HMDK Stuttgart - Germany

The State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart sees Early Music as an integral part of a modern and vibrant education in the arts. Within the university, the Organ Department and the Studio for Early Music form a unique centre where artistic practice, historical research, and stylistic diversity are closely interwoven.

Their work is founded on excellence in both teaching and performance. Seven faculty members, including four professors, provide a comprehensive education in historical performance practice at the highest artistic level. An exceptional collection of historical organs and harpsichords offers an ideal foundation for this work.

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The Studio for Early Music expands this profile with courses in baroque violin, traverso, fortepiano, sackbut, baroque cello, and lute – creating an environment that naturally encourages collaboration across disciplines and instruments.

The university regards itself as a place where Early Music is embedded in dialogue with contemporary art and pedagogy. Faculty members from the Studio for Early Music are regularly involved in projects of the modern departments, and these collaborations, in turn, open new perspectives on sound, interpretation, and artistic creativity. This spirit of openness also characterises the Master’s programme Maestro al Cembalo, founded in 2020, which prepares musicians to take on leadership roles in opera and concert from a historically informed perspective.