“Tradition is about passing on the fire, not worshipping the ashes.” This is how Austrian composer-conductor Gustav Mahler paraphrased an animated speech by French politician Jean Jaurès. For the passionate team of teachers at Ghent Conservatorium, this attitude is a matter of course. Studying classical music in Ghent is a conscious and sensible choice.
At KASK & Conservatorium you can study jazz at master's level, but also – and this is unique in Flanders – pop music. Here we train musicians who are strong on their instrument, but also have a distinct artistic vision and individuality. In our building Paddenhoek – with numerous band rooms, recording facilities and our own concert venue Club Telex – we offer you an inspiring environment for this.
In 1999, the music production study programme was established at KASK & Conservatorium. Twenty-five years later, this course has become a benchmark for anyone working creatively with music and sound.
Music is not created overnight. The composer invents and plays music on existing or dreamed-of instruments, improvises, shares, writes down after long consideration or records music on an electronic sound carrier. This field of tension is incessantly evolving to this day.
This course is the first in Flanders to focus on composing music for various audiovisual productions, ranging from fiction film to games. Develop your personal artistic practice and technical knowledge in a curriculum tailored to meet the demands of the field.
The International Master in Composition for Screen (InMICS) is a programme for international students who want to work as composers for audiovisual media. InMICS was founded by European and Canadian partners, four conservatoires on the one hand, and four established organisations from the professional field on the other: KASK & Conservatorium, CNSMD de Lyon, Conservatorio di Musica G.B. Martini Bologna, Faculté de Musique Université de Montréal, Festival International du Film d'Aubagne, Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna, Film Fest Gent, Permission Inc. Montréal.
Musical instrument making focuses on the history and structure of musical instruments, for the purpose of building, reconstructing and preserving these fascinating objects. It concentrates mainly on the study and (re)construction of historical instruments, investigating the acoustic possibilities of these 'sound instruments'. Moreover, it does so in the interest of the performance practice of old, but equally of new music.
From concert hall to lift, from department store to restaurant, from symphony to ringtone, live or on carrier, via internet, radio or in the cloud, ... More than ever, music in all its forms is ubiquitous. Choosing a master's in music theory and writing is choosing to pass on a long tradition of theoretical reflection on the phenomenon of music in an increasingly fast-moving world.
As a contemporary music student, your primary focus lies on post-1950 music, with a particular emphasis on the 21st century. Your specialization revolves around the creation, performance, and conceptualization of contemporary music, often incorporating other disciplines like dance, media, and installation art. You have the opportunity to showcase your talents both as a soloist and as part of an ensemble.
Having successfully completed a master's degree in music but still not satisfied? The postgraduate in musical performance practice certainly holds this urge for excellence in high regard.
You are brimming with dynamism and enthusiasm to take interested parties into a world of artistic development and creation? You want to be an important link in the further development of art education and the performing arts landscape in Flanders? Then the educational master's is definitely for you!
After your bachelor's and master's degree, you can obtain a PhD in the arts in a third cycle. To organise this third cycle, KASK & Conservatorium and Ghent University work closely together.
KASK & Conservatorium offers English-language master programmes in the visual arts, audiovisual arts, drama and music.