Presentation

     In the academic year 2020-2021, the Université de Strasbourg (Unistra), the Haute Ecole des Arts du Rhin (HEAR) and the Hochschule für Musik (HfM) Freiburg launched a PhD programme within the European Doctoral College for Musical Interpretation and Artistic Research (CDE ICM).

     It aims to produce high-quality research of international scope on the practices of interpreting and creating music, past and present, and to question the performative act. The innovative approach of this project is that the research is carried out and supervised by researchers and musicians, and also mainly by musician-researchers. The view on music practices is therefore both external and internal, which ensures that the research is embodied and interacts with the music practice itself. This PhD programme has been developed in this virtuous circle of feeding research through practice and practice through research.

Who benefits from this PhD programme?

     The PhD programme is aimed at performers, composers and ensemble conductors who are already professionals or not, holding a Master's degree, and who wish to deepen their knowledge of a specific area related to their music practice through research and creation. They should have a high level of musical proficiency and a proven capacity for scholarly research (critical thinking) on this practice or on one of its aspects.

     Scientific research may be carried out in the following areas: the theory and history of performance, improvisation and music creation; the history of music; musical analysis; musical aesthetics; music pedagogy and didactics; artistic research and theory; the physiology and psychology of the performative act; etc.).

     All historical periods and all musical styles and genres are considered.

     It is also possible to combine one or more other scientific disciplines in the research to be carried out, such as history, philosophy, literary and philological studies, psychology, sociology, computer science, acoustics, medicine, etc.

Disciplines involved

     The PhD programme is open to all instruments, singing, jazz, contemporary music, traditional music, early music, instrumental or vocal chamber music, conducting of instrumental or vocal ensembles, composition (including electro-acoustic, computer-aided composition and improvisation techniques). These disciplines are likely to vary according to the range of training offered by the HEAR and the HfM Freiburg.

PhD course and training

     The PhD course and training are governed by the institution chosen for scientific supervision, which is either the Unistra in France or the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in Germany. The PhD course and training are similar, or at least harmonised, between the two countries. For more precise information, please visit this page on the CDE ICM website.

Recruitment and admission procedures

     The recruitment procedure for candidates requires the submission of a preliminary scientific proposal (PhD thesis project) and artistic proposal together with a pre-application file. This is followed by an assessment of artistic proficiency (by the HEAR or the HfM Freiburg), and finally, if the candidate is selected, by a review of the candidate’s application documents (by the Unistra or the HfM Freiburg). For information on the schedule, the recruitment and admission procedures, please visit the CDE ICM website.

PhD funding

      There are several ways for PhD students to finance their PhD studies. For more information, please visit the page on the CDE ICM website dedicated to the PhD funding.