MASTER OF

MUSIC
SECOND YEAR
PERSONAL AND
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Introduction
Besides developing your performance skills and learn about the context of your artistry by doing research, it is
also important to be prepared for a career in music. To become a professional musician, we think you need
skills that can help you on a practical and personal level. Our personal and professional development program
consists of three parts:
• Study career coaching
• First year electives
• Second year projects.

Second year Personal and Professional projects

In the second year of our Master of Music we organize two projects to further develop your personal and
professional skills. Below you can find descriptions of these projects. Make sure you safe the dates, since
participating in these projects is mandatory.

Project 1: Arts & Society

For the academic year 2022- 2023 we will organize the Arts & Society project in collaboration with the Fontys
Master Performing Public Space. Students of both programs will be divided into groups and will work together
Interdisciplinary and by co-creation to do a presentation at the end of the week. Each group will consist of ± 15
students and will be guided by a coach. Presentations are performative and can take any form.

The project will be focused on the following topic: Social inclusion & exclusion.
Concept: This topic is very prominent in the news since it affects life in general. Also, in art schools this theme
should be addressed at a regular pace. But what does that really mean? - That we must find a middle ground
and make life happy for everyone? Real life is much more complex than that.
In our creative processes we often are challenged by creating with colleagues we don’t necessarily agree with,
and between disciplines we find hard to collaborate. This project aims to provide students of both master’s
experience and skills to work and produce a product via this theme. The group will be exploring methods of
working, creating, and presenting together by having social inclusion & exclusion as a theme. We encourage
the group to develop their own ways ‘to find’ artistic processes and products of inclusion and create an
awareness with their art.

Form, assignment, and study load

The project will take a week and is a mandatory part of your second year Master of Music. On Tuesday
September 27 we will start with an online kick off, to get to know each other and the coaches. A keynote
speaker will be asked to give food for thought and inspiration for your work during the project week. You will
work together on a performative presentation that your group will have to show at the end of the week. The
study load equals 2 EC’s and will be granted at the end of the week. There will be collective meetings to work
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the days in between can be used for individual work for this project, so
make sure to save plenty of time in your agenda.

Planning and meetings (save the dates)

Tuesday September 27, 10.00 -12.00 Project kick off online via MS Teams
• Monday October 10, 10.00 - 17.00 collective work, presence required
• Tuesday October 11: individual work
• Wednesday October 12: 10.00 - 17.00 collective work, presence required
• Thursday October 13: individual work
• Friday October 14: 10.30 -17.00 collective work and presentations, presence required

These dates are also available in the program calendar at the Master of Music portal. If any changes occur,
they will be communicated there. The most successful process/product can present their work at the research
day on Saturday October 15.
Project 2: Performance communication
As a musician, you are connected with different sets of actors in the musical field. The Cultural Diamond
(Alexander,2003) discerns relationships between creators and the music itself, the audience and society
through distributors (such as concert venues, labels, publishers). This project is about establishing connections
between yourself, your audience and/or distributors who could help you in reaching your audience. The
project’s aim is to provide you with practical tools and/or strategies for communication before, during and
after your final recital. 



Project focus
Before your final recital: Storytelling 
What will your final recital be about? Which music will you play? What
story will you tell? Where and when does this story begin? What must remain a surprise and what will make
people curious to see your concert? Which platforms do you need to reach your audience with your story?
Storytelling focuses on the story you tell before your final recital, aiming to draw your target audience to the
concert venue. 



During your final recital: Performance 
How do you communicate with your audience during your final recital?
What do you communicate when you play, but also when you don’t play? A live performance consists of much
more than only the music. The way the audience perceives the music depends on how you communicate with
your audience and how you ‘set the stage’ during your final recital.

Focusing on performance, you will be challenged to think about your communication on stage and the tools
you have to convey your message to your audience. Note: the performance focus is more relevant to classical,
jazz and pop musicians. 



After your final recital: Acquisition 
How can you use your final recital as a kickstart for your career as a
performer? Which distributors (such as programmers and media)? Do you need to reach your target audience?
How do you present your final recital in a way that it draws attention from these distributors? Focusing on
acquisition, you will approach your final recital as a showcase to inform music industry professionals about
yourself and your performance. 



Form
You will be asked to choose one of the above focus subjects that is connected to a coach that has expertise in
this field. We will start the week with an online artist interview and introduction of the coaches. Subsequently
you will receive an assignment that will be assessed at the end of the week.

Schedule (DRAFT)
• Monday February 21:
10.00 - 12.00 Artist interview
13.00 - 14.00 Plenary introduction coaches
14.00 - 17.00 Work with coach 


• Tuesday 22 - Thursday 24: Individual work on assignment and meetings with coach. (t.b.d.)
• Friday 25: 10.00 - 17.00 Assessment

After the Christmas break, on January 10 we will inform you on the coaches, literature, keynotes, subscription
and a more detailed schedule. Dates will become available in the calendar at the Master of Music portal. If any
changes occur, they will be communicated there.