Bachelor of Music -
Piano

Find all colors in black and white keys.

The four-year Bachelor of Music degree program in piano enables its graduates to find a place in a professional field that offers a wide range of opportunities and that matches their specific talents.
We place great emphasis on the training of a complete musical personality. To this end, our curriculum includes Historically Informed Interpretive Practice and New Music, sight-reading and improvisation, embodiment, and musician's medicine. In addition, the program is flanked by courses in music theory and music history. Essential contents are chamber music and song composition for pianists. The basics are also taught in the field of didactics.

If you have any questions about the study program, please contact the responsible person(s).

Basic information

Degree	Bachelor of Music
Period of study	8 Semester
Course begin	Wintersemester
ECTS points	240 Credits
Major subjects	Klavier
Continuing study options	Master of Music Interpretation New Music, Master of Music Chamber Music, Master of Music Piano, Master of Music Song Interpretation for Pianists, Master of Music Modern Piano Music

Additional information

After the first two years of study, students have the opportunity to choose between two study profiles:

Solo/Chamber Music Profile
Profile Instrumental Pedagogy

Graduation from the program consists of a public artistic-practical examination with a written component, as well as other examinations related to the chosen profile.

Further study options: Master of Music Solo / Chamber Music, Master of Music Chamber Music for Fixed Ensemble, Master of Music New Piano Music, Master of Music Lied Interpretation (Piano), Master of Music Interpretation New Music, Master Fortepiano 18th and 19th Century Concert Exam Piano.

Impressions from the piano course

Unterrichtssituation Klavier mit Professorin und einer Studentin.

Blick von oben auf eine Studierende die Klavier spielt.

Unterrichtssituation Klavier mit zwei Studierenden.

Special features of the study

At the Cologne University of Music and Dance, you can expect not only 187 Steinway grand pianos intended for teaching or your exercises, but also our collection of 19th century keyboard instruments. Historical instruments by famous piano makers such as Pleyel, Erard, Broadwood or Conrad Graf are available for occasional lessons. They thus allow an authentic examination of 19th century works. If interested, there is also the possibility for historically inspired artistic exchange with our Institute for Historically Informed Interpretive Practice.

Application and aptitude test

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Applications are submitted online via the muvac platform. All information on the procedure can be found on our application page.

Admission requirements

General university entrance qualification or a comparable university entrance qualification
Proof of a TestDaF 3 language certificate for non-German-speaking applicants
Successfully passed aptitude test

Qualifying examination

The aptitude test consists of the following two parts:

Artistic-practical examination in the main subject (duration: approx. 15 minutes)
Music theory (elementary composition/aural training) (written exams, duration together approx. 90 minutes)

Detailed information can be found in the Qualifying Examination Regulations, especially in the appendix for content requirements and conduct of the examination.
We recommend that you contact the major subject teacher of your choice in good time. They will be happy to advise you personally.

Course of studies and examination regulations

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The program is divided into a basic study period (1st and 2nd year) with a high proportion of compulsory modules and a differentiated main study period (3rd and 4th year).
The structural framework is formed by 6 main modules and the 7th profile-forming module: