Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover

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Musical Performance and Education, study option: Elemental Music Pedagogy (EMP)

Course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Music
Regular course length: 8 semesters

1. Course content and objective / Tuition
   Studying Elemental Music Pedagogy at the HMTMH offers you initially, in the foundation course, two focuses, namely the intensive development of your artistic skills in your principal performance subject (instrument or voice) and in the principal EMP study subject (Ensemble playing and arrangement).
   From the third semester onwards, you get to know the field of your later professional activity by observation visits and by trying your hand at teaching yourself (children’s day centres, primary schools, music schools, music education in early childhood and basic courses for church organisations, Hanover Choir Centre - the choir and singing school of Hanover Girls' Choir, Hanover Boys’ Choir and the vocal classes of Hanover Music School). Experienced mentors who teach in all areas of practical skills will be available to assist you.
   In subjects such as Ensemble and choir conducting, Speech training, Rhythmics, Elementary improvisation and Percussion, you will extend and deepen your own creative abilities and acquire the skills you will require later in your profession.
   During the main degree course, you will further develop the insights you have gained from practical work by analysing and discussing lessons. In parallel to this, you will further develop your own performance skills in supplementary subjects of your own choice.
   During the course of study, insights are given into all the options offered by the Musical Performance and Education course. This enables students to change their course during the first two years, in accordance with their individual development and interests.

 

2. Tuition – special features of the EMP course in Hannover
   Studying in Hannover will qualify you as a music teacher with a high level of competence as a performer. The course content focuses particularly on the areas of singing and speaking, voice training methods, ensemble playing and ensemble direction. The intensive training of your own voice and the development of your ability to work with ensembles of every kind reflects the great importance the HMTMH attaches to enabling you to handle the child’s very own instrument, its voice, in such a way as to make demands on its creativity while at the same time fostering its development in a responsible manner.
   There is a broad range of opportunities for observation and teaching practice covering all age groups. The collaboration between the HMTMH, the School of Music, secondary and primary schools, children’s day centres and other institutions involved with music offers you contact with a broad range of forms of teaching and a strong relationship to real practice even while you are still studying.

 

3. Who is the course aimed at?
   This course of study is directed towards people
   • who would like to combine musical performance studies with sound educational/teacher training;
   • who are seeking to follow a diverse and flexible career in performance and education;
   • who desire to receive musical education and training that is as demanding as it is diverse.

 

4. Career outlook
   After completing your course, you will be qualified to teach the following subjects:
   Early music education and basic training, Conducting children's choirs, Conducting children's instrumental ensembles, Instrument or Singing teaching at beginner level.
   You will be able to teach at music schools, in parent-and-child groups, in church or local authority leisure amenities, at private schools for music education in early childhood and basic training, in ordinary schools, in the further training departments of colleges of education, and at any training institutions where your subjects are offered to all age groups.
   
   Career opportunities: Graduates of the EMP course can expect to find that the job market offers them very favourable career prospects. Music schools offer positions above all in the fields of music education in early childhood, basic training and the running of parent-and-child groups, in combination with instrument or singing teaching.
   Children’s day centres and primary schools often afford additional opportunities for early education, basic training and the direction of children’s vocal or instrumental ensembles; with schools throughout Germany going over to all-day attendance, the trend in this direction will continue to become more pronounced.