https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/undergraduate
Undergraduate
Diploma in Music The Diploma in Music is a three-year full-time study programme for prospective students with no or little formal musical training but who show sufficient musical aptitude and potential in playing a musical instrument or singing as determined in an audition. It starts with the rudiments of music and moves towards proficiency at…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/postgraduate
Postgraduate
Honours BA Music The Honours BA Music is a one-year (full-time) or two-year (part-time) programme with elective modules in a variety of music disciplines. Most modules can be completed through distance learning, although students may be required to periodically attend special events and exams on Potchefstroom campus. [accordion…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/conservatory-study
Conservatory Study
Interested in learning music? NWU School of Music, through Conservatory music lessons, offers practical music instruction to all interested individuals, including students, staff, school learners, adults, and retirees. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, we welcome you! Some instruments require no prior experience…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/african-music
African Music
Ms Thandeka Mfinyongo Knowledge of indigenous African music is useful for all tertiary-level music students, irrespective of their chosen field of specialization. This is the case especially because exposure to African music introduces learners to ways of making music, listening to music, teaching music and learning music, which…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/arts-management
Arts Management
Mr Chris de Bruyn Two modules in Arts Management are compulsory in the BA Music & Society programme, and available as electives in the BMus programme. These modules are also available to other students at the university who are interested in Arts Management. It is presented in collaboration with the Artéma Institute for…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/aural-training
Aural Training
Ms Rineke Viljoen Aural Training is seen as one of the cornerstones of musical development. It is therefore crucial for your career as a musician as all music is based on sounds that manifest in pitch, rhythm and timbre. In this constructivist teaching approach, the focus is not on what students can repeat, but on what they can…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/choral-conducting
Choral Conducting
Mr André Oosthuizen Mr Kobus Venter Students who enrol for choral conducting will obtain knowledge and insight into the conducting styles and techniques necessary to successfully facilitate the performance of various choral works. They will be guided in understanding the various core aspects of choral conducting and…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/composition
Composition
Dr Jaco Meyer Prof Chris van Rhyn Composition as a musical action, coupled with improvisation, is integrated into several of the undergraduate modules at the School of Music, and in all three of our postgraduate programmes. It is one of the foundations for teaching and learning in the Music Theory modules. Students…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/methodology
Methodology
Most musicians will at some point be asked or required to teach music. The BMus programme includes dedicated modules on second, third and fourth year level to prepare students for the teaching of their own instrument. Apart from studying effective teaching approaches and strategies, the curriculum may include the teaching of an own…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/music-education
Music Education
Prof Ewie Erasmus Prof Janelize Morelli Prof Liesl van der Merwe Prof Mignon van Vreden The aim of Music Education at the School of Music is to explore the value of music in a variety of educational contexts, starting at birth and gradually developing to music in the lives of the elderly. Music…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/music-notation-music-theory
Music Notation & Music Theory
Prof Chris van Rhyn Ms Rineke Viljoen Dr Catrien Wentink The nature and contents of the Music Theory modules — which include those modules called Music Notation — are different for the three undergraduate study programmes. What unifies these different modules is a focus on enabling students to function in…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/musicology
Musicology
Dr Jaco Meyer Mr Jaco van der Merwe Musicology at NWU School of Music comprises two areas of investigation: Social Musicology Modules in social musicology treat the musics of the world as their area of investigation. In practice they focus on selected styles of historical and contemporary local African, popular…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/music-technology
Music Technology
Mr Johan Viljoen Music Technology is currently offered as a second-year module in the BA Music and Society programme, and as a major subject on third-year and fourth-year level in the BMus programme. These modules largely consist of learning software skills, which include notation skills in Sibelius and/or Finale, song…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/woodwinds
Woodwinds
Mr André Oosthuizen (flute) Mr Kagiso Ramela (saxophone) Prof Liesl van der Merwe (bassoon) Mr Morné van Heerden (clarinet) The woodwind department at NWU School of Music is an energetic and exciting department where students can learn in a positive and musically enriching environment. A team…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/financial-support
Financial Support
North-West University's Financial Support Services is the primary source for information on bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid to fund your music study. NWU School of Music offers two Prestige Music Bursaries worth R20,000 each for first-time first-year undergraduate music students. Each prospective student that…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/careers
Careers
Despite the perception many people have, there are a multitude of possibilities to turn your passion for music into a career. Although many music students aim at careers in the fields of teaching or performance, there are many other opportunities for finding a fulfilling and rewarding career in music. However, as in many other…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/brass-ensembles
Brass Ensembles
Ensemble practice and performance is an important part of brass instrument study at the NWU School of Music. All brass students are grouped by year level into ensembles of miscellaneous instrumentation, where they receive real-time feedback on technique, sound quality, tuning and blending. This is a beneficial supplement to the one-on-one…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/cello-ensemble
Cello Ensemble
The Cello Ensemble was established in 2014 by Dr Human Coetzee. The objective of the ensemble is to encourage cellists and audiences with a passion for music to enjoy, learn and discover the endless treasures the majestic cello has to offer. The Cello Ensemble performs annually at the Ensemble Concert. For further information about the…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/conservatory-choir
Conservatory Choir
The NWU Conservatory Choir, established in 2009 by Prof Santisa Viljoen, is a premier ensemble within NWU School of Music. It is currently directed by Prof Conroy Cupido, with assistance from Mr Thomas Erlank and Dr Antoinette Olivier. Participation in the choir is mandatory for all voice and choral conducting students, making it an…https://humanities.nwu.ac.za/music/jazz-ensemble