Doctorate (Ph.D)

The scientific objective is to produce high-quality research with international influence on past and present music performance and creative practices and to study the act of performing. The originality of this project lies in the fact that this research is carried out and supervised by researchers and musicians and, additionally, mainly by researcher-musicians. The approach to music practices is therefore not only external, but internal, which also guarantees that the research will be fleshed out in interaction with music practice itself. The ICM Ph.D was designed to create this virtuous logic of nourishing research through practice, and practice through research.

In view of the existing international attractiveness of Unistra, HEAR and HfM training courses, the Franco-German comparative approach makes it possible to compare practices and customs between the different countries. The fact that there are researchers and performers from different traditions still present today in conservatoire and university teaching helps to increase research potential and relevance.

The ICM Ph.D course is aimed at performers, composers, and ensemble conductors who are already professionals or in initial training, who hold a master’s degree and who wish to do further study on a specific question related to their practice, as part of a research and creation process. These performers, composers and ensemble conductors must demonstrate a high level of practical musical ability and proven aptitudes for scientific research (critical reflection) on this practice or one of its aspects.

Scientific research can be carried out in the following areas: theory and history of performance, improvisation, and music creation, the history of music, musical analysis, musical aesthetics, music education and didactics, artistic research and theory, the physiology and psychology of the act of performing, etc.). This may involve all historical periods and musical styles and genres. It is also possible to combine one or more other scientific discipline (s) in the research to be carried out, for example, history, philosophy, literary and philological studies, psychology, sociology, IT, acoustics, etc.

During the three years of the Ph.D course, the student must attend:

• methodological, ethical and professional integration seminars (grouped under the term « cross-disciplinary training ») at Unistra and/or at HfM for up to 54 hours throughout the duration of the Ph.D course.
• scientific seminars organised by Unistra and/or HEAR and/or HfM for up to 90 hours throughout the duration of the Ph.D studies (these seminars may take the form of a research colloquium – with the active participation of Ph.D students -, coupled with block seminars) in line with the Ph.D student’s individual scientific objective.
• masterclasses organized by the HEAR and/or the HfM: 6 masterclasses during the Ph.D course.

In addition to this:

• practical lessons with the artistic supervisor for up to 90 hours throughout the Ph.D course, to be validated on the basis of a concert programme performed in public once a year by the Ph.D student before a competent jury,
• a personal professional project, which can take the form of an internship in an artistic structure (4 to 6 weeks) or an artistic project (concert tour programme), approved once during the Ph.D course, proposed by the student and approved on a joint basis by the artistic supervisor and the thesis supervisor,
• regular meetings with the thesis supervisor.

The languages ​​in which the seminars and courses are to be held are French, German and English (each speaker will use their own language or one of these three). Visiting teachers from abroad may teach in English. The work submitted by the students for these seminars is in one of these languages, by agreement with the teacher. The thesis must be submitted in the language required by the institution in which the thesis director is located. The same rule applies to the thesis defence before the jury.

For further information about the studies, please contact:

Alexandre Freund-Lehmann
doctorat-icm@accra-recherche.unistra.fr

For any questions about the registration, please contact:

Thibaut Gindensperger
+33 (0)3 68 98 60 73 – De 14h à 17h
academie.strasbourg@hear.fr