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Master of Music -
Chamber Music

Intensive work on the artistic profile.

Chamber music at HfMT Cologne plays a very important role in artistic education. In recent years in particular, consistent development work has led to the expansion of chamber music offerings at the university, anchoring it in the artistic-practical context of all bachelor's and master's degree programs in the instrumental area of the university as well as in the institutes of early and contemporary music.

The course is intended exclusively for existing ensembles that are at the beginning of their professional careers and wish to prepare themselves intensively for their careers. The preparation for competitions is as much in the foreground as the artistic profiling of the ensemble. The exclusively professorial instruction is supplemented by chamber music workshops offered with internationally renowned ensembles.

Three professors and numerous lecturers support the young musicians in gaining experience in self-responsible ensemble playing and enable training at a high international level. Chamber music can also be understood as a model for successful communication with each other. The intimate interplay in a small ensemble promotes empathy across all differences of the musicians, trains the ear and trains synchronicity. As the smallest and most intimate form of ensemble playing, chamber music takes on an essential significance for the development of an artistic personality and for the learning of pedagogical competence. In addition to the numerous chamber music groups that come together each semester from the instrumental courses of the various departments, the chamber music teachers also supervise permanent ensembles studying in the master's degree program in chamber music at HfMT Cologne. This course of study gives young formations the space to focus entirely on working
with and for each other with their teacher. In addition to individual support, the ensembles benefit from the excellent networking among the chamber music teachers, within the university and with numerous concert organizers in the region.

If you have any questions about the program, please contact the relevant person(s).

Basic information

Degree Master of Music
Period of study 4 Semester
Course begin Wintersemester
ECTS points 120 Credits
Major subjects Kammermusik

Additional information

Possible main subjects: Chamber music (see possible instrumentations)

Impressions from the study program
Unterrichtssituation Violine mit Professor und einer Studierenden.
Unterrichtssituation Kammermusik mit zwei Studierenden und einem Professor.
Unterrichtssituation Kammermusik mit zwei Studierenden und einem Professor.
Studierende mit verschiedenen Instrumenten stehen vor Notenpulten und proben
Fünfköpfiges Bläserensemble beim Unterricht.

Special features of the study

At the Cologne University of Music and Dance, you can expect not only 187 Steinway grand pianos intended for teaching or your exercises, but also our collection of 19th century keyboard instruments. Historical instruments by famous piano makers such as Pleyel, Erard, Broadwood or Conrad Graf are available for occasional lessons. They thus allow an authentic examination of 19th century works. If interested, there is also the possibility for historically inspired artistic exchange with our Institute for Historically Informed Interpretive Practice.

Applications are submitted online via the muvac platform. All information on the procedure can be found on our application page.

Admission requirement

  • Proof of a successfully completed bachelor's degree (or comparable degree).
  • Students who did not graduate from a German-speaking institution must prove that they have sufficient German language skills (min. level A2 according to the European Framework of Reference).
  • Successfully passed aptitude test

Qualifying examination

The aptitude test consists of an artistic-practical examination in the main subject (duration: approx. 20 minutes). Only chamber music ensembles in the following instrumentations are admitted:

Wind ensemble

  • Wind quintet (only classical wind quintet instrumentation: bassoon, oboe, flute, horn, clarinet)
  • Saxophone quartet (only 4 saxophones)
  • Trio d'anches (oboe, clarinet, bassoon)

Strings

  • String trio (violin, viola, violoncello)
  • String quartet (classical string quartet instrumentation: 2 violins, viola, violoncello)
  • String quintet (classical string quintet instrumentation: 2 violins, 2 violas, violoncello)

Guitar

  • Guitar duo (2 guitars only)
  • Guitar quartet (4 guitars only)

Piano

  • Piano (without ensemble)
  • Piano duo (2 pianos), no other duo formations
  • Piano trio (piano, violin, violoncello)
  • Piano quartet (piano, violin, viola, violoncello)
  • Piano quintet (piano, 2 violins, viola, violoncello)

Detailed information can be found in the Qualifying Examination Regulations, especially in the appendix for content requirements and conduct of the examination. For the artistic courses of study, we recommend that you contact the main subject teacher of your choice in good time; you will be gladly advised personally.

The Chamber Music program is divided into the following modules:

  1. Core module
  2. Artistic-practical context
  3. Elective module
  4. Master thesis/project

In the first two modules, the program focuses exclusively on in-depth study of chamber music, offering instruction in both early and modern music in addition to the main classical subject. In the compulsory elective module there is the possibility to complement the profile from the free offer of the university.

The chamber music course is suitable for the following instrumentations:

Winds

  • Wind quintet (only classical wind quintet instrumentation: bassoon, oboe, flute, horn, clarinet)
  • Saxophone quartet (only 4 saxophones)
  • Trio d'anches (oboe, clarinet, bassoon)

Strings

  • String trio (violin, viola, violoncello)
  • String quartet (classical string quartet instrumentation: 2 violins, viola, violoncello)
  • String quintet (classical string quintet instrumentation: 2 violins, 2 violas, violoncello)

Guitar

  • Guitar duo (2 guitars only)
  • Guitar quartet (4 guitars only)

Piano

  • Piano (without ensemble)
  • Piano duo (2 pianos), no other duo formations
  • Piano trio (piano, violin, violoncello)
  • Piano quartet (piano, violin, viola, violoncello)
  • Piano quintet (piano, 2 violins, viola, violoncello)

You can find a list of our lecturers on the following page.

Current events

Abschiedskonzert Prof. Mihaela Martin-Helmerson
19:30
Konzertsaal Köln
Abschiedskonzert Prof. Mihaela Martin-Helmerson
Meisterwerke der Kammermusik im Fokus
19:30
Kammermusiksaal Köln
Meisterwerke der Kammermusik im Fokus
con spirito - Kammermusikreihe
19:30
Anneliese Geske Musik- und Kulturhaus Erftstadt
con spirito - Kammermusikreihe
Meisterwerke der Kammermusik im Fokus
19:30
VENTANA Köln
Meisterwerke der Kammermusik im Fokus
Ein Finger zeigt auf einen Notenständer mit Noten.
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Contact

Prof. Anthony Spiri
Klavierkammermusik
Email anthony.spiri@hfmt-koeln.de
Telephone +49 / (0)221 / 28380 - 324
Address
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln
Unter Krahnenbäumen 87
50668 Köln
Prof. José-Luis Estellés-Dasi
Bläserkammermusik
Email Jose-Luis.Estelles-Dasi@hfmt-koeln.de
Address
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln
Theaterplatz 16
52062 Aachen
Prof. David Bryson Quiggle
Kammermusik Streicher
Email david.b.quiggle@hfmt-koeln.de
Address
Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln
Unter Krahnenbäumen 87
50668 Köln