Accordion

Duration of the degree program: See module catalog/repertoire requirements

Subjects: Major with integrated interpretation workshop on chamber music with accordion

Aptitude test: A Baroque transcription, a post-1975 original piece for the accordion, and a stylistically different work

Prospects: The two-year Master of Music in Accordion graduate program is designed to improve exceptional artistic talents of students. The program’s focus is the students’ artistic and academic work on their instruments. The goal is to thoroughly study the students’ instruments and the music for those instruments. Soloists have many opportunities to play at festival and event venues located throughout the Rhineland and the adjacent Ruhr region. Students can discover many great things by working with contemporary music and its composers in the studio for new music.

Baroque Cello

The Baroque cello program is a supplementary program to the normal cello program. The program teaches treatises and the development of cello music, and the different concepts of interpretation they present will be used in student analysis. The repertoire explored spans from 1680 to 1830.

The program’s focus includes the interpretation of musical text and performance of basso continuo pieces using figured bass notation.

Ideally, Baroque cellists should also learn the basics of playing the Viola da Gamba.

Guitar

The two-year master’s program for guitar can be studied with either the solo specialization or the chamber music specialization. Students who choose the chamber music specialization must be members of a permanent chamber music group during the aptitude test and for the duration of the program. Students may participate in the following groups: guitar duet, voice and guitar, flute and guitar, violin and guitar, mandolin and guitar, guitar trio, or guitar quartet.

Piano

The two-year Master of Music in Piano Solo graduate program is designed to challenge, help, and support gifted artists in their journey to becoming independent professional musicians. The core of the program consists of extensive instrumental work in addition to chamber music and various electives aimed at enhancing skills (e.g., improvisation and ensemble conducting).

The program concludes with a public performance by the artist as well as a written project.

Mandolin

Students may specialize in solo or chamber music during the two-year mandolin master’s program. Students who choose the chamber music specialization must be members of a permanent chamber music group during the aptitude test and for the duration of the program.