Music Theory (N0215A310009)

Programme objectives

The programme of study in Music Theory is offered with specialisations in Music Theory or Music Publishing. The objective of the programme in the Music Theory specialisation is to prepare musicologists and music writers who are concerned with questions of the language of music and its structure. The programme’s contents include not only an in-depth exploration of traditional music-theoretical disciplines such as harmony, counterpoint and musical forms, but also their younger derivatives: kinetics, melodics, tectonics and theory of interpretation. Everything is conceived with respect to historical development, as well as in the sense of the modern interrelationships offered by the current state of understanding of musical structure.

In the Music Publishing specialisation, the programme trains music publishing editors and other experts to prepare musical notation for use in musical practice. This specialisation places emphasis on a close connection with practice, which is provided throughout the programme in the form of activities within the student publishing house, as well as student collaborations with commercial publishing houses both domestically and internationally. Not only does the programme include theoretical subjects concerned with music notation technology and its strategies, it is also concerned with economic aspects of the titles created (marketing, fundraising). With respect to legislation, the entire system is supplemented by lectures on copyright law.

Profile of a programme graduate

Graduates of the Music Theory specialisation are able to collaborate in musicological teams, to devote themselves to independent scholarly research, to work in music journalism, or to manage orchestras or musical theatres. Graduates of the Music Publishing specialisation are experts in the publication of musical notation for works composed between the year 1700 and the present day.

Graduates of both specialisations are also able to work in interdisciplinary teams in the public sector (e.g. in public administration), as well as in directly managed organisations of a cultural nature. A high level of language proficiency will enable them to work abroad as well.

Specialist knowledge

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Theory is able to reflect theoretically on all musical expressions based on knowledge of a wide range of domestic and foreign literature, to analyse them using the developed methods of modern scholarship, and to place them into a systematic framework with respect to consonance, space and period. On the basis of independent research, he or she then arrives at new music-theoretical findings and places them into context within the existing framework of music theory. The graduate holistically assesses music theory as a field and redefines its boundaries in connection with current musical expressions.

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Publishing is able to reflect theoretically on musical notation and the connection with its auditory realisation, analysing the possibilities of musical notation and assessing various solutions. The graduate explains and defends the chosen solutions, and prepares them methodologically for his or her own editorial work, exploring the possibilities of full or partial technological reliance on a computer-generated rendition of the manuscript based on current scholarly findings.

Specialist skills

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Theory is able to apply a wide range of analytical methods to musical expressions, and to summarise the results into frameworks of various types. He or she creates schemas of theoretical principles for application in various spheres of practical musical activities and ensures the methodological correctness of such application. The graduate also formulates the results of his or her research into scholarly outputs, publishing them and presenting them at scholarly conferences.

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Publishing adopts conclusions reached through analytical investigations into his or her own editorial work and applies them in its individual phases. He or she competently selects a strategy for achieving the musical notation’s desired appearance and participates in its final proofreading. The graduate also prepares a publication report and formulates the contents of the documentation relating to the publication. In the case of works with incomplete notation composed before 1700, he or she collaborates with a historical musicologist, providing a perspective on structure and publishing technology.

General competencies

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Theory has language skills and the ability to work in multidisciplinary musicological or culturological specialist teams and groups. The graduate also possesses skills in critical thinking, the ability to make independent and responsible decisions in a professional capacity, and the ability to clearly and convincingly articulate his or her own opinions.

A graduate of the programme specialisation in Music Publishing has language skills and the ability to work in music publishing teams or in specialist culturological groups. The graduate also possesses skills in critical thinking, the ability to make independent and responsible decisions in a professional capacity, and the ability to clearly and convincingly articulate his or her own opinions in independently produced musical notations, as well as in dramaturgies and musical series.

Rules and requirements for creating study plans

General information about admission process

For both specialisations, an admissions proceeding is organised at which the applicant gives an oral presentation of his or her Master’s thesis proposal. This independent presentation should take 10-15 minutes. Here, the applicant shall inform the admissions committee of his or her reasons for selecting the topic, the proposed phases of its elaboration, and the main titles of the specialist literature which it concerns. The applicant shall then answer questions posed by the admissions committee, which will ascertain his or her level of understanding of the state of research in the given area, of the basic theoretical premises, and of the relevant framework and music-historical contexts.

Music Theory specialisation: The applicant shall present to the committee an elaborated proposal for the Master’s thesis concerning one of the areas of music theory, both in the sense of a theoretical framework, as well as the application of an analysis of the selected specific musical work, the production of a composer, etc. The applicant will be asked to articulate a hypothesis as to whether the final results will implicate broader musicological or culturological contexts.

Music Publishing specialisation: The applicant will present an elaborated Master’s thesis proposal to the committee. He or she shall choose one of the following two equally valid options: 1) a proposal to publish a musical work, including the heuristic work connected with such a project, or 2) a proposal to analyse the editorial principles of a specific publishing house, with the output being its application on the publication of a specific musical work.

Applicability to other types of academic programmes

Parts of the state final examination and their contents

Other academic duties

Characterisation of professional practice

Anticipated job placement for graduates (typical employment)