A student is singing

Performance, Classical Music – Early Music

In the master's program in classical music with a focus on early music, you get to immerse yourself in instrumental studies and music from mainly the Middle Ages to early romance.

  • Teaching form:

    Master programme

  • Department:

    Classical music

  • Pace of study:

    Full time

  • Credits:

    120

  • Admissions:

    2 December 2024 – 15 January 2025

  • Application Code:

    KMH-22000

With teaching at the highest international level in over 20 different instruments, the two-year master's programme offers a dynamic study environment with many other skilled students. You will have a common base in classical music but you will choose one of four approaches:

  • classical music – chamber music/soloist
  • classical music – orchestra
  • classical music – early music
  • classical music – Edsberg Mansion

In the Early Music profile instrument and repertoire studies are central. At KMH you can choose from the following instruments in Early Music:

  • barockcello
  • barockfagott
  • barockgitarr
  • barockluta
  • barockoboe
  • barockviola
  • barockviolin
  • blockflöjt
  • cembalo
  • renässansluta
  • sång, samtliga rösttyper inklusive countertenor
  • teorb
  • traversflöjt
  • viola da gamba
  • violone

Admissions

To be eligible for this programme, you need to

  • meet the general entry requirements for second-cycle courses and study programmes, meaning you must have completed an undergraduate study programme of at least 180 ECTS
  • meet the specific entry requirements which are a Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music (180 credits) or equivalent, as well as passed entrance examination.

If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of places, a selection will take place. Selection is based on results on entrance examination. You as an applicant are placed in a selection group according to the instrument you apply for.

Read more about general entry requirements

Read the test description for the programme for information about the entrance examination content.

Language requirements

For this Master's programme there are no language requirements for admission. Although the language of instruction officially is Swedish, international students can, in most cases, get tuition in English.

Application dates and deadlines

2 December 2024

Application opens at universityadmissions.se External link, opens in new window.. Please see our Step-by-step guide on how to apply.

15 January 2025

Application deadline and last day to rank your programmes and courses.

16–17 January 2025

An email is sent to the email address you entered on universityadmissions.se with instructions on how to submit your test to KMH including the link for uploading Test 1. See the test description for information on what to submit.

27 January 2025

12–19 February 2025

Results for Test 1 are sent via email. Passing applicants will receive information and invites to the next test.

8–16 March 2025

Entrance examinations during week 11 (and adjacent weekends).

10 April 2025

First notification of selection result. You must reply to keep your place/remain on the waiting list.

24 April 2025

Last day to reply to your offer and keep your place (applies to both admitted and applicants on waiting list). You do this on My pages on universityadmissions.se External link, opens in new window..

7 May 2025

Second notification of selection result.

25 August 2025

Introduction week and registration.

1 September 2025

Semester starts.

Programme Content

The main instrument courses cover the classical repertoire from the Middle Ages to the early Romantic period, centring round the relation to historical performing practice and performance using authentic instruments and instrumental/vocal techniques.

Artistic and technical proficiency is deepened and profiled in the course of main instrument tuition. Greater scope is provided for individual studies in source criticism and for secondary instruments closely akin to the main instrument (such as the viola d'amore, clavichord, hammerklavier and lutes of various kinds).

In the ensembles and chamber music courses, the interpretation coaching and interpretation of chamber music works in separate crews (duo and larger) which takes into account the specific repertoire of the individual instrument.

Performing practice studies cover general source material, aesthetic problems in the present-day performance of early music and parallels to other arts. Connections with current classical music theory are also enlarged on.

Rehearsal together with other instruments is expanded, and in the case of chamber music greater importance is now attached to developing each group's capacity for creative and efficient rehearsal without a designated leader.

Early and contemporary music have many aesthetic points of contact, not least the musician's problems of shaping an interpretation without having a tradition to fall back on. Modern repertoire can be chosen as an individual speciality. Joint projects are possible, e.g. together with the Composition programmes.

An endeavour is that as much as possible of the ensemble training results are reported in concert form.

The subsidiary support courses include seminars in historical performance practice, mental training and stage preparation as well as the freelance market. All in order for you to be well prepared for a professional life as a concerted musician.

The programme is finalised by an independent degree project with the emphasis in an artistic musical presentation that is to be reported and documented. This often involves a larger own concert or other artistic production together with a written report of the work process as a finish of your education.

After the Programme

The programme prepares you primarily for a professional life as chamber musician, orchestra musician and soloist at a high international level, but the work of a musician can change character several times during a professional life. Many former students switch between freelance assignments as a soloist, concerts in chamber music contexts and project positions in the world's various orchestras.

The programme also prepares for further studies at the artistic research level.