About the University

The Freiburg University of Music is one of the leading music universities in Europe. It offers an individualized artistic, pedagogical and scientific education to approximately 700 students and more than 60 doctoral students. The education is tailored to their needs and covers the entire spectrum of music professions.

Reform university in the border triangle

The Freiburg University of Music was founded in 1946 in a city in ruins. Numerous Freiburg personalities had lobbied for it hand in hand with the French occupation administration. The goal was to promote and train outstanding young musical talent. But also, in the sense of international understanding and democratization, to create an institution that would bring people of different nations together and have an impact on the entire region of the border triangle of Germany, France and Switzerland. The new institution was conceived as a reform university. Its claim was not only to preserve artistic heritage, but also to create new, forward-looking art. For this reason, and due to its early involvement with New Music, founding rector Gustav Scheck saw it as the »Bauhaus of music«.

Today, students from all over the world receive the highest level of artistic and pedagogical training at our university. They’re being taught in all subjects of the »classical disciplines« as well as in our growing jazz and pop department. Highly gifted students from the age of twelve can take courses at our »Freiburg Pre-College Academy« (FAB). Students have the choice between different degrees: from Bachelor and Master of Music to the highest degree »Concert exam« or a doctorate.

Music research is part of our founding history

Music research was already a focus when our university was founded. Today, we have about 60 young people doing their doctoral studies here. Some of them do so in joint graduate schools with the Swiss »Bern University of the Arts« and the »Lucerne School of Music«, or at the German-French doctoral program Collège Glarean. We founded the »Collège Glarean« in 2020 with our close partners »University of Strasbourg« and »Haute École des Arts du Rhin« (HEAR). Another intensive collaboration exists with the University of Freiburg: together, we have been running the »Freiburg Centre for Music Research and Teaching« (FZM) since 2019. With about 20 professorships it is one of the largest institutes for music research in Europe.

Well networked through partners in the city and abroad

Besides our scientists, our teaching students also benefit from our institutional network: Together with the »University of Education Freiburg« (PH), we have established a Bachelor's and a Master's program for music pedagogy training. In the »School of Education« (FACE) network, we also offer courses together with the PH and the University of Freiburg that are open to students from all three institutions. We are also closely connected with the University and the University Hospital, especially through our »Institute for Musicians’ Medicine« (FIM), which has been jointly operated since 2005. Cooperations exist furthermore with the Freiburg theater, the »SWR Symphony Orchestra« and the »Jazzhaus Freiburg«. For many decades, we have maintained long-standing relationships across borders worldwide through university partnerships – very intensive, for example, with the »Eastman School of Music« in Rochester (USA) or the »SOAI University« in Osaka (Japan).

600 concerts per year attract music enthusiasts

Bringing music enthusiasts together – this founding goal of our university is as relevant today as it was in 1946. With about 600 events per year, we are the largest concert organizer in the tri-border region. Our opera performances, orchestral and choral concerts, solo evenings and master classes attract music fans from all over the region.

Discover our exciting concerts, study programs and news on our website.