Master of Music -
Electronic Composition

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

Admission requirements

• Successful completion of a four-year bachelor's degree in composition or equivalent. Admission to the electronic composition program is also possible with an undergraduate degree in instrumental composition.
• Students who have not obtained their degree at a German-speaking institution must prove that they have sufficient German language skills (min. level A2 according to the European Framework of Reference).
• Successfully passed aptitude test.

Qualifying examination

The qualifying examination consists of a colloquium with the presentation and discussion of submitted works, with questions about the candidate's own musical aesthetics and prior knowledge in the field of contemporary music. Detailed information can be found in the Qualifying Examination Regulations, especially in the appendix for content requirements and conduct of the examination.

In the master's program, the focus is on independent compositional work and professionalization. In addition to the presentation of own works, it is mainly about the design and organization of events, also outside the university. The instrumental and electronic composition classes work closely together. It is possible to participate in projects of the respective other area and also to temporarily receive corresponding main subject lessons.
The master's program is completed with a self-organized concert or comparable event featuring music created in the course of this program and a colloquium.

You can find a list of our lecturers on the following page.

The field of work of today's composers has expanded considerably; in addition to concert music, possible fields of activity include theater, video, installation and performance.
The practical orientation and the intended diversity in the course of studies should guarantee that versatile opportunities open up for the composers after graduation. In addition, the students are involved in internal and external projects at an early stage in order to establish a network with musicians, organizers, but also with artists from other fields.
For several years now, the Institute for New Music at HfMT Cologne has been working closely with the Ensemble Musikfabrik. The ensemble's specialized musicians perform new compositions by students in two concerts each year as part of the Adventure cooperation.
The broad and flexible range of educational opportunities allows students to individually shape their studies and career prospects. In many cases, graduates do not work exclusively as composers after graduation. As in other professional fields, composing is rarely limited to one area, but rather requires flexibility and versatility. This flexibility, however, is not to be understood in the sense of adaptation, but rather as the ability to shape one's studies and subsequent professional activity independently. Today, composers are no longer only responsible for shaping their own music, but also their professional careers.