Musical theatre studies with a practical approach: a new specialism for the Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn

Applications for the summer semester accepted until 21 March

For the 2022 summer semester, Paderborn University is joining forces with HfM Detmold university of music to expand its range of courses. Students at the Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn can now select a new specialism in musical theatre studies as part of the Musicology bachelor’s degree. From current performance and media art to opera, dance theatre and musicals to music videos and film music – across six semesters, students gain not only a fundamental understanding of music history from ancient to modern times, but also broad expertise and comprehensive methodological skills in handling music and theatre. They also obtain direct experience: thanks to a partnership with HfM Detmold’s opera school and the Landestheater Detmold, students are granted access behind the scenes and assist with productions on both an academic and a dramatic level. Prospective students can apply for the course, beginning in the 2022 summer semester, up until 21 March. Further information is available at:
www.uni-paderborn.de/en/studyoffer/course_of_study/musikwissenschaft-bachelor.

Academic studies with a direct link to artistic practice

University studies in close cooperation with HfM Detmold enable a direct link between academic reflection and artistic practice. This expanded range of courses means that musicology students can now choose between two different specialisms: artistic musical training, during which students receive instrumental, vocal, conducting or composition teaching, or training in the field of musical theatre. “Students on the new musical theatre studies specialism will benefit from excellent networking with the regional and national theatre landscape, interdisciplinary collaborations with other subject areas under the Faculty of Arts and Humanities such as German studies, Romance studies, English studies, media studies, popular music or media, and an in-depth partnership with Detmold opera school and the Landestheater”, explains Professor Andreas Münzmay, Professor of Musicology at the Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn, who coordinated the creation of this new course of study. Project seminars enable students to get directly involved in preparing professional theatre productions, and thus experience the world of musical theatre from up close. Dramaturgy, directing and organisation are focal areas, alongside a knowledge of repertoire across all genres and academic reflection on performative practice.

“The Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn is a hub of successful research and one of the largest musicology departments in any German university. The result is a very broad range of musicology teaching with an exceptionally large selection of individual electives for students to choose form. The range of courses draws heavily on the latest research from all of our colleagues, ensuring we keep our finger on the pulse”, Münzmay notes. The Musicology course of study focuses on areas including analysis of compositions, recordings and productions as well as critical examination of the social functions of music, cultural and media history connections, composers, performers and audiences. Although musicology and music theory classes make up the majority of the teaching, the special subject represents around a quarter of the course.

One particular feature of the course of study is the high level of professionally oriented practical work in the form of project work, internships and classes on (digital) editing, presentation and communication techniques. “The wide range of classes enables interest-led individual studies with an extensive set of elective options to choose from. There is also an opportunity to complete a semester abroad during the course of study. The course offers preparation for various musical and culture-related occupations, for example in musical theatre, and could also feed into a master’s degree”, Münzmay explains. 

Symbolic photo (Paderborn University, Jennifer Strube) Students at the Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn can now select a new specialism in musical theatre studies as part of the Musicology bachelor’s degree.
Photo (Paderborn University): Professor Andreas Münzmay has been Professor of Musicology at the Musicology Seminar Detmold/Paderborn since 2016.

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Prof. Dr. Andreas Münzmay

Bereich Prof. Dr. Andreas Münzmay

Musikwissenschaft / Digitale Musikedition / Digital Humanities (Akademie-Professur)

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