Classical Music

In the core subject Composition, you will learn the craft of composition and develop your own musical language.

In the core subject Voice, we offer various courses that help you unlock your vocal potential and develop your skills as a singer.

The specialisation in Instrumental Performance is designed to refine your skills on your chosen instrument and deepen your musical understanding.

Our partners include, among others, the following organisations:

Highly gifted students in the Talent Development programme have the opportunity to begin part of their undergraduate studies early with our lecturers.

An overview of all study modules can be found in the module plan:

In the core subject (Instrument, Voice, or Composition), you will receive individual tuition and personalised support. The core subject forms the centre of the programme. We assume a daily workload of at least four hours of practice time.

You will deepen your reflective and analytical skills, enabling you to develop your own artistic perspective. You will understand your musical work within a broader historical and social context. Initial exposure to music research is also included.

Elective modules allow you to shape your studies according to your interest and needs. The diverse range of options includes research projects, lectures at the University of Bern, as well as courses in mental training or laboratories with live electronics.

As part of the transdisciplinary Y-modules, you broaden your horizons by exploring other artistic fields such as literature, theatre, visual arts, and design. You collaborate with students from different disciplines and guest lecturers, who focus on a new theme each year.

You will gain targeted insights into the advanced Master’s programmes in which you can specialise after completing your Bachelor’s degree. This provides an opportunity to engage with students, lecturers, and programme directors.

The programme concludes with the Bachelor’s thesis, which consists of a recital and a written paper. The recital programme is developed in collaboration with your mentors, as is the written paper, for which you choose the topic. The Bachelor’s thesis represents a synthesis of the competencies you have acquired in artistic practice, theory, and independent creative work.

As a prerequisite for the Bachelor’s programme, you should possess advanced instrumental or vocal skills, or demonstrate compositional potential. You must be able to show musical insight. In addition, you should have knowledge of practice techniques and experience in ensemble playing. Further requirements include basic music theory knowledge, including its practical application, as well as a general cultural education.

To be admitted to the Bachelor’s degree in Classical Music, you must have a good command of German or French (level B2 recommended). These language skills will also be assessed.

As part of the PreCollege Bern HKB programme, you can professionally prepare for the entrance examination for the following year. Attendance in the PreCollege is not a requirement when applying for a study programme.