Creative Performance Lab

Introduction
The master's degree programme at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam prepares you for a varied professional practice in which you can function as a musician at the highest level. Against the background of this versatile professional practice, CvA's personal master profile or PMP gives you plenty of opportunity to give your studies a personal direction, and to create a tailor-made package of courses.

If you are accepted for your principal subject and admitted to a master profile, when you set out on your master’s study programme you will meet with a study advisor with whom you can discuss your personal profile; on this basis, working agreements are made for the courses you will follow and further facilities for your study.

A Personal Master Profile (PMP) can be given shape in many ways. In consultation with the head of your department, a wide range of well-reasoned choices can be made and set down in the plan of study, such as choosing to work with a historic  version of your instrument, improvisation, the romantic lieder repertoire, or a teaching profile, for example. If you choose, you may also focus your studies exclusively on your principal subject and instrument, without any further delineation.

The Conservatory has worked out several examples of specific content for your Personal Master Profile that you can choose to follow in your principal subject. These profiles are composed of a number of elective subjects and modules. Admission requirements apply for some of them. They can be followed separately, as part of your own individual PMP, but when taken in a particular combination and relationship, they lead to a specialisation in a specific field of study. The CvA offers the following specific profiles for this: Principal Instruments in Historical Perspective, Chamber Music, New Music, Orchestral Performance, Creative Performance Lab and Applications of Karnatic Rhythm to Contemporary Music. A limited number of places are available for such profiles and specific admission requirements may apply. In such cases, a supplementary audition or selection is part of the procedure. A supplementary audition or selection is sometimes held after you have been accepted and admitted, often before the summer (May/June) or in the first month of the new academic year (September). On this point, see the admission requirements for each profile.

If you have chosen a specific profile, this is shown by an addendum to your master’s degree stating all subjects and modules you have completed and the associated credits. If desired, on the basis of your approved plan of study and the study track you have completed, the CvA can append an additional statement about your personal master profile to your diploma (Master of Music) and to your diploma addendum. If you have any questions about this, please contact the student secretariat (cva-studadmin@ahk.nl). If necessary, they will refer you to the coordinator of the master profile, the study advisor or to one of the heads of programmes.

Creative Performance Lab
Creative Performance Lab (CPL) is a two-year master profile for students who aim to develop and perform their own interdisciplinary productions. Through intensive collaboration within a team of students you create several performances in both master years, crossing the borders between disciplines such as music, theater, dance, video and live electronics. While your own principal subject serves as the basis, you are challenged to work in disciplines and artistic areas that may be new to you, and you are strongly encouraged to bring any skills you may have inside and outside the musical realm, such as improvising, acting, dancing, writing or videography. With the help of special guest coaches you explore such skills, bring them to an operational level and apply them to your productions.

An essential aspect of CPL is that the creative process takes place in a group setting. You learn to combine your own ideas with those of the others in the group, in order to develop a coherent and high-quality production. You support each other and offer constructive feedback. This way you create a unique product, resulting from the creative input of the entire group.

The CPL course generally consists of four projects a year, each resulting in one or more performances, and a number of so-called bootcamp sessions, focusing on repertoire and context, production and PR, and specific knowledge and skills related to the projects. The content of the CPL productions is largely determined by the input and interests of the participating students. Throughout the process, specialized coaches help you to collectively develop and realize the performances. You learn to approach creation processes on a conceptual level, and to develop, implement and communicate the theme of each project. You are also coached in performance-specific skills, and in the productional and organizational aspects of the productions.
In the course of the two master years the productions tend to increase in scale. Some are performed at an external location and promoted externally.

Creative Performance Lab is designed for curious and creative students who are willing to collaborate intensively in a group setting, with the social responsibilities that come with it, and who are interested in strengthening skills outside the field of the principal subject. The profile demands involvement throughout the entire creation process, from the concept development to rehearsing, production and performance.

* All students who have been admitted to the CvA master's degree programme can apply for CPL.
* In the first week of the new academic year we will schedule an interview with you. We will talk about your motivation and fields of interest, and assess if CPL is indeed the best choice for you. Subsequently you will be informed if you can be placed in the course.

CPL Team
Arnold Marinissen 
Jaco Benckhuijsen  
Jorge Isaac 

Guest teachers
Romain Bischoff
Ria Marks
Sebo Bakker
Gerhard Staebler
Kunsu Shim
Arnoud Noordegraaf
Dagmar Slagmolen
Samir Calixto
Marcel Wierckx
Karina Kroft
Kenzo Kusuda
and others

Principal subject instrument: 50
Creative Performance Lab: 30
Research: 10 
Electives:
* mandatory: Building a Successful Professional Practice: 10 
* other electives: 10
Individual credits: 10

 

Head of Classical Music

 

'Plastic' - Creative Performance Lab 2019 final presentation

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