Songwriting/Composition

As a Songwriting student at the Academy, you will become part of a vibrant and diverse study environment where you will participate in cross-disciplinary projects at the Academy and elsewhere in addition to main subject tuition and other elementary subjects.

You will work closely with your fellow students, including students from other subjects and main areas, expanding your network and getting fresh inspiration.

As a jazz/pop songwriter or composer, you can choose from two different programmes:

Songwriting

– standalone Bachelor (BMus) and Master (MMus) songwriting programme

Pop/Jazz composition

-MMus programme for jazz/pop musicians specialising in composition.

Both programmes are offered in Aarhus.

Songwriting

Songwriting is part of the Jazz/pop main area but has its own curricula for the BMus and MMus programmes. In addition to the main subject and supporting subjects, you will receive tuition in general subjects, pedagogical subjects, and Entrepreneurial Studies.

Tuition is based on your creative ideas. You will develop your compositional talent, and you will work with storytelling, linguistic identity, text analysis, lyrics writing in Danish and English, co-writing, arrangement, instrumentation, and production and sound. Part of the tuition takes the form of preparation for and evaluation of your songwriting at concert cafés and workshops.

BMus graduates typically continue on a related MMus programme, or write for their own projects or for other artists, publishers, films, stage productions, and so forth.

The MMus programme combines individual projects with so-called laboratories featuring discussion, criticism, and exchange of experiences between students and teachers. During an internship, you will be training or working with an organisation within the arts, business, or music.

Curricula

Songwriting curricula (BMus/MMus) are available under the heading “Songwriting Aarhus” in the jazz/pop curriculum section.

Jazz/Pop – Composition

The Jazz/pop Composition MMus programme builds on the knowledge, skills, and competences acquired on a Jazz/pop BMus programme. It includes Entrepreneurial Studies in addition to main and support subjects.

Taking your own musicianship as a starting point, you specialise in jazz/pop composition. The programme is characterised by a great degree of freedom, and you may choose from a wide selection of electives, seminars, workshops, projects, and tuition formats.

Composition tuition provides you with relevant skills and techniques that develop your ability to write for jazz/pop ensembles, including score-based compositions for large ensembles.

Curricula

The Composition MMus curriculum is available under the heading “Jazz/pop Music (RM)” in the jazz/pop/world curriculum section.