Studying jazz and popular music

Profile

The Department of Jazz/Popular Music was founded in 1969. Today, the stylistic rangingscope ranges from bebop to contemporary jazz, from Latin music and R & B to contemporary rock and pop music. However, the emphasis in instrumental training aims at the function-harmonious relationships and improvisation. The training takes place in the subjects of jazz piano, jazz trumpet, jazz trombone, jazz saxophone, jazz guitar, jazz bass, jazz contrabass, jazz drums, percussion, jazz arrangment, jazz and pop singing. The regular period of study for the bachelor’s programmes comprises eight semesters. The bachelor‘s degree can be subsequently followed by a master's degree or the master class.

Educational objective

Educational objective is the promotion of the individual personality on a high
artistic level. The development of specific instrumental, educational, scientific and communication skills, based on extensive musical education, ensures professional skills in terms of a wide and changing job profile. Also the development of social skills promoted in particular. To the department’s lecturers (see staff & people) accordingly belong experienced educators and international artists. The curriculum design (see study programmes / university calendar) is comprehensive and modern. Regular workshops on various topics and international guests complete the wide-ranged curriculum.

Young talents and competitions

Every year, the city of Leipzig supports the offspring with more than 200 school concerts. The nationally advertised Jazz Nachwuchsfestival offers young musicians the chance of becoming noted. The annual Jazz Prize awarded by the Marion Ermer Foundation and the city of
Leipzig offered to many young musicians the opportunity of getting started. Students and  graduates oft he HMT work in various State Youth Jazz Bands and the National Youth Jazz Band. Among them are DAAD scholars, scholars of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes and winners of various jazz competitions. Numerous former students are already working in the music scene with great success.

The university

As Germany's oldest conservatory, the University of Music and Theater Leipzig has been attracting students of classical music for over 160 years. The relatively young Department of Jazz/Popular music has extended this tradition and offers to ambitious young musicians a prime education with realistic career opportunities.

Jazz in Leipzig

Leipzig offers a wide range of sessions (see projects / workshops) and performance opportunities to the students of the Department of Jazz/Popular Music. In addition to festivals such as the  International Leipzig Jazz Festival and the Bach Festival, organisers of event locations such as the Moritzbastei, NATO, the Liveclub Telegraph, the Horns Erben, the Jazzclub Leipzig, the  Jazzinitiative LeipJAZZig  and many more present an excellent variety of concerts with  international artists. The monthly publication of the Leipzig Jazz Calendar provides information about all jazz concerts and jazz-related music.

Leipzig is known as a city of music and culture. Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn lived and worked here. The Gewandhaus Orchestra and the St. Thomas Choir are internationally well-known. Richard Wagner was born here, works by composers such as Kurt Weill and Karlheinz Stockhausen premiered in the Leipzig Opera. In addition, Leipzig is venue of Europe's biggest pub festival and a stronghold of cabaret. As the world’s oldest city of  trade fairs, the city has been a meeting point for trade and exchange of ideas for more than 500 years. The letter L in Leipzig refers to long love of literature. The German National Library was founded here and the first daily newspaper was already published in 1650, followed by thousands of books printed by renowned publishing houses, many of which have their roots Leipzig. Up to today, the International Book Fair in Leipzig clearly stands in this tradition.

Leipzig is also location of a modern Media City, with the headquarter of the MDR (broadcasting company). Important museums, a renowned Academy of Visual Arts and an internationally noted art scene also justify Leipzig's reputation as a city of fine arts. The establishment of companies such as BMW and DHL strengthen Leipzig's position as an economic and industrial center and relegate to the excellent transport connections with an airport and Europe‘s largest railway terminus. Also sports is a major issue which is not only shown by the qualification for the Olympics and the football World Championship, but also on a wide range of sports activities in the whole city.

The charm of the city has already been praised by Goethe, who described it as "Little Paris". Leipzig offers impressive architecture and historic buildings as well as countless street cafes, parks and leisure activities. Leipzig with its cosmopolitan spirit, contributed significantly to the peaceful revolution and reunification in autumn 1989. The Monday demonstrations started here and spread out over the whole country. Leipzig is a city with high living comfort and friendly inahbitants. Leipzig ist he right place for anyone looking for a positive study athmosphere. The practical oriented students are enjoying a good housing opportunities and moderate rents.