Choral Conducting

Bachelor
BA
Dirigieren, Chor- & Blasorchesterleitung | © Christian Schneider

The bachelor's degree program in Choral Conducting serves to achieve artistic maturity and independence in all areas of choral conducting and conducting tasks. From the beginning, a sound, technical foundation is built up in order to later be able to convey one's own musical ideas and a broad symphonic, operatic and choral repertoire from early to new music.

General information

The study programme is oriented to the current state of development and development of the arts as well as to the state of research of the involved sciences
the aim of the Bachelor's programme in Choral Conducting is to provide students with a practice-oriented and scientifically based professional education for the following fields:

  • Choirmaster of professional choirs (opera, theatre, radio)
  • Choirmaster of oratorio choirs
  • Choirmaster of specialised a cappella choirs (sacred and secular)
  • Choirmaster of semi-professional choirs and amateur choirs
  • church musician
  • Ensemble director
  • répétiteur
  • Advisor and counsellor of singers

Furthermore, the study programme serves as a qualification for professional activities that require the application of artistic and scientific knowledge and methods, for example in the field of recording management, cultural management, publishing, source evaluation, musicology, etc. Furthermore, the study programme is intended for development of personality and social skills of the students. Students should be enabled to perceive and contribute to artistic and
developments in the arts and in society as a whole.

The goals of the BA in Performance at the Mozarteum University are artistic maturity and independence, critical self-reflection and evaluation, and the artistic and scientific ability to interpret musical works from all periods. The BA in Performance will equip students to pursue their chosen profession and to fulfil artistic, pedagogical and organisational tasks within cultural life.

The curriculum is competence-oriented. After completing the Bachelor's programme, students should:

  • be able to master their instrument and present themselves professionally
  • be free and independent in their artistic work
  • be able to deal critically with artistic and academic issues
  • be able to play professionally in an orchestra/ensemble
  • be able to work as a team-player in an artistically constructive way as a member of a chamber music formation or ensemble
  • have acquired comprehensive knowledge of various playing techniques
  • have acquired comprehensive knowledge of the orchestral literature and mastery of the relevant orchestral parts and the solo and chamber music literature of various periods
  • have basic knowledge of stylistics and repertoire
  • have gained insight into the literature and performance practice of both early and contemporary music
  • have acquired comprehensive knowledge of music theory and musicology and be able to apply this in practice
  • have mastered the basics of academic work and be able to analyse, interpret and write about artistic content in a grounded manner
  • be able to use audiovisual media for self-presentations (such as competition submissions, demo recordings, internet presentations etc.)
  • have gained insights into the areas of physical and mental health maintenance, self-management and performance optimisation
  • have further developed their individual interests in the sense of lifelong learning beyond their own subject area through targeted consolidation in the context of elective subjects

The eight-semester bachelor's degree programme is modular in structure. Each module comprises teaching and learning content that has been combined to form thematically and didactically meaningful units of study. The names and content descriptions (study objectives) of the individual modules, the number of ECTS credits to be achieved for each module, and the type of performance assessment are specified in the curriculum. The module descriptions refer to the corresponding learning outcomes and competencies. The Bachelor's program is a face-to-face program and cannot be offered - not even in part - as a distance learning program. The courses from the Principal Study, as well as in other One-to-One Tuition, are designed to build upon each other. Prerequisite for enrolment in courses from the Principal Study or One-to-One Tutition is a positive evaluation of the previous semester (from the second semester onwards).

The curriculum provides an overview of the courses to be completed, which are grouped into module groups.

The courses are visible online in Curriculum Support:

Link to the semester schedule

A prerequisite for beginning a bachelor's degree (BA) is passing an audition. Auditions take place once a year and consist of various partial exams. All information about the audition can be found under “Information about the admissions process” further down the page.

A high school diploma is not necessary.

PLEASE NOTE: You can only apply for study programmes for which you have not yet obtained a degree!

Students of the Bachelor's programme are encouraged to complete a semester abroad. Semesters 5 and 6 of the degree programme are particularly suitable for this. In addition to subject-specific competences, a study period abroad can also lead to the acquisition and deepening of:

  • Subject-specific foreign language skills
  • General foreign-language skills (language comprehension, conversation, etc.)
  • Organisational skills, through independent planning of everyday student life in international administrative and university structures
  • Knowledge about international study systems, as well as broadening one's own subject perspective
  • Intercultural competences

Examinations and assessments taken during studies abroad can be approved by the Director of Studies as equivalents to compulsory subjects, elective sujects or free elective subjects required by the Mozarteum University for your degree course. The documents required for the approval procedure are to be submitted by the applicant immediately after their exchange semester.

Details at International Affairs.

In addition to weekly lessons in small groups and work with the practice choir and the Mozarteum UniChor, students studying choral conducting at the Mozarteum University have numerous other internal and external opportunities to try out and apply the course content in practice. These fields of activity range from holding soloist and choir rehearsals to participating in workshops with international speakers and different stylistic focuses to independently rehearsing and conducting concerts in university and public spaces, such as class evenings, education concerts and exam concerts.

Where possible, attention will also be paid to networking with regional choirs, where the choir directing aspirants can gain valuable experience in leadership, voice training, project management and musical work.

  • Nov. 19.: Opernchorwerkstatt / Chor des Gärtnerplatztheaters München
  • Dez. 19: A cappella Werkstatt / Chor der Klangverwaltung
  • Okt. 20: Dirigate Haydn: Schöpfung / Sinfonieorchester der Uni Mozarteum
  • Okt. 20: Werkstatt und Dirigat Brahmsrequiem / Chor der Klangverwaltung
  • Apr. 21: Werkstatt Matthäuspassion / Festspiele Erl / Chor der Klangverwaltung
  • Juni 21: Dirigate (Prüfung) Orff: Carmina Burana / Mozarteum vocalEnsemble
  • Okt. 21: Dirigate Mozartrequiem / Mozarteum vocalEnsemble / Kammerorchester der Uni Mozarteum
  • Jan. 22: Opernchorwerkstatt: / Chor der Semperoper Dresden
  • Mär. 22: Dirigate Schütz Exequien und Brahmsrequiem / Mozarteum vocalEnsemble / Sinfonieorchester der Uni Mozarteum
  • Jun. 22: Opernchorwerkstatt / Chor des Gärtnerplatztheaters München
  • Okt. 22: Dirigat (Prüfung) Schütz:  Psalmen Davids / Mozarteum vocalEnsemble
  • Nov. 22: Opernchorwerkstatt / Chor des Stadttheaters Klagenfurt
  • Dez. 22: Dirigate „Schulchortreffen“ / Mozarteum UniChor
  • Jan. 23: Dirigate a cappella und Requiem Poulenc und Fauré / Mozarteum vocalEnsemble
  • Mär. 23: Werkstatt Johannespassion / Solistinnen der Oratorienklasse
  • Apr. 23: A cappella Werkstatt / Christiane Büttig/ Chor der Uni Dresden
  • Mai 23: Werkstatt Gregorianischer Choral / Dr. Stefan Engels / Virgilchoralschola

After completing the Bachelor's programme in Choral Conducting, the following Master's programmes are possible at Mozarteum:

  • MA Choral Conducting
  • MA Wind Orchestra Conducting
  • MA Correpetition for Music Theatre
  • MA Historical Performance Practice

Please note that a regular admission procedure (incl. entrance examination) must be completed again for admission to the Master's programmes!

Information on the admission process

prerequisite for admission to the Bachelor's degree programme (BA) is passing an audition. Application for an audtion takes place online, with applicants being required to submit an application video. If the application video is assessed positively, you will be invited to the admission examination.

PLEASE NOTE:

  • The assessment of the application video takes place after the application deadline and can take 4-6 weeks!
  • You can only apply for study programmes for which you have not yet obtained a degree!

On the basis of the videos sent in, a pre-selection will be made by the examination board. The selected applicants will be invited to an on-site audition, which consists of several parts.

Registration takes place via the application portal [Link], where you must first create an application account. Please note that the automatic email to activate the account can often be found in the spam folder, so please be sure to check there if you think you have not received it. If you still have problems activating your account, please contact studieninfo@moz.ac.at.

Please ensure that you can be reached at the email address entered in your profile throughout the entire application process. If there are any changes, please update your profile yourself.

Based on the videos sent in, a pre-selection will be made by the examination board. The following excerpt from the BA Choral Conducting examination programme must be uploaded to a video platform of your choice:

  • Conducting with choir or (vocal) ensemble (consisting of at least 5 ensemble members) of a work of choice, briefly showing the ensemble but mainly the face and body of the applicant.

Please ensure in advance that the persons captured on video and audio have given their consent to the audio and video recordings and submission as part of the admission examination. In this respect, the University Mozarteum Salzburg is to be fully indemnified and held harmless.

The duration of the video should be approx. 8-10 minutes.

Important information about the video upload can be found HERE, as well as the data protection information. The guidelines mentioned there are to be observed urgently!

In the online interview with the examination board on motivation, background, previous studies and expectations, the submitted video will also be discussed. For this purpose, you will receive an appointment and a link to a video conference tool in advance. Please ensure that you are available with a good internet connection at the specified time (probably mid-April); a PC/laptop with camera/microphone is also required.
The interview will take place via ZOOM and will last approximately 10 minutes.

After passing part A, admission to part B-F will be granted.

Conducting with choir or (vocal) ensemble:

  • Two vocal works, one of which must be a capella (e.g. Goffredo Petrassi: Nonsense (1952), a chorus from Haydn: Creation).
  • Duration of the examination: approx. 10-20 minutes
  • The two works will be announced to the applicants when they register for the entrance examination.
    Works for the entrance exam 2024/2025:
    A cappella: Eric Whitacre: A Boy and a Girl / Sheet music (PDF)
    with piano: Mozart: Zauberflöte / from that Schlusschor “Heil sei euch Geweihten“  (with Rezitativ from „Die Strahlen der Sonne“), Edition Bärenreiter or Peters

Playing a piano excerpt from opera or oratorio literature as well as sight-reading, duration approx. 10-15 minutes

Programme:

  • Performance (i.e. playing and singing from the piano) of a short opera scene from a German, Italian or French opera chosen and prepared by the applicant (in the original language, e.g. an accompagnato recitative or an aria from an opera).
  • Sight-reading of an excerpt from an opera or oratorio.

The examination consists of a written and an oral part. In order to pass, both parts of the examination must be passed.

Written examination (180 min)

Composition: (120 min)

  • Harmonising a chorale melody in baroque style;
  • Preparation of a stylistic work of your choice: two-part counterpoint (cantus-firmus movement in Renaissance style or invention in Baroque style) OR free-tonal or dodecaphonic style exercise;
  • Analysis of your choice: analysis of a short tonal piano piece in terms of form, harmony, compositional technique OR analysis of a small-scale work/piano piece in terms of form, harmony, compositional technique (20th century).

Ear training: (60 min)

  • one-part free tonal,
  • two-part classical (e.g. minuet by Mozart or Haydn),
  • free-tonal three-part tonal progression with recumbent notes or chromaticism,
  • four-part homophonic tonal including mishearing

Oral examination (10 min):

  • Singing from the reed,
  • Listening to mistakes in a polyphony,
  • tapping a two-part rhythm (according to notation)

You can find an exam example and further preparation help (only the basics!) HERE.

 

Advanced piano playing, audition lasting approx. 10 minutes:

  • Performance of two prepared piano pieces of medium difficulty, one of them from the 20th century, e.g.:
    Bach: two- or three-part invention;
    a piano piece in the classical style (e.g. a bagatelle by Beethoven, a sonata movement by Clementi),
    Bartók: Mikrokosmos Vol. III, Kurtág: Játékok Vol. III.
  • Sight-reading of a piece (lower level of difficulty, e.g. Bach: Klavierbüchlein Anna Magdalena Bach, Schumann: Album für die Jugend, Bartók Mikrokosmos Vol. II) OR improvisation on a given theme/motif

Performance of two songs or arias of medium difficulty from different stylistic periods, including one piece from the Romantic or Modern periods. With the exception of the modern piece, the programme must be performed from memory. The sheet music is to be brought along.

Literature examples: Heinrich Schütz: from Kleine Geistliche Konzert: Bringt her dem Herren; John Dowland: Fine Knacks for Ladies; Alessandro Scarlatti: Giàilsoledal Gange / Se Florindo è fedele; Ludwig van Beethoven: Mailied; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Zufriedenheit (Was frag ich viel) / Zauberer; Franz Schubert: Liebhaber in allen Gestalten / An Silvia; Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Bei der Wiege / Winterlied; Robert Schumann: Frühlingsgruß; Clara Schumann: Sie liebten sich beide; Johannes Brahms: Sonntag / Deutsche Volkslieder / Vergebliches Ständchen; Hugo Wolf: Der Musikant; Samuel Barber: The Daisies; Wolfgang Fortner: Lied vom Weidenbaum; Hanns Eisler: from Hollywood Elegies: The City / In the Hills; Benjamin Britten: Morning, Night

All applicants whose first language is not German must prove their German skills by the time of enrolment at the latest.

  • Required language level: at least A2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages GER 2001)
  • Information on the approved language certificates can be found HERE

The dates for 2024 can be found here.

A complete overview of all current entrance exam dates is here.

  • Examination registration during the application period online via the registration portal for university applicants
    (ATTENTION: Registration only possible if documents are complete, including video!)
  • If the application video is positive: Invitation to the on-site entrance examination
  • Participation in the on-site admission test in May/June
  • if you pass the admission test: invitation to enrol for the degree programme
  • Enrolment during the general admission period

Please note that the Mozarteum University Salzburg offers various support options at the time of your audition and during your studies if you have a disability or a chronic illness.

If this applies to you and you would like to take advantage of counselling, please contact Claudia Haitzmann: claudia.haitzmann@moz.ac.at oder +43 676 88122 337.

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