Composition
Overview
In the master's programme in composition, aspiring composers acquire all the technical and professional skills they need to build and shape their musical identity. The focus of the course is on the essential approaches and strategies needed for developing and realizing compositional ideas. Aesthetics, computer music, aural training and the use of music software are also part of the programme.
General study information
The study programme is oriented towards the current state of development and development of the arts as well as the state of research in the academic disciplines involved. The aim of the Master's programme is to deepen and complement the academic and artistic competencies achieved in the course of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject. The artistic study programme qualifies students for professional practice in the following fields:
- Composer
- Teacher of composition
- Arrangement and applied composition, stage music and performance
- Supervision of interpreters of contemporary music
- Conductor
- Performing musician
- Sound and recording studio, music production
The degree programme also serves to qualify students for professional activities in all institutions relevant to music: festivals, radio stations and television channels, the recording industry, artists' agencies, music management, publishing houses, trade journals, etc., in which the application of artistic and scholarly knowledge and methods is required. In addition, the degree programme contributes to students' personal development and the furthering of their social skills. Students will learn to perceive and help shape developments in the arts and in society as a whole.
Guest lecturers include Helmut Lachenmann, Steve Reich, Manfred Trojan, Marc André, Agata Zubel, Michael Maierhof, Mauro Lanza, Jean-Luc Hervé, Yann Robin, Curtis Roads, Barry Truax and many more.
The aim of the study programme is enable students to reach the peak of their creative or reflective abilities and to impart a confident handling of musical material in all genres (instrumental, vocal and electronic music). The composition programme at the Mozarteum University is characterised by the fact that, in addition to the elective options required within the framework of the curriculum, students can choose electives to build an individual focus as part of their studies.
Obvious specialisations for the study of composition are, for example, Electronic Music and Audiovisual Media, Musicology, Early Music, New Music, Conducting, Jazz and Popular Music and Applied Composition. Students can choose from the courses offered by various institutes of the Mozarteum University and the Paris Lodron University Salzburg.
Obvious specialisations for the study of composition include Electronic Music and Audiovisual Media, Musicology, Early Music, New Music, Conducting, Jazz and Popular Music and Applied Composition. Students can choose from the courses offered by various institutes of the Mozarteum University and the Paris Lodron University Salzburg.
The curriculum is competence-oriented. Suitable candidates for the course will demonstrate:
- Above-average levels of creativity, general and musical intelligence, and communicative, social and linguistic competence.
- Ability and willingness to reflect on as well as to engage in dialogue about one's own artistic works and views.
Upon completion of the programme, students should:
- be technically and aesthetically proficient in the creation of a wide variety of works of contemporary composition
- be free and independent in their artistic work
- be able to critically engage with artistic and scholarly issues
- have acquired comprehensive knowledge of music theory and musicology and be able to apply it in practice
- have mastered the basics of academic working practices and be able to analyse, interpret and write about artistic content in a well-founded manner
- be able to use new media effectively
- have developed their individual interests beyond their own subject area through targeted in-depth study within the framework of elective subjects, in the spirit of lifelong learning
The four-semester master's programme in composition is modular in structure. A module is the combination of teaching and learning content into thematically and didactically meaningful units of study. The names and content descriptions (course objectives) of the individual modules as well as 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 master's programme in compostition is a face-to-face programme and cannot be offered - not even in part - as a distance learning programme.
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 requires the completion of a large number of free electives, enabling students to freely choose the direction of their studies. The electives can be taken both at the Mozarteum and at the University of Salzburg, as well as the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. For the performances of composition students' work, the Mozarteum University has a number of venues of different sizes and technical equipment for chamber, ensemble and orchestral music, opera, drama and performance. Details at: Service & Support
The curriculum provides an overview of the courses to be completed, which are grouped into modules.
The courses are visible online in Curriculum Support:
Admission to a master's program requires the completion of a relevant bachelor's degree (BA) or another equivalent degree at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution (e.g. university, college) (§ 64 Para. 3 UG 2002).
A prerequisite for starting the course is also passing an audition. Auditions take place once a year and consist of an instrumental audition and, if necessary, proof of German language skills. All information about the audition can be found under “Information on the admissions process” further down on the page.
PLEASE NOTE: You can only apply for study programmes for which you have not yet obtained a degree!
Students of the Master's programme are encouraged to complete a semester abroad. Semesters 2 and 3 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 subjects 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 individual lessons in composition, a central content of the programme is practical work with renowned ensembles such as the oenm . österreichisches ensembles für neue musik, Kairos Quartett, Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Phorminx, Ensemble Integrales, Ensemble Handwerk, Ensemble Mosaik, among others, who are invited to the Mozarteum University for a work phase followed by a concert. In addition, students are offered a variety of individual cooperation opportunities with other areas of the university, such as the Thomas Bernhard Institute or the Departments of Scenography, Opera and Fine Arts & Design.
The Studio for Electronic Music offers composition students exclusive opportunities to work in the field of electronic, electroacoustic and computer-assisted composition. A wide variety of multi-channel productions can be realised in the three studios (two digital and one analogue).
Composition teaching at the Mozarteum University is networked in many ways with the cultural infrastructure of the city of Salzburg. There are cooperations with various venues, and the Mozarteum is also closely connected with the city's renowned contemporary music festivals. Works by Mozarteum composition students are regularly performed at the Aspekte Festival, the stART Festival and the Pocket Opera Festival.
The Institute for New Music organises all activities in the field of New Music that are relevant to the study programme and even goes beyond this, from the supervision of individual students to cooperations between several classes, departments and other internal and external institutions. Special importance is attached to the cooperation between the instrumental and composition classes. The Institute for New Music thus offers students and teachers the opportunity to experience the entire spectrum of contemporary music in a cross-curricular way:
- The Ensemble for New Music of the Mozarteum University works with students on the programmes of the "Doppler" concert series.
- Renowned interpreters of New Music enrich the concert programme at the Mozarteum University with exclusive programmes.
- Selected composers from Austria and abroad complement the educational programme with presentations and seminars.
In addition, the institute organises the annual Crossroads Festival. Young composition students from all over Europe can apply for one of up to 15 world premieres, which are performed by various international ensembles of new music during the festival staged at the Mozarteum.
Information on the admissions process
Admission to an MA Performance programme requires the completion of a relevant bachelor's degree (BA) or other equivalent degree at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution (e.g. university, college) (§ 64 Para. 3 UG 2002).
A prerequisite for admission to this university course is also the successful completion of an audition. Registration for an audition is completed online via Muvac and requires candidates to upload documents proving their eligibility for the course. An invitation to audition will only be issued after the necessary documents have been submitted in full and approved by the admissions office.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Document checks can take up to 6 weeks! Early registration is therefore recommended.
- You can only apply for degree programmes for which you have not yet obtained a degree!
Applicants whose documents have been approved will be invited to the on-site audition. This consists of an instrumental audition and, if necessary, a test of German language skills.
The following documents must be uploaded in the online application form:
- BA certificate or degree certificate of a relevant degree programme, if the degree programme has already been completed
- Confirmation of current enrolment if the degree programme has not yet been completed (the certificate must be submitted prior to enrolment!)
- Overview of subjects and grades (Transcript of Records) of the BA degree programme
- Official confirmation of the principal study, if this is not evident from the other documents (e.g. "Bachelor of Music" is not sufficient!)
- If further previous studies have been completed, a full overview of subjects and grades (Transcript of Records) of all artistic and pedagogical Master's and diploma studies must also be uploaded.
Form of the documents
- The documents can be uploaded as PDF in the application form, the video will be entered as a link.
- If the documents are not available in German or English, an official translation must be submitted.
- An application portfolio (see Partial Examination A) must be submitted as a PDF file via the upload link once an invitation to audition has been received.
Please note: Candidates who pass their entrance examination and are offered a university place must ensure that their documents meet the certification requirements by the time of their enrolment at the latest.
1. Create a basic account in MOZonline [Link]
2. in MOZonline: fill in the mandatory statistics UHstat1 (pre-registration for studies) and note the application number that you will receive by email afterwards
3. create an application account in Muvac [Link]
4. fill out your own profile in Muvac (in any case necessary: personal data, information on expertise matching the desired degree programme, in the CV: current employment and information on previous training)
During the application period:
5. selection of the desired degree programme in Muvac (Browse -> Studies)
6. Fill out the application form in Muvac ("Apply now") - in the form, the application number (see step 2) or the Austrian matriculation number must be entered in the appropriate place
- online registration during the application period via the application portal Muvac (Please note: Registration is only possible if all information and documents are complete!)
- after processing your online application: invitation to the exam A (portfolio examination & online interview, the invitation is sent via Muvac)
- in Muvac: acceptance or rejection of participation in exam A
- participation in the entrance exam (completely online!)
- upon passing the audition and obtaining a place: invitation to enrolment to the degree programme
- personal enrolment during the general admission period
The oral examination in the principle study Composition, lasting approx. 20 minutes, will take place via ZOOM and consists of two parts (portfolio and interview).
The oral examination in the principal study Composition takes place via ZOOM. Candidates will present their own works created prior to their studies (e.g. solo, chamber music, ensemble, orchestra, electroacoustic or media works in the form of sketches, scores, recordings, films, etc.) and discuss their content and aesthetics with the examination board. Candidates must include links to their works in the portfolio; the portfolio will be submitted as a single PDF file containing all works). If necessary, a discussion can take place on motivation, background, previous studies, expectations or professional perspectives.
The portfolio must be submitted to the ACOnet Filesender at least three weeks before the examination. Candidates will be sent an upload link for this from the relevant departmental secretary as part of their invitation to the entrance examination. The composite items of the portfolio must be merged into a single PDF document, which must be uploaded as soon as applicants receives the invitation or the upload link. Candidates are requested to ensure that they are available with a stable internet connection at the specified time of the online interview (probably mid-April); a PC/laptop with camera/microphone is also necessary.
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
Exam A - Portfolio examination & online interview to determine artistic aptitude 9.4.-10.4.2025 (online via Zoom)
Exam B - German language skills: certificate (to be presented upon enrolment)
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 or +43 676 88122 337.
Any questions?
You can find more information about starting your studies here:
