Vocal Studies in Early Music

This practice-oriented study programme enables students to expand and deepen the artistic and academic skills they have acquired in a subject-related bachelor's programme.

The artistic study program qualifies students for the following professional fields:

• Soloist
• Chamber musician (for example in a choir or early music ensemble)
• Freelance artist

Students are trained to become mature artistic personalities who, on the basis of a broad knowledge of repertoire, are able to set individual artistic priorities. In the course of their studies, they develop ensemble repertoire in various instrumentations (purely vocal or vocal-instrumental) with special attention to historical performance practice of different periods and regional styles, expand their knowledge in historical and cultural areas relevant to the singing profession, and deal with surviving sources on historical performance practice as the basis for historically informed interpretation.

The goals of this MA in Performance at the Mozarteum University are artistic maturity and independence, critical self-reflection and evaluation, and the artistic and academic ability to interpret musical works from all periods. The MA in Performance will equip students to pursue their chosen profession and to fulfil artistic, pedagogical and organisational tasks within cultural life. Upon completion of the master's programme, students should:

• be able to master their voice at the highest level and present themselves professionally
• be free and independent in their artistic work
• be capable of dealing critically with artistic and academic questions
• be able to make music professionally in a choir or ensemble
• be able to work in a chamber music formation and/or have acquired in-depth knowledge of various vocal techniques
• have acquired in-depth knowledge of choral literature and mastery of the relevant choral parts
• have acquired in-depth knowledge and mastery of solo and chamber music literature from various periods
• possess in-depth knowledge of stylistics and repertoire
• have mastered the techniques of acadmic research and writing, and be able to analyse, interpret and write about artistic content in a grounded manner
• he able to use audiovisual media for self-presentation (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 beyond their own subject area through targeted consolidation in the context of elective subjects, in the spirit of lifelong learning

The four-semester master's 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 Master's programme 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 provides an overview of the courses to be completed, which are grouped into modules.

The courses are visible online in Curriculum Support:

Link to the curriculum

Admission to this MA programme requires the completion of a subject-related Bachelor's degree (BA) or another equivalent degree at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution  (e.g. university, college) (§ 64 Abs. 3 UG 2002). 

For admission to the MA programme "Vocal Studies in Early Music", a BA degree (or other equivalent degree) in Vocal Studies (performance) or Vocal Studies in Early Music is required. Admission with a pedagogical degree such as teaching or instrumental (vocal) pedagogy is NOT possible.

A prerequisite for starting the course is also the successful completion of an audition. Auditions take place once a year and consist of an examination to determine artistic aptitude and, if necessary, proof of German language skills. All information about the audition can be found under “Information about 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 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.

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.

Format of 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.

Please note: If you pass the audition and are offered a university place, the documents must meet the certification requirements by the time of your 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 on-site audition (the invitation is sent via Muvac)
• in Muvac: acceptance or rejection of participation in the admission exam; if necessary: information on the examination programme for the audition in the main subject (ZKF)
• participation in the on-site audition
• upon passing the audition and obtaining a place: invitation to enrolment to the degree programme
• personal enrolment during the general admission period

The programme presented must include pieces typical of the early music repertoire from several styles or periods, taking into account technical and stylistic diversity:

At least three works of different styles in at least two different languages must be prepared

• One monodic work from the first half of the 17th century. (e.g. by C. Monteverdi, F. Cavalli, H. Schütz, H. Lawes)
• One recitative (semplice/secco, no accompagnato)
• One aria from the 18th century (either from a mass or passion by J.S. Bach or from an opera by G.F. Händel or A. Vivaldi)
• One spoken piece (poem, excerpt from a dramatic work, novel) in the candidate's own native language

The audition panel will select a performance time of approx. 15 minutes from this programme. In addition, there will be an interview with the audition panel.

The candidate can bring a continuo player if they wish, but a harpsichordist and harpsichords in A=415 Hz and A=440 Hz are available.

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 - Audition to determine artistic aptitude: 18.6.2025
Exam B - German language skills: certificate (to be presented upon enrolment)

overview of all current entrance exam dates

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.