Music,

Our degree programmes initiate and foster artistic and creative processes. Students engage in-depth with composition, instrumentation, arrangement and aesthetic concepts, both through the intensive study of works from different eras and styles and through intensive, project-oriented work on their own compositions. The curricula combine classical compositional techniques with new media and interdisciplinary working methods. Through close collaboration with experienced composers and through your own projects, you will learn to further develop your compositional work, present it with confidence, and make it visible and audible. In doing so, you will benefit from the stimulating environment and the large pool of highly qualified performing musicians with whom you will bring your music to life.

Improvised music – ranging from historical improvisation practices through to jazz and free improvisation – forms a particular focus: students and participants in continuing education programmes work in settings with experienced lecturers on practice-oriented modules, performative projects and interdisciplinary collaborations. You will expand your artistic and methodological skills and develop innovative approaches to creating and shaping music in the moment, both as a soloist and as part of a collective.

Music education for people of all ages and musical abilities – practical, embedded in a historical context and academically grounded – forms a cornerstone of the training programmes offered at the University of Music. Whether teaching at primary schools or music schools, in group or individual lessons, for community projects or informal forms of music education – we offer the right training pathway for every area. Ongoing professional development programmes, such as the CAS/DAS in Music Education, enable you to expand your specialist expertise, for example in digital skills, improvisation pedagogy or music physiology.

The university offers extensive opportunities in the field of music technology and audio production. Whether in audiovisual experimentation, recording studio work, sound design or digital sound creation – here you combine artistic and creative expertise with technical know-how. Modern studios and infrastructure open up pathways to professional sound and media production, stage practice and interdisciplinary art projects.

Music theory and history are integral components of a music degree. Alongside a solid grounding in theory through teaching, great emphasis is placed on the connection between research and musical practice. Topics include critical reflection on musical sources and repertoires, music education research, organology, philosophy of music, and issues in contemporary music. Practical research projects and publications, as well as study days, convey these research findings. In specific fields of study, you will have the opportunity to pursue your own research approaches and work in a methodological and scientific manner – a solid foundation for a future career in teaching or work in a publishing context

Here, music is taught in a lively and contemporary manner. From classical instrumental training and vocal studies to contemporary performance, from historical music practice to electronic music and jazz – the programmes are practice-oriented and internationally recognised. Masterclasses, projects with exciting personalities, collaborations with nationally and internationally renowned cultural figures and music institutions, as well as numerous performances, ensure a bridge between study and professional life. Particularly at Master’s level, interpretative skills are developed to the highest standard and students’ own artistic profiles are refined.

The range of courses in the field of performance and movement is unique at the Basel University of Music FHNW. Degree programmes and further education courses encourage cross-disciplinary work at the intersection of various artistic genres and forms of expression, from music and performance to theatre and scenography. Working on your own projects, collaborating with artists from different disciplines and a vibrant network make the university a hotspot for artistic transformation.