Home Study Departments Composition & Music Theory

Composition & Music Theory

Overview

The Department of Composition and Music Theory explores contemporary forms of instrumental and electroacoustic composition and explores scholarly, artistic, and pedagogical approaches to music and styles of all periods. Teaching and musical education at the highest level is offered to students of all majors.

Mirabellplatz 1
5020 Salzburg

About

The close relationship between composition and the performance practice of New Music is encouraged through close cooperation with the Institute for New Music and the international master's programme in New Music.

In the area of music theory, the department not only enables students of all degree programmes to professionalise themselves in music theory, but also offers the possibility of in-depth study and specialisation with full degree programmes in music theory at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Students completing degrees in Instrumental/Vocal Pedagogy can choose to complete the courses required for the supplementary teaching qualification in music theory and aural training for Austrian music schools.

Courses

Music

Composition

Bachelor Master Postgraduate certificate Pre college

Music

International Master New Music (Bern - Dresden - Salzburg)

Music

Music theory

Bachelor Master Postgraduate certificate

News

14.4.2025

Dreamy, gestural, interwoven, humorous - or a chaotic hustle and bustle

Tina Geroldinger, a young Austrian composer, and Maurycy Hartman, clarinettist and founding member of the Ensemble for Contemporary Music, in conversation about the new ensemble, opportunities and possibilities for contemporary music in the current music world and about special moments that arise when people engage intensively with each other musically.

Interview
28.2.2025

Ö1 Talent Exchange: Composition Prize 2025

The Ö1 Talentebörse Composition Prize in the amount of 10,000 euros is awarded by Ö1 and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) and will be announced for the tenth time in 2025. The composition prize is a composition commission for a chamber music work, which may also include electronics.

Open Call
13.1.2025

Marios Joannou Elia receives Excellency Award & Gold Medal of the Republic of Cyprus

Marios Joannou Elia, a graduate of Adriana Hölszky's composition class in 2005, was honoured with the ‘Excellency Award and the Gold Medal of the Republic of Cyprus’.

Awards & Successes
14.11.2024

With Dylan On The Road II

The ‘With Dylan on the Road’ travel grant was conceived for the first time in 2022, enabling artistic teams to travel in the footsteps of Bob Dylan and develop projects. The trips took them to European countries as well as (North and South) American and African countries and brought back a variety of artistic works, from performance to song, from graphic work to theatre pieces, from video installations to artistically sophisticated documentation. With ‘With Dylan on the Road 2’, the Asian region (Japan, Korea, but also Turkey) is now also included in the above-mentioned geographical area, or rather opened up by the ten new artistic-scientific projects.

Student project

More news

Events

21.5.2025

07:30 pm

Bösendorfersaal

Musik ‚im alten Stile‘.

Stilorientierte Kompositionen und andere musikalische Erfindungen: Aufgeführt werden Musikstücke in Stilen aus vier Jahrhunderten in unterschiedlichen Besetzungen, komponiert und musiziert von Haupt- und Nebenfachstudierenden verschiedener Tonsatz-Klassen der Universität Mozarteum.

Concert
· Free
4.6.2025

07:00 pm

Solitär

Klassenabende des Departments für Komposition

Werke von Kompositionsstudierenden der Universität Mozarteum

Concert
· Free entry (Opens in new tab)
24.6.2025

08:00 pm

Wiener Saal

Wechselwirkungen zwischen Gesang & Musiktheorie

Spätromantische Lieder von Hugo Wolf, Gustav Mahler und Studierenden der Universität Mozarteum

Concert
· Free