Master of Music -
Catholic Church Music

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

Admission requirement

• A Bachelor's degree in church music or a comparable degree in a traditional, undergraduate academic program (e.g. church music diploma) is required.
• Students who have not earned their degree at 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 is an artistic-practical examination with an approximate duration of 20 minutes, in which skills in organ, choral conducting, improvisation and singing must be presented. Detailed information can be found in the Qualifying Examination Regulations, especially in the appendix for content requirements and conduct of the examination. Application for the program can be made for either the winter semester or the summer semester. The application deadline is either 01.03. (winter semester) or 01.10. (summer semester) each year.

In the postgraduate studies Master Church Music, the knowledge acquired in the Bachelor (or Diploma) program is expanded. In the 3rd and 4th semesters there is also a deepening of a self-selected core module in the subject of choral conducting, orchestral conducting, children's choral conducting, organ or liturgical organ playing.

• Wolfgang Abendroth, organ literature and liturgical organ playing
• Prof. Christopher Brauckmann, choral and orchestral conducting
• Christoph Eisenburger, Popular Music
• Marius Horstschäfer, Gregorian Chant and German Liturgical Chant
• André Kielbik, Liturgy (Protestant)
• Daniel Kirchmann, Orchestral Conducting
• Otto Krämer, Liturgical Organ Playing
• Dr. Beate Kraus, Church Music History
• Prof. Mareile Krumbholz, organ literature and liturgical organ playing
• Christoph Kuhlmann, Organ Didactics
• Prof. Thierry Mechler, organ literature and liturgical organ playing
• Alexander Niehues, Organology
• Thomas Schmidt, Hymnology and congregational singing
• Prof. Melanie Schüssler, children's choir conducting
• Peter Seul, Liturgy (Catholic)
• KMD Prof. Dr. Markus Uhl, organ literature and liturgical organ playing

The following organs are used for practicing and teaching at the college:

• Klais/Thomas - III/46 (2 transmissions)
• Woehl - III/49 (5 extensions, 5 transmissions)
• Thomas - III/25 (9 alternating loops, 2 transmissions)
• Muhleisen - III/6
• Eule - III/8 (2 transmissions)
• Rohlf - II/6 (1 alternating loop)

Cooperation agreements exist with the following churches:

• St. Kunibert, Kuhn - III/42
• Ursuline Church, Ahrend - II/19
• St. Heribert, Cavaille Coll/Mutin - II/12
• St. Ursula, Schiegnitz - II/33
• St. Agnes, Rieger - III/50

Outside the university, there are opportunities to use various instruments in Cologne's diverse church landscape. In particular:

• Cathedral, Klais - IV/89 and III/53
• Church of the Holy Trinity, Klais - III/44

The church music degree courses at the university offer you a broad and comprehensive musical education. This qualifies you to take on outstanding positions in church music on the one hand, but also to specialize, for example by taking up Master's courses in the diverse subjects of church music studies.