
The combined master's programme – Lied Performance and education in music pedagogy
MA Music Pedagogy | instrument/voice | Lied Performance
Students who already hold a master's degree in Music Performance with an instrumental/vocal major have the possibility to combine in one Master of Arts in Music Pedagogy programme artistic specialization in Lied Performance and pedagogical education in their own instrument. This dual profile considerably expands their career opportunities.
MA Music Pedagogy | instrument / voice | Lied Performance
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
Structure MA SP Klassik Lied Performance 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 Specialised Music Performance programme with the Major Lied Performance, applicants must be awarded a Bachelor in Music or Music and Movement respectively 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 Study regulations of the Master of Arts FHNW in Specialised Music Performance.
Good knowledge of the German language, as well as sufficient active knowledge of at least two other discipline-related languages.
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
For the Entrance Exam, First Round
- link to video
On site
The live auditions will take place in April. The exact dates may be seen here.
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 the first round, which is held “by video”, and the second one, which is a live audition.
Procedure
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.
Organisational matters
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. 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 Specialised Performance | Lied performance
- Date
- 14.9.2026
- Duration
- 4 semesters
- Place
- Campus Musik-Akademie