Professional Master in Jazz/Pop Choir Directing
The professional master program (mini-master) is for music teachers and others with a passed music education containing choir conducting at a bachelor level or equivalent qualifications with at least two years relevant professional experience with choir conducting.
60 ECTS – part-time study within two years
The programme is associated with the RAMA Vocal Center, an internationally recognized center of Innovative choir directing headed by Professor Jim Daus Hjernøe.
Content
How do you make vocal music sound just ‘right’ in styles such as pop, rock, jazz, gospel, world, improvisation, and vocal painting? Many choirs and a cappella groups face this challenge in rehearsal and performances featuring these musical styles.
The Innovative Choir Directing studies answer this challenge. Choir directors worldwide attend as students to be educated by a renowned team of world-class teachers, ensuring the highest pedagogical and artistic level.
Curriculum
Main subject teachers
The teacher team references Bobby McFerrin, The Real Group, Touché, and Vocal Line, and top guest teachers assist it in beatboxing and concert design.
- The Intelligent Choir philosophy & Vocal Painting by professor Jim Daus Hjernøe
- Singers’ Tools by Honorary Professor Peder Karlsson
- Conductors’ Toolbox by Assistant Professor Jesper Holm
- Arranging & Interpretation Tools by Assistant Professor Malene Rigtrup
Furthermore, these curricula offer classes in methodology, masterclasses, joint choir, voice, voice theory, piano, ear training, and move & groove.
Structure
The program is conducted as part-time study over four semesters, totalling one academic year (60 ECTS). The education takes place at the Aarhus campus and via online video conferences.
In practice, this means that students participate in three on-campus bootcamps per semester over two years, each running from Thursday to Saturday (the academic year starts in September, see dates at the bottom of the page). In between, students meet for additional online sessions on Mondays, seven times per Semester, with classes in methodology, piano, ear training, choir arranging, and voice theory.
Admission requirements
A detailed description of the admission test: Click here
The admission test is designed to provide a complete picture of the applicant’s musical background and teaching skills. Part of the teaching takes place via video conferencing, where students and teachers meet from different countries, so the admission test is naturally conducted via video conferencing.
The admission test consists of two parts.
Part one: Choral conducting is documented through a video recording (20 minutes). The applicant works with their own vocal ensemble, consisting of a minimum of 8 singers and at least four parts. A set piece for rehearsal will be assigned 10 days before the video submission deadline (date TBA).
Part two: Interview, singing and piano assessment (30 minutes), conducted via Zoom or in person.
Important dates
- Register for the entrance examination by 6 April 2026 here (the video submission will be due at a later date).
- The rehearsal assignment for you to work on with your own choir will be provided on 10 April. The video submission deadline is 19 April.
- The interview, vocal audition and piano test will take place via Zoom (or in person in Aarhus) on 24 April.
Dates for boot camps
Self-payment
Click here
Contact
Professor Jim Daus Hjernøe will answer questions on [email protected]
RAMA Vocal Center
Klik her