Courses

For music professionals to develop their careers, they need not only technical skills but also so-called key competencies. As well as the ability to organise oneself to achieve one’s goals, there is also a need for an awareness of the broader context in which one’s professional activities take place, and how to conduct oneself and present oneself professionally within that context.

This introductory seminar focuses not only on highly practical topics such as self-organisation, time management, communication and self-presentation, but above all on discussing opportunities for personal development: for example, dealing with one’s own strengths and weaknesses, setting priorities and personal goals. Furthermore, an initial overview of the cultural scene in Germany provides scope for discussion on current challenges and trends in the music industry.

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For music professionals to develop their careers, they need not only technical skills but also so-called key competencies. In addition to the ability to organise oneself to achieve one’s goals, there is also a need for an awareness of the broader context in which one’s professional activities take place, and how to conduct oneself and present oneself professionally within that context.

Building on the Self-Management seminar, which focuses on highly personal issues, this seminar aims to provide concrete ideas for implementation with a view to future career opportunities. Topics such as self-promotion, networking, creativity, concept development and project management are addressed and demonstrated in a practical manner using model projects.

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The traditional concert scene finds itself caught up in fierce competition with colourful events and trendy media. How does one attract, shape and retain an audience? Which tried-and-tested and which innovative approaches and ideas define an appealing programme? What food for thought does this offer for one’s own music-making and traditional performance practice? How has the concert scene evolved over time? This event offers even more questions – and perhaps a few answers too – whilst also serving, where possible, as a platform for the exchange of experiences, personal exploration and performative experimentation. The aim is to develop a sense of direction for one’s own artistic decisions and approaches within the current trends of contemporary performance practice.

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Writing about music, or even about oneself: for some, an art; for others, a torment. Yet writing good texts is something that can certainly be learnt. This writing workshop focuses on familiarising yourself with the tools of the trade and trying out a variety of (creative) writing methods, so that you can enjoy the process and be well-equipped when it comes to crafting an engaging biography, an exciting concept or a creative programme note.

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As a lawyer and barrister who trained as a pianist, Steven Reich brings a unique perspective to the legal profession. In the handbook he edited and co-authored, *The Law for Artists and Cultural Practitioners* (4th edition 2023, published by C. H. Beck), he compiles a concise overview of information from all areas of law relevant to artists (e.g. musicians, composers, directors) and their contractual partners (e.g. agencies, theatres, media producers and other rights holders).

In this seminar, he deliberately avoids academic jargon and, using language accessible even to non-lawyers, focuses on practical issues for musicians, such as: the freedom of art under the Basic Law, copyright, contract and tax law, collecting societies, and the Artists’ Social Insurance Act. Topics of interest can be addressed on request!

• Freedom of art and intellectual property rights: copyright
• Earning money from music: the collecting societies GVL and GEMA
• Understanding contracts for commissioned works or concerts: everything you need to know about music contract law
• Employment law for musicians: A for occupational health and safety, B for fixed-term contracts, K for termination, S for self-employment, U for holidays
• Alone in the tax and insurance jungle? Everything you need to know about tax and the Artists’ Social Insurance Act
• Once online, never out: legal aspects of social media

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Professional classical musicians have to spend a lot of time in isolated practice rooms. This makes it easy to overlook that they remain artists, who need extra-musical inspiration to continue to develop their artistry. In this course, you get a solid introduction to music philosophy in an understandable language. We will focus on the practical implications of the ideas of great thinkers for your own performance practice. The aim is to make room for critical questions, doubt and wonder and strengthen your ability to reflect on your own musicianship in a brave and open-minded way: important qualities in the swiftly changing cultural field.

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In this seminar, students explore various formats of music education – always taking the music itself as their starting point. Using concrete examples from concerts, rehearsals, workshops and participatory projects, the seminar examines how music can be made accessible to different people and in different contexts: in orchestral and ensemble concerts, in musical theatre, in schools, in the independent scene, or in new concert formats.

The focus is on the following questions:

• How can cultural participation and active involvement be facilitated and strengthened in an increasingly diverse society?
• What role do I play as a musician on and off stage?
• How can I convey musical content artistically without simplifying it?
• How does music give rise to a dialogue with the audience?

In the seminar, students develop a reflective, contemporary understanding of music education and refine their own artistic and educational approach.

Topics include:

• key issues in music education, diverse educational approaches and practical formats
• Music education for different target and dialogue groups
• Current developments & music education internationally
• Artistic practice meets reflection
• Music education in diverse contexts (including orchestras, choirs, festivals, musical theatre, the independent scene, schools, and social and cultural spaces)
• Cultural and socio-political foundations of music education
• Diversity, inclusion, participation, transculturality and audiences development

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The aim of the seminar is to develop and implement a unique music education programme. Key topics include:

• key issues in music education
• dialogic approaches to music education and practical forums
• music education for different target and dialogue groups
• music education internationally
• current developments and trends in the fields of concert performance and music education
• Key discourses between artistic practice and academic reflection
• Music education in diverse contexts (including orchestras, choirs, festivals, musical theatre, the independent scene, schools, and social and cultural spaces)
• Cultural and socio-political foundations of music education
• Diversity, participation, transculturality and audience development

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For musicians, working with colleagues and partners in an international context is part of everyday life. Successful intercultural communication is a prerequisite, but can often be perceived as a challenge. Intercultural misunderstandings can, for example, lead to conflicts within a quartet or orchestra, which can undermine successful collaboration. The aim of the seminar is to deepen understanding of one’s own and other cultures and to develop solutions to culturally-related problems.

The course is primarily aimed at students who wish to acquire knowledge in the field of team development for professional activities within internationally active ensembles. Upon completion, students will be able to reflect on their own values and patterns of behaviour and counteract standardisation and stereotyping. They will be able to independently develop ideas for potential changes.

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This seminar provides a basic understanding of the structural, legal and economic framework of the independent music and theatre market. Starting with an analysis of the operational principles and market mechanisms of independent production and performance models, these are then compared with the state theatre system. The aim is to highlight differences in organisation, funding, working conditions and artistic freedom.

A further focus is on the fundamentals of labour and contract law. Students are given an overview of common contract forms in the music and theatre sector (including TVK, NV-SOLO, fixed-term and permanent employment contracts) as well as different business structures (e.g. GbR, GmbH), including their respective advantages and disadvantages for artistic projects.

In addition, the fundamentals of business administration are introduced in a practical manner. Using concrete examples, participants work through the process from the artistic idea to a viable business case and business plan. This includes simple calculations, in particular break-even analysis for music and theatre projects.

Finally, the seminar covers the basics of self-promotion and marketing in an artistic context. Students develop an understanding of how to raise the profile of artistic work, define target audiences and strategically position projects.

The seminar is aimed at students from all disciplines and supports them in realistically assessing and independently planning artistic activities in both independent and institutional contexts.

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Staying Strong Despite Stress: How to Understand, Manage and Make the Most of Your Stress

What exactly is stress – and what happens in your body and mind when you experience it? You’ll learn to recognise typical stress triggers in your music studies (and beyond) and deal with them constructively. You’ll gain practical knowledge and tools to help you regulate yourself – whether before exams, concerts or in your everyday lessons and rehearsals.

Topics include:

• Understanding physical and mental stress responses
• Acute vs. chronic stress – what happens?
• Regulating the nervous system: quick wins & long-term strategies
• Recognising early warning signs & taking countermeasures
• Personal approaches to dealing with performance pressure & comparison
• Individual strategies for greater stress resilience

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Getting off to a resilient start

How to develop inner strength and future skills for your career

This programme focuses on the foundations of your artistic career – beyond technique and repertoire. You will develop resilience: the ability to deal constructively with uncertainty, change and setbacks. At the same time, you’ll practise essential future skills that are in greater demand than ever – in a music landscape that is more complex, uncertain and, at the same time, full of opportunities.

You’ll learn to manage yourself, deal with stress intelligently and turn challenges into opportunities for personal growth. In this way, you’ll build inner stability that not only strengthens your well-being but also your artistic presence, creativity and freedom of choice.

Topics include:

• Putting the 7 resilience factors into practice
• Strengthening self-management, reflective ability & emotional intelligence
• Dealing with crises, rejections, competition – and your own inner voice
• Flexibility & a willingness to learn as a superpower in an uncertain industry
• Resilience as a future skill: Why mental resilience is becoming the new key to success

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Having to speak in front of an audience or on camera – a real challenge for many musicians. Yet more and more organisers of concerts and competitions are demanding precisely that. What matters here? What does a voice that people enjoy listening to sound like? How do I structure an interview? How should I answer questions myself? A practical course in which you can practise presenting in a safe environment. If required, we are also happy to develop presentations for specific upcoming concert projects!

Talking about music as part of one’s artistic personality and as a means of communication will play a greater role in the future than it has done so far. This has now become a profession in its own right. New concert formats require presentations to act as bridges; a growing audience – across all age groups – needs to be won over through, among other things, vivid introductions to the music. The aim: to build a new sense of connection and, after the introduction, to be able to hear the music with fresh ears.

Presenting – that authentic blend of art and technique – can be practised just like playing an instrument. Charisma, humour and a flair for language are an advantage here, but first and foremost, this course is designed to help overcome any fears and to inspire a keen interest in this exciting field.

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What is the relationship between musicians and listeners? Must there be a face-to-face interaction, or can it also be an immersive experience? As an artist, how do I shape the perception and perspective of those listening and watching? What happens to us when we sit in a traditional concert hall setting? Is concentration and attention to the music lost if the audience is allowed to move around the room? What do I wish to convey as an artist? Which space and which audience arrangement can reinforce my intention as a musician? In this seminar, these and other questions on the topic will be reflected upon and explored using the latest findings from the physiology of perception and communication sciences. The seminar is complemented by practical elements involving self-experiments and visits to performances in various cultural venues across Berlin. The aim is to provide experience and guidance for one’s own artistic decisions and within the current trends of contemporary performance practice.

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A practical seminar on feedback methodology and artistic leadership

What are our priorities, what matters, and how can we unlock potential in our artistic practice and collaboration? What kind of communication and feedback culture can and do we want to establish and practise? What methodologies and approaches can support these processes?

This practical seminar explores individual and collective ways of working within artistic processes and projects. In particular, the seminar focuses on the aspects of ‘communication’ and ‘leadership’ in team and project work. Feedback is a core element of communication. It is an essential component of creative and working processes, as well as of leadership tasks in our everyday artistic and musical lives and work. What is interesting here is the diversity of possibilities and approaches.

The block modules and project sessions will raise awareness of this, and concrete feedback methodologies and tools for practical application will be taught. Through these, we can communicate effectively, act with quality and motivation in our specific roles and situations, and work and create together. The focus is always on the respective interests and questions of the seminar participants, your respective roles and practical projects. You will develop your own feedback formats and working methods. Where possible, we can invite artists of professional interest from the Berlin scene to the seminar and organise their participation together.

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Mandatory subject in the Pedagogy I focus area, elective course

In this seminar, we approach the instrumental pedagogical basics of teaching in a practical and theoretical manner. Starting with didactic basics and incorporating learning and developmental psychology theories, we take on the role of teachers and conduct our first attempts at teaching and group leadership in the protected environment of the seminar in the form of microteaching. Detailed reflection and feedback training provide an opportunity to (further) develop ideas about one's own role in teaching situations and to acquire essential skills in this diverse professional field for musicians.

Mandatory subject in the Pedagogy I focus area, elective course

In this advanced pedagogy seminar, we address various questions: the significance of music for humans; the development of musical abilities and skills; motivation, talent and support; the development of successful teacher-learner relationships and contemporary role descriptions for teachers/facilitators; and the socio-political relevance of music education and our opportunities as musicians/facilitators/teachers to actively participate in social developments. Based on the interests of the students, who actively contribute to the sessions with inputs (presentations) and practical experiments, practical topics such as practising, teaching specific target groups, group lessons, teaching language and non-verbal communication are also included in the semester plan.