Bachelor's Programme in Music, with a specialization in Improvisation Performance
Summary
The bachelor's programme in music specialising in improvisation is offered for all instruments. This programme caters to students wanting to develop their own style of improvising and their own compositions. Reflection on your creativity and your artistic choices is an important element, and you are encouraged to move towards increasingly independent musical expression and creation.
The programme is taught in English and Swedish.
About
The programme is international, which means that we are open to applicants without qualifications in Swedish language. The language of instruction will be, if required, English.
The education aims to develop and inspire your personal artistry as an improvising and composing musician, as well as to give you the prerequisites required to gain a strong identity in today's music industry. You will have individual lessons in your main instrument, and great emphasis is on developing your ability to perform with others. The ensemble courses offer a wide field of improvisational music that often transcend genres. We start from a broad interpretation of the concept of jazz – as a language and historical context or as a mind-set, a musical gathering where we are in a state of constant motion and change.
In addition to your primary teacher, you may also receive instruction from teachers with expertise in other areas. With a small number of students admitted to each class, we can focus on the individual students through mentoring and elective courses: To a large extent, you shape your own education. Along the way, you can make changes and choose who you want as a teacher and what you want to focus on. The programme prepares you for a working life as a freelancer and it can prepare you for master’s level studies.
Structure and Content
Major instrument and ensemble
The focus is on developing and artistically deepening your knowledge of your primary instrument, and you are given great opportunities to determine the direction of your own curriculum. The programme includes independent work as well as ensemble playing, in which you develop your personal musical language in collaboration with others. During the education programme, you carry out a thesis project (15 HEC) in which you investigate a chosen question/issue through your musical practice.
Artistic Theory and Practice
Music theory in jazz and other genres, including your own composing, holds a prominent place, as does the history of improvisational music with a view to improvisation in other forms of music. Courses such as music theory, ear training, artistic immersion, music and society, future role as a professional, teaching music and multimedia are included.
The course is taught partly in project form, wherein knowledge of and experience with the improvisational musician’s range of working opportunities plays a prominent role. For example, you get to participate in a creative project with record recording and tour. The education also collaborates with Bohuslän Big Band by carrying out a project every year where the students write music for the band and together perform the compositions in a large concert.
Elective course
You have the opportunity to broaden or deepen your knowledge through a variety of elective subject areas.
Who should apply?
The bachelor's programme in music specialising in improvisation is offered for all instruments. This programme caters to students wanting to develop their own style of improvising and their own compositions. The programme is taught in English.
Prerequisites and selection
Requirements
General entrance requirements for university studies. Special qualifications in the form of musical knowledge and skills is assessed at the admission test. The admission test is also the basis for the selection of eligible applicants.
Special instructions for application
Find detailed information about the admission tests for our Bachelor's Programme in Music, with specialization Improvisation.
More information about Special instructions for application
Selection
Selection of eligible applicants is based upon admission tests. Information about the admission tests can be found at the home page of the Academy of Music and Drama.
After graduation
The programme is intended to offer preparation for a professional career as a musician specializing in improvised music. In addition the programme is to provide students with the tools needed to enable communication with cultural circles in the surrounding community, knowledge about prevailing conditions in the free-lance sector and contacts in this network.
Facilities
The Academy of Music and Drama operates from four locations in Gothenburg: Eklandagatan 86, Åvägen 24 (Brewhouse), Vasagatan 50 (HDK-Valand) and Triörgatan 1 (Andra stället).
More information about facilities
Exchange opportunities
The improvisation programme has recurring collaborations with foreign universities. These collaborations consist of two projects each year; one together with Norges Musikkhögskole, NMH Oslo, Norway and another project with the Academy of Music and Theatre, Tallinn, Estonia. Every year, the academies meet to compose new music, create arrangements and play together in ensembles and in concert. Every other time in Gothenburg and every other time in Oslo/Tallinn.
