Music

Welcome to the music department!

Music is diverse! At Leuphana we deal with music from different historical and cultural contexts. We study different musical practices, such as music production and reception, from a music pedagogical or musicological point of view. We explore these areas theoretically, receptively, and in music practice. A special focus is on popular music.

The music department at the IKMV offers teaching in various courses of study:
In music education, pedagogical-didactic considerations play a central role in addition to subject-specific fundamentals. These include school and extracurricular areas of work. With music education, musicology and music theory, subject-specific foundations are laid. An important part of the program is also the practical-creative work with music (e.g. arranging, songwriting, studio work and individual lessons).

With the minor "Popular Music Studies" we offer an English-language study program that deals with diverse fields of popular music research. In addition to methods and current research topics in the discipline, the focus is on music-historical (Popular Music Histories) and music-sociological (Sociology of Popular Music) aspects. In addition, the minor offers practice-oriented insights into later professional fields related to music.

In the major "Cultural Studies" we offer a variety of thematically varying courses from different areas of musicology. These are supplemented by courses in aural analysis and music theory.

In addition to our regular course offerings, faculty in the major organize field trips to conferences or concerts. For example, we visited a conference on popular music research in Vienna and the Ravensbrück Memorial.

Musical Practice

In the Bachelor "Teaching and Learning" and in the consecutive Master, our students receive instrumental and/or vocal instruction throughout - as individual and group lessons. Music production as well as ensemble and choral conducting complement the program. Our focus is on the artistic creation of diverse musical styles and genres.

At the end of each semester, we organize a concert with the department for all interested students at Leuphana.

All students and employees of Leuphana have access to a wide range of practical music activities independent of courses at the Music Center. This consists of: Big Band, Orchestra, Choir and Chamber Music Ensembles. In addition to regular rehearsals on the university premises, there are rehearsal weekends by the sea and joint final concerts.

Research is done on current issues in music, cultural and educational studies. The main focus is on popular music studies, ethnomusicology and empirical music education. Current research includes the following topics:

•   Musical and sonic memory spaces in the Post-Witness Era: Remembering the time of National Socialism in Lower Saxony (Schoop).
•  Songwriting Camps in the 21st Century (Ahlers)
•  Digital-supported practice in subject teaching: Competent teachers - individualized learning processes (CODIP)Theory-practice linkage in teacher education in the fields of action "competence-oriented teaching" (Ahlers)

infrastructure and Equipment

We have well-equipped music rooms with instruments as well as performance equipment, where musical events also take place. We also have a recording studio with up-to-date technology for recording and editing music on the computer. In the music library, music students can borrow study scores, portable speakers, microphones and guitars for rehearsal purposes. Practice can be done in the band room or in our extra rooms. Various percussion and string instruments are available in the instrument stock for use in seminars.