Uncategorized Archives | Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre

CoPeCo is a two-year joint master’s programme and an open platform for experimental artistic practice within a European setting. The consortium includes the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse in Lyon, and the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. The students will spend each of the four semesters in a different institution, moving from one to the other as a group.

CoPeCo is aimed at composers, contemporary music performers, electronic musicians, sound artists, as well as those who may not fit precisely within these categories. One of the programme’s advantages is its flexibility in adapting to each student’s specific needs and interests.

CoPeCo supports and promotes contemporary musical expression in all its aspects, including creation, production, performance, and the relationship between musicians and society. We place a strong emphasis on improvisation and music technology and provide fundamental knowledge in cultural management and music analysis. Various workshops are conducted in collaboration with professionals from theater, dance, or film. CoPeCo serves as an excellent international launch platform for young creatives.

The CoPeCo programme co-director is Taavi Kerikmäe, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music.

Applications for the Contemporary Performance and Composition (CoPeCo) master’s programme can be submitted via DreamApply until 31 January 2025.

Additional info: CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE AND COMPOSITION

Starting today, 15 January 2025, applications can be submitted for the international joint programme offered by the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) and Estonian Business School (EBS).

The Master’s programme in Cultural Management is designed for those who wish to enhance their professional skills in the arts and cultural sector and lead projects that bring people and ideas together. Students will gain the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully manage diverse cultural projects in a rapidly changing world.

The programme is student-centered and practice-oriented, featuring leading experts from across Europe, including Estonia, Finland, the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Poland, and beyond. Graduates will receive diplomas from both universities.

Our alumni are actively shaping the cultural and creative industries, working in both the public and private sectors, including government organizations, universities, theatres, museums, NGOs, foundations, and private companies. An impressive 98% of our graduates are employed within the cultural and creative sectors.

The goal of the Cultural Management Master’s programme is to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel as professionals in the cultural sector in a dynamic global landscape.

The admission period is from 15 January to 28 April 2025.
Applications can be submitted via DreamApply.

The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre offers seven scholarships to students with outstanding academic achievements and social engagement, with awards in the first academic year based on admission rankings and results. Learn more here.

The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is accepting applications for English curricula starting today, 15 January 2025.

Bachelor’s Degree Programmes

Applicants can apply for seven specializations at the Bachelor’s level:

Master’s Degree Programmes
Nine specializations are available for Master’s studies:

Application Deadlines

Doctoral Studies: 9 May 2025
Master’s Degree in Cultural Management: 28 April 2025
Bachelor’s and Master’s Programs (English-taught curricula): 2 June 2025

The admission period ends on 1 July 2025.

Applications can be submitted through the DreamApply portal.

For more information, visit Academy’s website.

The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (EAMT) is pleased to announce the third annual Composition Competition. The competition is open to all EAMT students, regardless of their field of study.

Competition Details:
Participants are invited to submit compositions meeting the following criteria:
– Duration: 7–10 minutes
– Instrumentation: fc (picc+afl), cl (bcl), violin or viola, vcl, piano.

Submission Deadline:
– Date: April 14, 2025
– Time: 23:59
– Submission Address: emtahk@eamt.ee
– Compositions must include the score and individual parts. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Jury Members:
1) Toivo Tulev, Helena Tulve, Tõnu Kõrvits, Rene Eespere, Liisa Hirsch, Fractales ensemble;
2) Toivo Tulev, Helena Tulve, Tõnu Kõrvits, Rene Eespere ja Liisa Hirsch.

Prizes:
1. First Prize: Diploma and €400
2. Second Prize: Diploma and €200
3. Third Prize: Diploma and €100
4. Fourth and Fifth Prizes: Diploma

Competition Regulations:
1. The competition is open to all EAMT bachelor’s and master’s students.
2. Each composer may submit one composition, which must not have been
previously published, performed, recorded or broadcast.
3. Submissions must include a short biography of the composer.
4. The composition must adhere to the specified instrumentation and duration.
5. The composer’s name must not appear on the score or parts to ensure
anonymous evaluation.
6. The jury will first select five compositions for performance and live recording
during a concert on May 16, 2025, at EAMT main hall.
7. During the concert intermission, the jury will choose three winning compositions to
receive the main prizes.
8. Recordings of the selected works will be shared with the composers, and the three
winning pieces will be published on EAMT YouTube channel.

Contact: For inquiries, please email emtahk@eamt.ee.

III EAMT Composition Competition organized in collaboration with Ensemble Fractales.

Fabrizio Nastari defends his doctoral thesis on 20 December at 14:30 room A-402 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

“Borrowing Existing Material, and Irony: Compositional Strategies and their Aesthetic Context”

Supervisor: prof Jaan Ross

Opponent: Riikka Maria Talvitie, DocMus (Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy)

The doctoral thesis is available HERE and in print in the EAMT library.

Abstract:

The thesis “Borrowing Existing Material, and Irony: Compositional Strategies and their Aesthetic
Context” (“Olemasoleva muusikalise materjali korduskasutamine ning iroonia:
kompositsioonistrateegiad ja nende esteetiline taust”) is part of a creative research doctoral project
and it investigates the compositional process of creating new music by borrowing existing musical
material to fulfill a personal ironic intent. The studies on borrowing actions show how the selection
and use of existing musical material has a deeper meaning than just inspiration to a tradition or style.
In this thesis, the concept of irony triggers and gives meaning to such actions, expressing a personal
vision of the world. The aim of this research is to show how I developed a structured approach that
satisfies a technical and an aesthetic need at the same time. How can composers effectively borrow
existing musical material to satisfy personal aesthetic goals?
The autoethnographic approach led an introspective reflection on personal artistic interests,
experiences, and compositional processes, aiming to gain deeper self-awareness and insight into the
creative decision-making process. Furthermore, following the Information Theory, the thesis
addresses the description of the creative process by dividing semantic information and aesthetic
information. Thus, the research reports how the composition process involves selected musical
conventions (melody and musical form), the borrowing actions (quotation and allusion),
compositional strategies (recontextualization and modification), and eventually how the music
created incorporates the element of irony, which remains a personal artistic and aesthetic choice.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the research, the study underscores the importance of introspection and
self-awareness in the compositional process. By critically examining personal interests and creative
impulses, composers can cultivate a deeper understanding of their artistic identity and refine their
compositional approach. Finally, the insights gained from this research have potential applications in
pedagogy, as exemplified by the development of the “Composing with 14th Century Technique”
course at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.

Meeta Vardja defends her doctoral thesis on 19 December at 14:30 room A-402 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Music):

„Tallinna Riikliku Konservatooriumi muusikateaduse kateeder aastatel 1944–1968“

Supervisor: Anu Kõlar, PhD

Opponents: prof Tõnu-Andrus Tannberg (Tartu University) and Maris Kirme, PhD

The doctoral thesis is available HERE and in print in the EAMT library.

Part of Summary:

Musicology was established as an independent academic discipline in Estonia after the

Second World War under the Soviet regime. The Faculty of Musicology (muusikateaduse

kateeder) was established in 1944 at the Tallinn State Conservatoire (Tallinna Riiklik

Konservatoorium), following the common practice in the Soviet Union of teaching this

discipline at conservatoires, in contrast to the Western tradition, where musicology has

typically been associated with universities. The new academic discipline had to develop

within the confines of an imposed foreign ideology, where the research directions,

methodological approaches, and professional tasks for musicologists were suddenly defined

by the model established in Soviet musicology in the 1930s. The strong influence of the

Soviet regime on musicology in Estonia and other countries with a similar fate can be seen

even in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. To a certain extent, traces of

the Soviet legacy can still be observed in the musicology of the former Soviet republics

today.

The aim of this dissertation is to examine the birth and development of Estonian academic

musicology from 1944 to 1968, taking into account the social and political context that

surrounded the emerging discipline. The focus of the study is the Faculty of Musicology at

the Tallinn State Conservatoire as the central institution for musicology in Estonia during

this period. The dissertation has two objectives: 1) to provide a detailed and comprehensive

overview of the history and activities of the Faculty of Musicology, as academic reflection

on the discipline’s development has so far been lacking; and 2) to analyse the influence of

Soviet musicology and ideology, and how it manifested in Estonian academic musicology.

The study employs the approaches of structural history of music and disciplinary history,

primarily using source criticism, comparative methodology, and biographical approach as

the key research methods

On 1 December, admission will open for MA in Contemporary Performance and Composition (CoPeCo).

CoPeCo is a two-year joint master’s programme and an open platform for experimental artistic practice within a European setting. The consortium includes the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse in Lyon and the Hamburg University of Music and Theatre. The students will spend each of the four semesters in a different institution, moving from one to the other as a group.

CoPeCo is aimed at composers, contemporary music performers, electronic musicians, sound artists, as well as those who may not fit precisely within these categories. One of the advantages of the programme is its flexibility in adapting to the specific needs and interests of each student. CoPeCo supports and promotes contemporary musical expression in all aspects, including creation, production, performance and the relationship between musicians and society. We place a strong emphasis on improvisation, music technology, as well as providing fundamental knowledge in cultural management and music analysis. Various workshops are conducted in collaboration with professionals from theater, dance, or film. CoPeCo serves as an excellent international launch platform for young creatives.

CoPeCo programme co-director is Taavi Kerikmäe, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music.

On November 18 at 15:00, an online information session for CoPeCo will be held on Zoom, providing an opportunity to learn more about the application process, curriculum, and practical arrangements. The programme co-directors and coordinators from all partner institutions will be present. Registration to the session is open HERE

Additional info: CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE AND COMPOSITION

The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre Foundation awards the first EAMT Alumni Union scholarship “Future Master” in the amount of € 5,000. All EMTA students can apply for the scholarship (except students on academic leave).

To apply, you must submit a free-form application, which must show your creative activities and plans for the future. Also, a free-form recommendation letter from one of your fellow-students in EAMT must be added.

The deadline for applications is 27 September at 12:00. The application must be sent to the e-mail: fond@eamt.ee.

The “Future Master” scholarship will be awarded on October 5 at the EAMT alumni gala in the great hall.

For the academic year 2024/2025 non-EU students of music subjects at BA and MA levels can apply for a small number of targeted EAMT scholarships covering either 50% or 25% of the tuition fee.

The scholarships are not paid to applicants directly, but their tuition fee obligation is reduced by the amount of the scholarship. A scholarship is awarded for one academic year.

NB! The DoRa Plus scholarship programme for all foreign students at the MA level is unfortunately no longer available!

A student may apply for a targeted scholarship if he/she is studying a music major and is enrolled in bachelor’s or master’s studies,

and;

is of a country of origin from outside the European Union and has to pay the tuition fee for non-EU students;
is a first-year student whose entrance examination result was at least 9 points;
is a second- or third-year student whose last main subject examination result was at minimum “very good”;
is studying full-time and completing the curriculum in full (cumulatively at least 30 ECTS credits per semester);
is not on academic leave;

The allocation of the scholarships in 2024 will take place in the form of an audition via video recordings for Classical Music Performance, Jazz, and Contemporary Improvisation majors and the presentation of portfolios for Composition and Music Technology majors.

The audition requires the presentation of a recording of a performance without cuts or edits of a programme lasting a maximum of 15 minutes and including at least two pieces for Classical Music Performance and Jazz majors and 2–3 solo and ensemble improvisations for students of Contemporary Improvisation.

Composition and Music Technology majors must present a portfolio with a list of activities in their subject fields, scores, recordings, etc. from the last 2 years.

NB! EAMT will not provide separate recording sessions for the purpose of this audition but we offer some suggestions on preparing performance videos.

The recording quality on most modern smartphones is generally very good.

It is easy to make simple video recordings using built-in apps.

They do not generate fan noise.

They can be placed easily on music stands, etc.

You are welcome to use additional equipment, such as external mics, audio interfaces, computer software, etc if you have the expertise to create good results with them.

Small placement changes can have a significant effect, especially at the close distances required by small rooms. Try to identify the optimal setup for the recording or ask a friend to help with the assessment. Brass instruments – perform off-axis to your recording device to avoid wind blasts overpowering the microphone.

Please read carefully the eligibility and audition requirements listed above. In case you are sure that you qualify, please submit your application here, the deadline is Sunday, 13 October.

NB! Please upload your video files to YouTube or Vimeo and include the link in the online application form. Students of non-performing majors must send their portfolios by the application deadline to liina.deutschler@eamt.ee

The panel of the audition will consist of the vice-rector for artistic affairs and international relations, the chief coordinators of the departments, and heads of studies of each major.

Should you have any further questions regarding the scholarships or application procedure, please don’t hesitate to contact the EAMT international students’ advisor Liina Deutschler.

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