Norwegian Academy of Music
| The Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) is a leading artistic and academic university college with 750 students. NMH offers music education founded on research and artistic development work. Our teachers are leading performers, music pedagogues, conductors, church musicians, music therapists and composers. The high quality of education offered at the Norwegian Academy of Music is made possible by our faculty and staff of highly qualified professionals. The competence of over 180 employees spans many genres and specializations, ensuring breadth in teaching, research and presentation. The Norwegian Academy of Music fosters strong communities in performance, music education, music therapy, academic and creative disciplines through its active working groups. The history of the Norwegian Academy of Music starts with its opening in 1973, but the school has an academic heritage that extends back to the 19th century, beginning with the Lindeman family. |
| Undergraduate Programmes | |
| Bachelor of Music Performance | Norwegian traditional music is the basis of this programme. Through solo playing, ensemble playing, music for dancing, folk dance courses, and forum lessons, students acquire an extensive knowledge of Norwegian traditional music. Interpretation classes are an important part of the programme, where students give each other feedback, and various guest teachers contribute to student’s learning. |
| Advanced Music Performance Study – Bachelor’s level (1 year) (No admission in 2020) | This is a one-year study programme intended for applicants with a classical music background who already have a bachelor degree (three years’ study) in Music Performance, and who wish to concentrate further on their principal instrument. The programme content is designed to give students an opportunity to work towards applying for a Master’s programme at the Norwegian Academy of Music, admission to which requires a level equal to the Academy’s own four-year Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance. |
| Bachelor of Music in Music Education | Graduates from the Music Education Programme are qualified to work as teachers in all fields of musical education. In addition to instrument/vocal teaching and music theory, subjects taught on this course include pedagogical theory, teaching methods and teaching practice. This programme is open to applicants with a background in classical music as well as jazz, pop, or rock music or traditional/folk music. |
| Bachelor of Music in Conducting | The conducting programme allows you to specialize in either choir or band/orchestra conducting, while simultaneously developing a high level as a performer on your principal instrument. Applicants with another background than classical (e.g. jazz or folk music) are allowed to apply for this study. |
| Bachelor of Music in Composition | Composition students receive individual tuition in composing as well as in subjects such as compositional techniques, sonology, electronics and music history, analysis and aural training. The applicants should have a good knowledge in arranging and composition, and experience in these fields. |
| Bachelor of Music in Church Music | Graduates from the Church Music programme are qualified to work in the Norwegian Church, both as organists and as musical leaders of the congregation. Principal instrument is organ, and subjects include choral conducting classes, hymnology and liturgy as well as harmony, history and analysis. |
| Bachelor of Music with Individual Concentration | The Individual Concentration Programme (FRIKA) is for students who want to create their own musical niche, and who cannot do this by following an ordinary Bachelor’s programme. |
| Graduate Programmes | |
| Artist Diploma – Master of Music Performance | Students admitted to the Artist Diploma programme for solo instrumentalists and chamber music ensembles (only established ensembles can apply), are chosen after an audition in which the applicants’ artistic and interpretative abilities are carefully evaluated. The programme includes several demanding concert engagements. Very few students are admitted each year; they are selected with the expectation of soloist or ensemble performance activity at an international level. The programme leads to a Master’s Degree in Music Performance. |
| Master of Music Performance | The Master’s Degree Programme in Music Performance is designed to provide a high-quality academic music education and to produce knowledgeable, independent musicians. During the programme, you will plan and execute a Master’s Project: an in-depth study of a chosen topic and/or repertoire area. This is your own artistic project; you select the theme and are responsible for the project’s completion. Building a repertoire on the principal instrument is a central part of the programme. |
| European Chamber Music Master (ECMAster) | European Chamber Music Master (ECMAster) is a two-year programme that provides established chamber music ensembles the opportunity for intensive chamber music studies at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) and up to six other leading European institutions. The programme is developed by the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA) with assistance from ERASMUS+. |
| One-Year Graduate Performance Diploma – Classical (No admission in 2020) | This is a one-year programme intended for applicants with a background in classical music. The programme is suited for graduates who wish to further develop their performance skills; concentrate on a particular repertoire; prepare for auditions/competitions; or undertake an in-depth independent study of a specific performance-related subject. |
| Master of Music Performance Technology and Electroacoustic Composition | This Master’s programme is an offer to students seeking to specialize in composing and performing with music technology. The programme is aimed at practical artistic work qualifying students as performing musicians, electroacoustic composers, and music producers. |
| Master of Music in Conducting | This programme aims to give the student the necessary background to work as a professional choral or orchestral conductor. The applicant should indicate which of these alternatives she wishes to give priority to. The programme includes subjects like conducting techniques, analysis, instrumentation and piano/score reading etc. Practice and training with a variety of ensembles is central to the design of the programme. |
| One-Year Graduate Conducting Diploma (No admission in 2020) | This programme aims to give the student the necessary background to work as a professional choral or orchestral conductor. |
| Master of Music in Composition | The Master of Music in Composition programme trains highly skilled composers within three concentration areas: Composition, Film Music Composition, and Composition for Large Jazz Ensembles. |
| Master of Music in Music Theory | The study programme covers music theory as part of artistic, scientific, and pedagogical traditions, with emphasis on practical skills and musical reflection. The student will be introduced to subjects such as music theory in the classical Western style from the Middle Ages until today, and perspectives from jazz and folk music. At the core of this programme are analytical skills, characteristic not only to the course of analysis, but for all the other music theory subjects in the study programme. |
| Master of Education in Music | This programme requires high proficiency in Norwegian, and a valid language test is required for admission. Please refer to the Norwegian Programme Description for further information. |
| Master of Music Therapy | The programme aims to qualify the student for practice as a Music Therapist, to provide the student with the necessary expertise to plan, implement and evaluate music therapeutic measures, and to prepare the student for guidance and counselling responsibilities. The programme consists of a professional part (therapeutic and musical subjects) and an academic part (theoretical foundations of music therapy, thesis and chosen specialization). |
| Doctoral Studies | |
| The Academic Ph.D. program in Music | The programme is comprise of a Ph.D. training component of 40 credits (including doctoral courses in Philosophy of Science, Research Methods and Ethics), and an individual research project with doctoral dissertation of 140 credits. Successful completion of the training component is a prerequisite for submission of the doctoral dissertation for evaluation. |
| PhD Programme in Artistic Research | The PhD fellow position is a paid position at the academy (about 445 000 NOK a year) and requires permanent residency in Norway for the period of employment (three years). |
| Language requirements | |
| The scientific Ph.D. programme | |
| Continuing Studies | |
| Jazz Composition |
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