The Bachelor of Music degree programme in "Protestant Church Music" or "Catholic Church Music" leads to a professional qualification for work as a cantor and organist in church service in so-called B positions or comparable positions.
Diversity determines the professional field
Church musicians trained in this way are capable of performing church music tasks in a church congregation and beyond - for example, within the framework of a deanery or church district. This applies to all forms of worship, in concerts and performances, as well as in church and general educational and cultural work.
In addition, students are taught knowledge that enables them to take on tasks in the training and further education of part-time church musicians, to advise church committees in specialist matters and to represent church music in public.
All Perspectives on Church Music
The aim of the study program is the advancement of the individual personality on a high artistic level, the development of instrumental and conducting technical, pedagogical, scientific and communicative skills, based on a comprehensive musical education.
*You will receive details of your aptitude test dates with your invitation approx. 3 to 4 weeks before your aptitude test appointment.
The prerequisite for admission to the Bachelor's degree programme in Church Music is proof of the university entrance qualification (Abitur) in accordance with § 54 para. 2 of the Hessian Higher Education Act of 14.12.2009 as amended on 21 December 2010. A missing university entrance qualification can be replaced by an outstanding artistic talent (at least 19 out of a possible 25 points in the aptitude test) in accordance with § 54 para. 4 sentence 3 HHG.
Sufficient oral and written knowledge of German is required for admission to the Bachelor's degree programme in Church Music. Admission to the Bachelor's degree programme in Church Music requires the successful completion of an aptitude test.
- current passport photo (the following formats are accepted: GIF, JPEG, JPG or PNG)
- Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae in tabular form (up to the year of application)
- School leaving certificate (if not yet available, the last school certificate is sufficient for the time being), in case of foreign certificates a certified translation in German or English is required*
- If applying for a Master's degree: Bachelor's certificate or equivalent, "Transcript of Records", if applying for a concert exam: Master's certificate or equivalent, "Transcript of Records "*
- For applicants from the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, certificate of the Academic Evaluation Service (APS) (PR China // Vietnam)
- Proof of language skills according to the requirements of the degree programmes (see below, Language certificates)
- Please note that you have to submit additional documents in the different study programmes. Please inform yourself about this on the website of the respective study program for which you are applying under "aptitude test". Among other things, letter of motivation, assignments, phoniatric report (voice)...
*If you do not have all final certificates at the time of application, please submit the most recent certificates and supporting documents in advance. Submit the final documents without being asked and in good time before the start of your studies. If you have any questions, please contact us immediately.
Please fill out the online application completely and upload all requested documents. After you have submitted your online application with a final mouse click, you will receive an email from us confirming the receipt of your application.
After the application deadline, you will receive an invoice from us for an administrative fee of 50 Euro. Please transfer the fee to the account of the HfMDK stating your invoice number and name within the mentioned payment deadline. Only when the administrative fee has been credited to the university's account is your application complete and can be processed.
The application fee is charged per applicant. If you apply for two courses or subjects, no further fee is due. The fee will be due again if you reapply at a later date (new round of applications).
A refund of the application fee is excluded - this also applies if the application is withdrawn.
Here you will find a list of required German language skills for all degree programs. Please check which of these requirements apply to your degree program.
The aptitude test for the course of study Church Music Bachelor (Protestant/Catholic) takes place in the subjects organ, congregational accompaniment/improvisation, piano, singing, choral conducting, listening skills and music theory.
An examination taken at a state or ecclesiastical training institution or a part of a church music course taken at another conservatoire or another relevant university course may be credited to shorten the period of study. The decision on this is made by the examination board.
- five chorale arrangements from the organ booklet by J. S. Bach
- One free work by J. S. Bach or another composer of the 17th or 18th century
- a work of the 19th or 20th/21st century
The selection of individual pieces and movements is made by the examination board. (Examination duration 20 minutes)
- prepared: Improvisation of a chorale prelude and several accompanying verses of a self-selected hymn
- unprepared: Harmonizing hymns with short prelude
Test duration 10 minutes
- a polyphonic work by J. S. Bach (e.g. one of the Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier)
- an easy to moderately difficult sonata of the Viennese Classical period
- A 19th or 20th/21st century work
- From sheet music
The selection of individual pieces and movements is made by the examination committee.
Performing a simple art song
Test duration for piano and voice together approx. 20 minutes.
- Rehearsing and conducting a simple, prepared choral movement (15 copies of the choral score are to be kept ready by the candidate)
- From sheet music of a simple three or four-part choral movement from the score
Test duration 20 minutes.
- Written (test duration 60 minutes):
In a written test, the applicant must demonstrate the ability to recognize elementary rhythmic, melodic, harmonic, tonal and formal relationships audibly.
- Oral-Practical (test duration max. 10 minutes):
The requirements of the written test are supplemented by an oral-practical test.
Written (examination duration max. 90 minutes in total):
- Four-part arrangement of a given melody
- continue and finish a given melody (approximate number of bars will be given) and compose an accompaniment for one or more voices in addition (three melodies of different periods and styles will be given to choose from)
- Determining chords and chord progressions
- Comment on an excerpt of a score presented, considering instrumentation, timbre, stylistic/historical classification, form, compositional technique, character
Oral-Practical (exam duration max. 10 minutes):
- Knowledge of chord theory up to the dominant seventh chord
- Knowledge of the church keys (church tones)
- Knowledge of figured bass
Für den Studiengang Lehramt an Gymnasien (L3) sowie die Bachelorstudiengänge Künstlerische Ausbildung Musik (Dirigieren) und Kirchenmusik.
Für den Studiengang Lehramt an Gymnasien (L3) sowie die Bachelorstudiengänge Künstlerische Ausbildung Musik (Dirigieren) und Kirchenmusik.
Für die Bachelorstudiengänge Künstlerische Ausbildung Musik, Kirchenmusik, Komposition und Gesang.
Für die Bachelorstudiengänge Künstlerische Ausbildung Musik, Kirchenmusik, Komposition und Gesang.
Für die Bachelorstudiengänge Künstlerische Ausbildung Musik, Kirchenmusik, Komposition und Gesang.
Please note:
- The examination takes place in two parts and may therefore extend over several days; in the first part the main subject is examined; those who pass this part are admitted to the second part of the examination; this consists of the examinations in the compulsory subjects
- The performance in the aptitude test of the subject area 1 shall demonstrate the degree of artistic talent that gives reason to expect a professional aptitude
- Exam examples given are indicative of the minimum level of difficulty
- For all works which provide for accompaniment, this will be by piano or harpsichord; the accompanist will be provided by the college; if provided by the candidate, this must be notified to the university in good time
[Nicht-amtliche Lesefassung. Stand: 18.12.2023]
The Study and Examination Regulations (SPO) set out the framework conditions and regulations for your studies. They apply together with the General Regulations (for Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes) or the SPoL (for teacher training degree programmes). All versions of the SPO for your degree programme (including earlier versions for students of previous academic years) can be found at Examinations.
Stand: 27.05.2019