Programme structure

Course content.

The course spans the field of tension between artistic demands, versatile, solid craftsmanship, independent profile enhancement and functionality as well as application and market orientation. It aims at connecting linear and interactive media as well as teaching students how to deal with the characteristics of the cultural sector and the entertainment industry. You learn how to work in a complex team, interact with other art and design-related disciplines, and handle state-of-the-art technology in practice-oriented projects that reflect the reality of the work done by professionals at the highest level.

Course structure.

Core
The core subject tuition in composition concentrates on teaching stylistically and methodologically diverse composition and production techniques. The artistic-compositional focus on film, theatre or media in the second academic year. 

Context
The carefully positioned modules provide solid foundations and qualify students to work in a variety of styles and genres as well as deal with compositional challenges alone or in interdisciplinary group processes. The theoretical music subjects provide training in historical, analytical and scientific music understanding and form the basis for the students’ future research activity: joint language of discourse, systematic self-reflection and in-depth comprehension of their own music-making in the context of history and culture.

Experience
Composing in different musical styles, dealing with people and technologies, coping with recording situations and connecting your own music with audiovisual media or with scene and language required people who can adjust to the current conditions and utilize different production techniques. Technical playing experience on your own instrument fosters creativity and expression in your own composition process.

Graduation project
The Bachelor project provides a lot of scope for creativity with an artistic-performative presentation and a related written paper. This self-designed work is supported with colloquia and individual mentoring sessions.
You also have to complete examinations in the following areas: Major, instrumental/vocal skills, capacity to reflect and analyse.

Module plan:

Skills acquired in the course.

  • Compositional and conceptional skill to shape musical-functional processes in professional, creative and artistic terms.
  • Select specific production techniques, plan independently, use them and implement them with confidence.
  • Critical, independent reflection on functional music and its resources.
  • Apply comprehensive knowledge of work processes professionally in rehearsals, studio sessions and mixtures.
  • Handle a variety of production conditions, presentation forms and performance situations with confidence.
  • Contribute actively to collaborations and teamwork thanks to differentiated self-perception, self-reflection and constructive communication.
  • Promote and critically question your own artistic development.

Admissions requirements.

Participants are expected to explore functional music in compositional terms, have long-standing experience with at least one musical instrument, demonstrate personal commitment, and want to make music their profession. Further requirements:

  • Creating sound tracks for films, scenes, dance, games or other interdisciplinary projects
  • Experience in recording and processing sound and music
  • Knowledge of music theory; solid basis in compositional techniques, aural training, and analysis
  • Experience with music software, in particular with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and notation

→ Detailed information on the admission procedure is available here​​​​​​​.

Benefits of studying at ZHdK.

Studying at ZHdK offers you a wealth of unique benefits:

  • You have access to the Toni Campus: a public, cultural and university campus for all artistic disciplines that is unparalleled in its dimensions anywhere in Europe.
  • You benefit from collaboration with students from other artistic disciplines.
  • You have the opportunity to undertake exchange semesters and many possibilities to explore other cultures thanks to ZHdK Music’s extensive international network.
  • The self-designed graduation projects motivate you to organize your work independently.
  • You gain extensive practical experience and have many opportunities to perform thanks to the diverse relationships with the regional cultural scene and its event organizations.