History and profile of the Münster University of Music
The Münster University of Music looks back at more than 100 years of music-making history. Some of the most important highlights include:
1919 - 1924 Municipal Orchestra and Westphalian University of Music
1925 - 1958 Westphalian Academy for Movement, Language and Music
1959 - 1971 Music School and Conservatory (separation of amateur and professional education)
1972 - 1986 Westfalen-Lippe University of Music, institute in Münster
1987 - 2003 Detmold University of Music, department in Münster
since 2004 Münster University of Music, faculty (FB 15) of the University of Münster
since 2017 incorporation of the Institute of Music Education
2019 MünsterMusik – commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Münster University of Music celebrated together with the Symphony Orchestra and the Westphalian School of Music
Today the Münster University of Music offers undergraduate and post-graduate degree programmes, including courses at the Youth Academy, concert examinations and artistic doctoral study. It offers some 300 study places to prospective students, many of whom come from all around the world. Another 180 study places are available in the teaching degree programme offered at the Institute of Music Education. The Youth Academy, a joint project by the University of Music and the Westphalian School of Music, offers up to 30 places for musically gifted children and adolescents prior to university study.
More than 200 academic staff members provide instruction and comprehensive support to students in the areas mentioned above. Guest lectureships and master courses by distinguished representatives in their respective fields enrich and supplement the education of our students. These are augmented by synergetic effects from the cooperation with all music-educational areas and the interdisciplinary exchange with various faculties at the University of Münster.
Students and instructors of the University of Music see themselves as an active and essential part of Münster's culture. They strive to foster and maintain close contacts with the cultural organisations of the city and the Münsterland region. This vibrant exchange results in numerous collaborations, e.g. with Münster's symphony orchestra and theatre (orchestra internships, guest conductorships), the Westphalian School of Music in Münster (Youth Academy, teacher traineeships), the music schools of Westphalia (teacher traineeships) and other institutions in the region (guest concerts at diverse cultural venues).
As one of five higher education institutions of music in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Münster University of Music enjoys an exceptional status as both an independent faculty of the University of Münster and a legally registered school of art.
Another remarkable feature of the University of Music is its unique understanding of music as a cultural asset and art form in the spirit of "mensch.musik": the creative interaction, mutual understanding and collective learning which characterise the familial atmosphere at the University of Music. We accompany our students on their path to a fulfilling life with music – from our Music Daycare Programme to the Senior Guest Programme.