A future as a versatile music professional

  • Bachelor
  • Full-time
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Composition & Music Production

Level
bachelor
Form
full-time
Duration
4 years
Language
Dutch
Locations
Groningen
Degree
Bachelor of Music
Credits
240 ECTS
Startmonths
Start: September

As a student of Composition & Music Production you will study to become a composer, songwriter or producer, or a combination of those. In the bachelor you will focus on designing and creating music.

All teachers are active professionals within the field. In addition to classes of the regular teaching staff, you will take classes by leading producers and composers.

The programme is designed to offer small group sessions, personal attention and individual feedback. The programme is Dutch-taught.

Our projects and productions

Throughout the year we organise various interesting projects and productions within our departments: music productions, orchestra projects, musical project weeks, collaboration projects with the art academy, the dance academy, external partners and much more! You will work together with your fellow students in different contexts, so that you can develop yourself even better.

Main subject teachers Composition & Music Production

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  • Ivo Witteveen

    Main subject teacher Composing for the media, Songwriting, Production

    Ivo Witteveen
  • Daniël Testas

    Main subject teacher Production and Songwriting

    Daniel Testas
  • Klaas ten Holt

    Main subject teacher Composition

    Klaas ten Holt

About this programme

You play in a band and you write the songs. When you listen to a CD you are always listening to how it is made; when does the guitar enter, how is the sound of the drums, how are the beats programmed. Maybe you even spend long evenings programming beats into your computer. Or you play the piano and write small compositions for yourself and others who play an instrument or sing. When you watch a film or play a computer game, you pay more attention to the music than to the storyline. In short, you are extremely interested in the composition of music, perhaps even more than in interpreting and playing music. Do you recognise yourself here? If so, then CMS has much to offer you.

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Course overview

The programme consists of four main subjects and several supporting classes. During the first two years you will have to attend all subjects, including the four main subjects. In the third year you can specialise in one of them.

- Composition
- Songwriting
- Composition and Sound design for movie and media
- Production

You will take lessons from our own faculty members, who are also working professionals, as well as from guest lecturers, such as composers and producers.

Note that Composition and Music Production is a Dutch-taught programme. Please visit our Dutch website for more information.

After your studies

Graduates generally combine arranging, composing and producing in their work. Your arrangements may be heard in concert halls or at home on a CD or via a streaming service. You can work, for example, at a sound and audio-visual studio or at a theatre. On the one hand, you will notice in professional practice that you will often work independently, regardless of whether you are composing, arranging or producing. On the other, you will be working together with all sorts of people during productions. In this ever-changing field, you need to develop knowledge and skills quickly and on your own initiative.

Who are we looking for?

The Composition & Music Production (C&M) programme is a Dutch-taught programme. We have a limited number of places available each year. We are looking for highly motivated, talented and opinionated music creators with both depth (quality of the work you produce) and breadth (a demonstrably broad musical interest and knowledge). As a candidate you often have your own musical preference or expertise, a genre in which you have been mostly active so far. But we also want to hear what happens when you write something in a style you may not yet be well versed in. We want to hear what you create, be it instrumental pieces, pop songs, dance productions, film scores or soundscapes. We think it's important that you show work in distinctly different genres. So make sure you have diversity in the pieces you submit for your entrance exam.

Theoretical and technical knowledge

A solid basic knowledge of notation, music theory and solfège is necessary for admission. We offer various opportunities (including crash courses and practice exams) to help you prepare for these. In addition, we expect basic knowledge of working with a DAW (music software) in a home studio and an affinity with music technology.

Dutch is required

Note that C&M is a Dutch-taught programme, we only offer the info on our website in English by popular demand. Entering the programme requires a decent level of Dutch in reading, writing and speaking. There are several intensive summer courses that can help you achieving the level you need for following classes and writing assignments. There are no exceptions to the Dutch language requirement for now.

Entrance exams start in June 2024. More info about the dates of the entrance exams will follow. 

Take these steps to apply

  • 1 Apply through Studielink before May 1st

    Apply to do audition for C&M before the 1st of May. You can do this through www.studielink.nl. C&M is listed under B Muziek. You will receive an e-mail from Hanze Apply/Osiris with login info. In this module you can specify your instrument.

  • 2 Motivation Letter

    We ask you to upload a motivation letter in HanzeApply/Osiris (you will find guidelines listed there) in which you motivate why you want to study at the Prince Claus Conservatoire and the C&M programme in particular.

  • 3 Pre-selection

    For C&M we work with a pre-selection. Please upload at least three compositions of your own in HanzeApply/Osiris in wav, aif, mp3 or a movie file. The committee judges the application based on quality, diversity and authenticity of the composition and production. From all the applications candidates will be selected for the entrance exam. The pre-selection takes place in May. At least two weeks before the entrance exam we will notify you about the outcome of the pre-selection.

Everything you need to know about the entrance exam

Questions

Questions?

Head of department and support

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  • Mark Vondenhoff

    Head of Classical Music, management and C&M

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  • Annet Niestijl

    Education support bachelor programmes

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  • Brenda Vrieze

    Management support

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Prince Claus Conservatoire

Fields of interest

  • Arts and Culture
Apply for this programme