Composing for Theatre and Dance
A new master's degree programme aimed at composers who want to compose for contemporary theatre and dance, offered in collaboration with the Academy of Theatre and Dance.
Please note: this programme is pending approval.
The Composing for Theatre and Dance master’s degree programme prepares the student in collaboration with the Academy of Theatre and Dance for all aspects of a professional career as a composer in contemporary theatre and dance. Graduates of the programme will have developed refined perceptive skills and a strong structural awareness regarding theatrical and choreographic dramaturgy. In parallel, they will gain extensive experience in composing, arranging, and producing music for a wide range of performance contexts, while staying attentive to current developments in both the performing arts and interdisciplinary creation.
Artistic Leader
Kaveh Vares
Research and programme development
t.b.a.
Teachers
Kaveh Vares artistic leader, principal subject
Attie Bauw music technology
Arend Bruijn virtual orchestration
Jelle Verstraten orchestration
Hans Nieuwenhuijsen modular synthesis
Overview of the Programme
The two-year master’s degree programme is divided into two periods (one per year), each consisting of theoretical and practical lessons as well as project-based work (two major projects per year). The programme employs the following methods of instruction: group lessons, individual lessons, rehearsals, collaborative projects, practical assignments.
A detailed description of the curriculum - including credits and information on components taught in collaboration with external partners - is provided in a separate document distributed at the start of the course.
Theoretical classes on composing for theatre and dance, dramaturgy, performance analysis, the relationship between movement and sound, ensemble writing, technology (MIDI sequencers, DAWs, sound reinforcement), and the history of music in theatre and dance. These subjects provide the foundational knowledge and artistic context essential to composing for live performance.
Group lessons include:
- analysis of dramatic and choreographic structures
- scoring techniques for theatre and dance
- exploration of musical dramaturgy and performer–composer interaction
- assignments focused on composing for specific scenes, movement phrases, or full-length performance segments
Practical lessons focusing on score development in relation to theatrical and choreographic structures, creating and transforming musical materials, composing for specific scenes, and integrating music into collaborative performance-making processes. Students will receive personalised guidance on ongoing assignments and project work.
Individual lessons provide:
- tailored artistic and technical guidance
- feedback on project work and collaborations
- optional joint sessions with directors, choreographers, or dramaturges from partner institutions
These components enable students to grow artistically while gaining practical experience in composing for live performance environments.
Throughout the academic year, students must complete both theoretical and practical assignments. These include analyses of theatre and dance works from dramatic, musical, and choreographic perspectives. Practical assignments involve a broad range of compositional tasks - writing for movement, creating thematic or atmospheric materials, and developing music in response to rehearsal processes.
Punctual and satisfactory completion of assignments, engagement in rehearsals, and active participation in seminars and workshops are required for progression to the second academic year and for admission to the final presentation.
At the conclusion of the programme, provided that all required courses have been successfully completed, students present a final project. Each student is assigned (or proposes, with approval) a complete theatre or dance production or an extended performance concept for which they will compose and/or perform an original score.
Specifications:
- the final project will involve music for a theater and/or dance performance
- the score may involve acoustic instruments, electronics, or hybrid setups
- the student will collaborate with performers, dancers, and/or actors
- these sessions will be assessed at the level of CvA master’s programme
Students’ dramaturgical insight, compositional and arranging skills, production competencies (including both electronic and acoustic results), and collaborative processes will be evaluated. When applicable, students are expected to rehearse and direct the musical components themselves.
All preparatory stages leading up to the final presentation take place under the guidance of the teaching team.
Admission
Please find the deadlines for application here.
Candidates who wish to apply for the master in Composing for Theatre and Dance should hold a bachelor's degree in Music. Furthermore, they should submit the following:
- Music and sound design for a scene provided by the exam committee.
- 3 examples of scores of composed autonomous music
- Composed music for theatre and/or dance (if available; not mandatory). Submit max 3 examples with a total length of max. 6 minutes
More information about admission to follow.
For more information, please contact Kaveh Vares: kaveh.vares@ahk.nl.

![[Translate to English:] [Translate to English:]](/media/cva/_processed_/8/0/csm_Jazz-vocalisten2024_e823428210.jpg)