Composition Diploma
The Master's Programme in Composition – Diploma, is aimed at students who wish to deepen their artistry as composers with a focus on Western contemporary art music. This specialised programme aims to develop composers with exceptional artistic and professional abilities, prepared for qualified and advanced tasks.
The studies focus on deepening and specialising in orchestral composition and other large-scale projects in collaboration with professional institutions and ensembles. This demands high levels of work discipline, independence, and responsibility.
After completing of the programme, you should have well-developed knowledge and skills, a clear artistic identity, and a personal aesthetic in your creative work. You should be able to compose music at a high artistic level and have a deep understanding of composition for various instrumental ensembles. Additionally, you should be well-prepared to work independently at a professional level in a dynamic and ever-changing cultural life.
The programme also enhances your ability to conduct independent studies. Teaching is provided through individual lessons and seminars, and the programme includes both project work and a final degree project.
Bent Sørensen professor in Composition
Rolf Martinsson professor in Music Theory, Arranging and Composition
One of the most significant and unique aspects of the composition programme is the highly sought-after annual external projects in collaboration with leading symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, choirs, and chamber music ensembles. These collaborations provide students with numerous opportunities to have their works rehearsed and performed in concerts while also allowing them to build a valuable professional network within the cultural sector during their studies.
This also lays the foundation for a composer's practical experience and artistic collaboration with orchestras such as Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, the Stockholm Wind Symphony, Jönköping Sinfonietta, and the string orchestra Musica Vitae.
Some projects are carried out in collaboration with the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and the Academy of Music and Drama at the University of Gothenburg. Students participate in projects throughout the entire programme.
Connect Festival is a contemporary music festival organised by the students.
The Composition Seminar is a forum for aesthetic discussions, analysis, reflection and meetings with visiting professors, composers and musicians from the field of contemporary art music.
The composition studio serves as the programme’s platform for students' creative work in electroacoustic music, live electronics, and experimental studio production.
The Annik and Lars Leander Foundation awards an annual scholarship for composition students at the Malmö Academy of Music. Students enrolled in the following programmes are eligible to apply:
Master programmes
• Composition Diploma
• Composition
• Composition – Scoring for Film and Media
Bachelor programme
• Composition
Read more about the scholarships at Malmö Academy of Music
Every year the Royal Swedish Academy of Music (RSAM) awards national and local scholarships.
Students at Malmö Academy of Music are offered the opportunity to apply for international exchange studies each year—an excellent opportunity to experience new and inspiring study environments, meet new teachers, explore a different cultural scene, and build new connections.
Inter Arts Centre is our platform for electro-acoustic music and a meeting place for collaborations with other art forms such as theatre and the visual arts.
At the end of the programme, students complete a degree project consisting of a performance component and a creative research component with written reflections. For composition students, the degree project is typically based on a composition project but can also include an exam concert if the student chooses to incorporate that alongside their composition work. On completion of the programme, a Degree of Master in Music, Composition Diploma, is awarded.
Quick Facts
Duration
120 ECTS credits / 2 years full-time
Kind of programme
Master's Programme in Music
Language of instruction
Swedish and English
Application period
2 December 2024 – 15 January 2025
Syllabus
Programme Syllabus (PDF 418 kB, new tab)
Entry requirements
General requirements for university studies in Sweden as well as a Bachelor in Music 180 credits or equivalent and successful admission tests to the Master’s Programme in Music, Composition Diploma.
Information about admission
Questions about admission:
admissions [at] mhm [dot] lu [dot] se
Contact
Thea Lundbäck
Programme Coordinator
thea [dot] lundback [at] mhm [dot] lu [dot] se (thea[dot]lundback[at]mhm[dot]lu[dot]se)
+46 40 32 54 25