Elemental Music & Dance Education

The degree programme is aimed at a versatile professional field with a wide range of target groups in the spectrum of early childhood education to geragogy. Elemental music & dance teachers are specialists in artistic-pedagogical work in groups in the field of aesthetic education and acquire the professional qualifications during their studies to be able to work in the following areas and to develop a variety of professional profiles if they have the appropriate inclination:

• Extracurricular educational institutions: Music schools, music-art schools, dance and gymnastics schools, adult education centres municipal, church, leisure and museum educational institutions
• Kindergartens and general education schools (especially school cooperations), if necessary under the condition of an additional teaching qualification, music & dance geragogy
• Further education and training institutions: at academies, universities, colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions as well as teacher training institutions, etc.
• Social, integration and inclusion pedagogical institutions: Day-care centres, youth centres, child and youth welfare, special schools, institutions for senior citizens, for people with disabilities, clinics, sanatoria, health and rehabilitation centres, etc.
• Realisation of artistic projects in the fields of transdisciplinary performance, dance, music and/or concert activity at art and cultural institutions and in non-institutional projects as a performing artist, as a planner/organiser, curating or in the role of choreographic and/or musical director, e.g. in dance/music/speech theatre, children's and youth theatre, in public spaces, in inclusion projects, commercial enterprises, private studios, etc.
• Cultural education
• Education management and event organisation
   

The study programme includes creative-design, artistic-technical, art and educational science as well as pedagogical-practical areas and is characterised by a consistent theory-practice relationship. Artistic competences are acquired and differentiated. It opens up working methods of contemporary elemental music and dance education including performative formats. From this, skills for teaching music and dance are derived and these are transferred into diverse, constantly reforming artistic-pedagogical contexts, with special consideration of social diversity. 

From the 3rd semester onwards, one of the following specialisations can be chosen:  
Instrument/vocal, dance, or music and dance in inclusion and diversity.

The following competences in particular are acquired in the degree programme:

• The ability to teach general musical as well as instrumental/vocal and dance competences.
• The ability to differentiate artistic competences, especially in improvisation and composition independently and in practice with diverse target groups.
• The ability to plan, implement and document artistic and artistic-pedagogical projects
• The ability to act pedagogically responsibly in diversity contexts on the basis of current scientific knowledge.
• The ability to shape creative processes cooperatively and collaboratively

Link to the semester plan

Students of the Bachelor's programme are recommended to complete a semester abroad. Semesters 5 and 6 of the degree programme are particularly suitable for this. In addition to the subject-specific competences, the following qualifications can be acquired through a study period abroad:

• Acquisition and deepening of subject-specific foreign language skills
• Acquisition and deepening of general language skills (language comprehension, conversation, etc.)
• Acquisition and deepening of organisational skills through independent planning of everyday study life in international administrative and university structures
• Getting to know and studying in international study systems and broadening one's own subject perspective
• Acquisition and deepening of intercultural competences

The recognition of examinations taken during studies abroad as compulsory subjects, elective subjects or free elective subjects is carried out by the Director of Studies. The documents required for the assessment are to be submitted by the applicant immediately after the stay abroad.

Details at International Affairs

The entrance examination consists of the following partial examinations:

A- Artistic-pedagogical aptitude (leading a group).

Examination requirements: The applicants work with a group (usually fellow applicants) on a prepared piece of their own choice, possibly also composed by themselves, e.g.: Song or canon with or without accompaniment (body percussion, instruments, movements, gestures, dance), traditional dance or excerpt of a choreography, spoken word piece, simple ensemble piece (instrumental, vocal). The material used with the corresponding source information (e.g. sheet music, spoken piece, choreographic sketch, music selection) must be brought to the entrance examination in triplicate.

B - Compulsory subject instrument/vocals

The following instruments can be chosen within the framework of the Bachelor's degree programme Elemental Music & Dance Pedagogy in the compulsory subject Instrument/Voice according to requirements and availability: Recorder, transverse flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, horn, bass tuba, percussion instruments, violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, piano, harpsichord, organ, voice, guitar, harp and folk instruments (diatonic harmonica, dulcimer, zither).

Examination requirements Compulsory subject Singing (for literature examples see below):

• Three pieces of different epochs and characters are to be performed from memory. The pieces to be performed are solo pieces with accompaniment (no choir parts).
• Solution of a vocal improvisation task (e.g. playful vocal realisation of a spontaneously given theme).
• Prima Vista Singing.

Examination requirements Compulsory subject Instrument (for literature examples see below):

• Three pieces of different epochs and characters are to be played. Memorisation is not required.
• Solution of a spontaneously given improvisation task on the instrument.
• Prima Vista play.

C - Practice Music (general musical aptitude and practical aptitude voice)

Examination requirements general musical aptitude/elemental music making: The general musical-linguistic aptitude is determined by participation in an ensemble class under the direction of a teacher. The contents are improvising and making music in the group (voice, body percussion and baton playing) and spontaneously set creative tasks to a text.

 Examination requirements for general musical aptitude/percussion: All applicants (e.g. also those with the compulsory subject of percussion instruments) take an examination on percussion aptitude, which is determined by participation in an ensemble class under the direction of a teacher. Contents include question and answer games, imitation and coordination exercises.

Examination requirements general musical aptitude/harmonic instrument: All applicants (e.g. also those with compulsory subject piano or compulsory subject guitar) take an examination on the aptitude for a harmonic instrument:

• Harmony instrument piano: The applicant must prepare his/her own accompaniment to a song in which he/she accompanies him/herself on the piano. (The songs of the voice aptitude test can be used.) In addition, the basic cadences (I-IV-V-I) up to three accidentals (in major and minor) in all positions must be prepared.
• Guitar harmony instrument: Two different accompaniment patterns to a song in which the candidate accompanies him/herself on the guitar must be prepared. It should also be possible to transpose the song up to three accidentals. (The songs of the aptitude test voice can be used).
• Other harmony instrument: In principle, another harmony instrument can also be chosen. The examination requirements are based on the requirements for piano/guitar.

Examination requirements for practical voice aptitude: All applicants (e.g. also those with compulsory singing) take an examination on practical vocal aptitude:

• Two short pieces of different character and style are to be sung unaccompanied and from memory. (For pieces with several verses, a maximum of two verses.) One of these should be sung in German and one should be a folk song.
• Preparation of a short text (poetry, prose, etc.). This is to be recited from memory (including linguistic elements) with a duration of approx. 1 to 2 minutes.

D - Dance Practice (general dance aptitude in the group and solo study)

Examination requirements general dance aptitude in the group: participation in a dance technique class (contemporary), examination in the group under the guidance of a teacher with the following elements, among others: Guided warm up, implementation of given movement material in the square and through the space, rhythmic exercises, contact and spatial orientation exercises, variation and interpretation of movement material and improvisation. (Duration approx. 45-60 minutes.)

Examination requirements Solo study: Performance of a prepared, individually designed movement/dance study on a freely chosen topic, e.g. presentation of a movement research or dance movement scene, with movement material to be chosen by the candidate. The study can be designed with or without music and/or include other elements supporting or sustaining the performance (text, image, object, etc.). (Duration: minimum 3 to maximum 5 minutes.) This is followed by a short discussion on intention and process and, if necessary, a spontaneous task on what has been shown.

E - Music theory and ear training

Examination of basic knowledge of general music theory (written and oral) including an aural test.

Requirements in the written part of the examination (approx. 60 minutes):

• Notation of melodies from memory
• Continuation of given melodies
• Finding a melody to a given text
• Noting down one-part and easy two-part melodic dictations as well as rhythmic dictations
• Forming all triads and seventh chords including inversions (especially subdominant-quintessential and dominant-seventh chord)
• Recognising and writing down simple figured basses as well as harmony functions and harmony steps in a musical context.

Requirements in the oral part of the examination (5-10 minutes):

• sight-reading
• Listening to and naming intervals and simple chord progressions
• Singing triads (in inversions) and dominant seventh chords (in root position only)
• Listening to harmonic steps and dissonant secondary notes
• Extended cadence in major and minor in two different keys (on piano or guitar)

You can find an exam example as well as further help for preparation HERE.

F - German language skills

• Required language level: at least B2 (Common European Framework of Reference CEFR 2001)
• Information on the German examination as well as the recognised certificates can be found HERE

After passing subtest A, you will be admitted to subtest B to F (possibly in a different order).
The repetition of the partial examinations in case of failure is not permitted. Repetition of the admission examination is only possible in its entirety and only again in the next academic year. The admission examination can be repeated an unlimited number of times.

Pieces of the following degree of difficulty are to be performed (literature examples):

Compulsory subject Singing: 

Johann Sebastian Bach from the Schemellis songbook: Selig! wer an Jesum denkt / O Jesulein süß, o Jesulein mild; John Dowland: Come again, sweet love / Awake, sweet love; Alessandro Scarlatti: O cessate di piagarmi; Joseph Haydn: Die Landlust / Lob der Faulheit / Gegenliebe; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Die Verschweigung / Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling / Der Zauberer / Zufriedenheit (Was frag ich viel); Franz Schubert: Liebhaber in allen Gestalten / Heidenröslein / Lachen und Weinen / Wo-hin? (Die schöne Müllerin); Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Bei der Wiege / Winterlied; Robert Schumann: Frühlingsgruß, Marienwürmchen, Volksliedchen; Johannes Brahms: Sonntag / Deutsche Volkslieder / Vergebliches Ständchen; Edvard Grieg: Im Kahne; Samuel Barber: The Daisies; Benjamin Britten: Folk Song Arrangements (e.g. Down by the Sally Gardens); Irving Berlin: I got the Sun in the Morning (Annie get your gun).

Compulsory piano: 

• One baroque work (e.g. from J.S. Bach: Little Preludes, G.F. Telemann: Fantasies).
• One movement of a sonatina or easy sonata of the classical period (e.g. L. v. Beethoven: Sonatina F-major, J. Haydn: easy sonatas)
• One work from the 19th, 20th or 21st century (e.g. R. Schumann: Album für die Jugend, B. Bartok: Mikrokosmos III)

Compulsory subject Guitar: 

• Logy: Partita in A minor
• A. Sor: Easy/moderate etudes
• L. Brouwer: Etudes simples no. 1-10.

Compulsory recorder: 

• One technical study, such as H.M. Linde - Neuzeitliche Übungsstücke; Friedrich der Große (ed.: Höffer v. Winterfeld) - 40 Studien für Altblockflöte.
• Two (moderately difficult) performance pieces of own choice.

If possible, the pieces should be performed on an instrument with baroque fingering.

Compulsory subject percussion instruments:

• Snare drum: E.Kopetzki: one movement from the "Summer Suite".
• Marimba: one piece from G.Stengert / F.Holzenkamp: "13 Pieces for Marimba" (e.g. "Song for Bernadette").
• Vibraphone: a piece from N.Zivkovic's "Funny Vibraphone".
• Drum set: a piece from J.Sponsel's "10 progressive Soli for Drumset" or an improvisation.
• Timpani: an etude from Ian Wright "Graded Music for Timpani" Book II-Grades 3&4.
• Playing at sight on the snare drum.

The pieces are suggestions, not compulsory. However, one piece each should be played on the snare drum, a melody instrument, the timpani or drum set.