European Chamber Music Master EC

European Chamber Music Master EC is one of 14 English-taught Music programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 6 institutions. 1 of them lists an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. 14 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

What you study

This is a chamber music master for players who already work well together. You apply as an ensemble, not as an individual. The degree is run by the Norwegian Academy of Music with the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA) and partner institutions in other European countries.

The core of the programme is your ensemble. You spend two years studying at three different institutions in three countries. Each place has its own specialist teachers and its own musical culture, and the idea is that these environments complement each other. You stay with the same players throughout, so the group grows together while being exposed to different ways of working.

The source text does not list individual courses or modules. What it does say is that the study environments are meant to strengthen your identity as a chamber musician and give the ensemble a broad platform for further development. The teaching is built around your ensemble's work, with close contact between the players.

Admission, language and next steps

You need a bachelor's degree in music or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Norwegian Academy of Music, with at least 80 ECTS credits in music performance subjects. Every member of the ensemble must apply at the same time and to the same institution. The ensemble should be established and have a standard combination: string trio or quartet, piano trio or quartet, wind quintet, brass quintet, saxophone quartet, or another grouping with an established original repertoire. That last category needs specific approval from the home and host institutions, and the ensemble must have three to five musicians. Larger groups may be accepted by agreement with the home institution and both host institutions, and with approval from the Programme Board.

Eligible applicants are called to an entrance examination. The level you show at audition must be at least equivalent to the graduation requirements of the four-year Bachelor of Music Performance at the Norwegian Academy of Music. The programme is taught in English. The application deadline is 15 December. Check the programme page for the exact application system and any document requirements, since the institution sets these.

Master’s applications go straight to Norwegian Academy of Music, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. The institution lists its deadline as: 15 December. The register shows 15 December 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.