The Division of Music at the HKB with its 500 students is part of a comprehensive arts university. As a music student, you benefit from the close proximity to theatre, fine arts or literature and from practical degree programmes.
To study music at the HKB, means to study in one of the most progressive music universities in the German-speaking world. In addition to traditional areas of music education in performance and pedagogy, we also maintain a strong research programme, current musical theatre, free-medium composition or a focus on music outreach / Music in Context.
You can find our lecturers here. Insights into our study areas and projects can be found here.
Bern Academy of the Arts
Music
Ostermundigenstrasse 103
3006 Bern
MON/TUE/THU: 10–12 am and 13.30–15.30 pm
WED: 10–12 am
FRI: closed
An important part of the education of the Division of Music takes place in the recording studio. Our modern infrastructure allows for music productions of all kinds – including surround productions and film soundtracks.
After attending the relevant courses, students in the Jazz and Sound Arts programmes have the opportunity to use the infrastructures independently as a listening room, sound laboratory and production facility and, if the conditions are suitable, to realise studio productions. The musicians can thus gain important experience in the studio environment, whether playing, producing or reflecting on it. In addition, courses and mentorships are open to all students, in which the basics of sound technology are taught.
The recording studios also serve the HKB's Department of Music and Interpretation Research as a production site for its own productions, project documentations and recordings that are released in cooperation with renowned labels.
The Jazz programme has a professionally equipped recording studio with control room, recording room and a high-quality backline. For larger band productions, additional classrooms at the location can be added.
The recording studio on Papiermühlestrasse has a modern infrastructure with a spacious control room with analogue and digital networking possibilities to other acoustically separated, multifunctional rooms and the concert hall. Thus, music productions from soloists to ensembles to orchestras can be handled, but also surround productions and film soundtracks are possible without any problems.
The HKB also has a modern and mobile infrastructure for recordings outside the building. An extensive range of instruments – percussion instruments of all kinds, various grand pianos and historical keyboard instruments – complete the offer.
The Music Division has two performance spaces at its Bern location, the Auditorium on Ostermundigenstrasse and the Concert Hall on Papiermühlestrasse, which are equipped with sound, projection and lighting systems. The Opera and Music and Movement programmes in Biel often use the auditorium of the Volkshaus or the theatre there for their public events.
Depending on the requirements, our rooms can be equipped for complex situations, be it in the area of sound reinforcement, live electronics, music theatre productions or synchronisations of all kinds. Of course, all this can also be recorded, in the Auditorium additionally with a permanently installed multi-camera system.
The SOMBE (Student Organisation Music Berne) supports the concerns of the students of the HKB Music. The organisation includes all music students of the HKB and acts as a liaison between the students and the lecturers as well as the management. It organises various interdisciplinary events and concerts, campaigns for student concerns and has a say in important committees of the HKB. It is represented by an annually elected board.
The HKB scholarship fund was set up to provide targeted support for music students in difficult financial circumstances. This is financed exclusively by donations. If you would like to support the fund, you have the following options:
The fund can cover tuition fees. Students can also apply for public or private scholarships. Are you studying at the HKB and interested? The Campus App will explain the process to you.
