University course - Children's & Youth Choir Conducting
The course teaches students the essential competencies required for working with children's and youth choirs, focusing on practical skills but also covering planning and organisation. In addition to imparting the pedagogical know-how necessary for working with young voices, the course plays a role in sustaiably enriching the vocal and choral opportunities for children and teenagers, and targets the promotion of young talent both in terms of choral singers and children's and youth choir directors.
Department of Studies & Examinations
+43 676 88122 492
studienabteilung@moz.ac.at
Length of course
4 semesters / 60 ECTS-AP
Language
German
Registration deadline
currently no auditions
Downloads
Postgraduate course
The theoretical and practical competencies taught in the course are oriented towards the specific needs of the field of children's and youth choir work, with its broad spectrum of demands for responsible and sustainable work with young voices. Studies on youth culture consistently show that music plays an important role in the leisure activities of children and young people. Even if in many cases this engagement with culture is of a passive nature, these studies also show the great willingness of children and young people to actively, artistically shape their own cultural space.
The use of the voice plays a central role in this. However, many children and young people today no longer have the ability and desire to articulate themselves vocally in a differentiated manner. This trend has even led to the coining of the term "silenced singers" within music education. In the worst case, this can lead to withdrawal, closed-mindedness or even aggression. Targeted work with the voice strengthens the ability of each individual to express themselves and their desire to communicate, to exchange. On the other side of the coin, young singers are trained to integrate into an overall sound, to listen to each other and to pursue a common goal.
These are pedagogical opportunities that can be taken up and realised through concrete vocal and choral work with children and young people. The Postgraduate Course for Children's and Youth Choir Conducting prepares students for taking on these tasks: the cooperation between the Department of Music Education Salzburg and the Vienna Boys' Choir allows students to acquire the pedagogical skills necessary for working with young voices. By providing this training, the Music Education Department aims to sustainably enrich the palette of vocal and choral opportunities as a whole and thus provide a targeted promotion of young talent both in terms of choral singers and children's and youth choir conductors.
General information
- Mozarteum University Salzburg
- In cooperation with the Vienna Boys' Choir
Course directors: Regina Prasser & Markus Obereder
Academic direction: Monika Oebelsberger
Artistic direction: Gerald Wirth, Vienna Boys' Choir
The goal of the Postgraduate Course in Children's and Youth Choir Direction is to enable students to work independently in the planning, implementation and organisation of children's and youth choir work. The comprehensive theoretical and practical competencies in the field of children's and youth choir work taught in the course are orientated towards the specific skills required in this field of practice with its broad spectrum of demands for responsible and sustainable work with young voices.
To be admitted to the course, applicants must prove that they have completed a degree or course at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution. If, after all applications have been received and reviewd, places on the course are still available, persons with at least 3 years of professional experience in a relevant field of activity may also be admitted to the course. Decisions on admission lie with the course director.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate basic levels of competence in music theory, piano playing, singing and conducting; these skills will be examined as part of the admissions procedure.
Teaching takes place across 16 weekend modules (4 per semester) from Friday afternoons to Sunday afternoons. Each weekend contains 25 to 26 teaching hours; three of the modules are held at the Vienna Boys' Choir in Vienna.
A prerequisite for admission is passing the entrance examination. Upon registering for the entrance examination, applicants will be required to submit a number of documents for review by the admissions board.
The course fees are Euro 580,- per semester.
Opportunities to perform at university concerts and events both in Salzburg and beyond are also part of the course.
Any questions?
You can find more information about starting your studies here: