The Royal Academy of Music
Aarhus, Denmark
Overview
English Name: The Royal Academy of Music
Control Type: Public
Based in Aarhus, Denmark, The Royal Academy of Music is a public institution that functions as a higher-education provider within Denmark.
Programmes at The Royal Academy of Music cover bachelor's and master's programmes, structured through a single faculty. The institution administers a focused programme catalogue across its academic units.
Location & Contact
The Royal Academy of Music's street address and primary contact methods. Social channels often differentiate by purpose — admissions on one, alumni on another, events on a third.
Address: Skovgaardsgade 2C
Postal Code: 8000
Phone: 4572267400
Website: https://musikkons.dk/
Email: [email protected]
Academic Details
A quick read on The Royal Academy of Music's academic vitals — enrolment counts, faculty makeup, and recognition status. The combination determines class sizes, faculty access, and credential portability.
Accrediting Agency: Ministry of Culture
Degrees
The Royal Academy of Music's academic tracks grouped by qualification level. Some awards are conferred by The Royal Academy of Music directly, others validated by a partner institution; the distinction matters for credential portability.
Bachelor's 1 program
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Music
Master's 1 program
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Music
Faculties & Divisions
The academic units at The Royal Academy of Music alongside their subject specialisms. Subject-specific library resources are usually managed by the relevant faculty rather than the central library.
Music (Course/Programme) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Music
- Music Education
- Music Theory and Composition
- Musical Instruments
- Religious Music
Programs Offered
The full set of programmes The Royal Academy of Music offers is searchable and grouped by level below. Some programmes accept rolling applications; others run on annual cycles — check before applying.
Associate, Certificate & Other Qualifications
12 programmes
The Royal Academy of Music offers 12 programmes as shorter-cycle and preparatory qualifications, a flexible tier for skills-focused learners or those bridging into undergraduate study.
Aalborg Departement English
The Academy’s department in Aalborg is situated in The House of Music (Musikkens Hus) from 2013. The Academy has several modern and inviting classrooms, rehearsal rooms, sound studios and two concert halls for acoustic and for amplified music.The classrooms are equipped with accessible instruments and other relevant gear. At the rehearsal rooms students have opportunities for practicing 24/7. The sound studio consists of three rooms in order to separate the instruments.
Aarhus Departement English
The Academy’s department in Aarhus is situated in Concert Hall Aarhus in the center of Aarhus and has a wide range of very modern and inviting teaching and rehearsal rooms and recording studios.Concert Hall Aarhus offers a great variety of concerts with national and international artists during the year and also houses Aarhus Symphony and Danish National Opera.The Academy has access to a variety of concert halls in Concert Hall Aarhus:Symphonic Hall - with the great symphonic organ (Klais)Rhytmic Hall - black box with many optionsSmall Hall - for chamber music, jazz and contemporary musicChamber Music Hall - for smaller eventsClub Scene - for pop, jazz, contemporary and electronic musicThe Academy’s building was finished in 2007 and is open for students 24/7.The Academy’s department in Aarhus offers programmes in both jazz/pop, classical and electronic music.
Jazz/Pop Music (Aalborg) 2 years English
The Academy's jazz/pop programmes are very diverse. Knowledge of historical roots and performance traditions will be a natural part of many contexts and subjects, but always as a precondition for giving the student the ability to communicate future musical ideas.Students will participate in various projects playing live. Examples include tours of boarding schools or folk high schools, performing at the Aarhus or Aalborg Festival, playing at concert cafés, and much more.All the teachers are experienced professional musicians. And the Academy is regularly visited by major international artists who conduct clinics for and with students.At the Jazz/Pop Music (Aalborg) programmes students become part of an international study environment at the Aalborg Campus. A common feature in all the programmes is that the student must first and foremost be an exceptionally skilled musician or singer. In addition, there is a strong focus on songwriting/composition and teaching skills.Tuition is offered in all common instruments in jazz/pop music.The Master’s program builds on the student’s skills as a musician/singer, songwriter/composer and music teacher acquired on the bachelor’s programme. The education has a constant focus on:
Duration: 2 years
Innovative Choir Leading 2 years English
The Innovative Choir Leading programme is focusing on contemporary forms of expression and methodology, and on developing the student’s personal and professional competences as a choir leader in regard to styles such as pop, rock, jazz, gospel, world, improvisation, and vocal painting.The Innovative Choir Leading studies provides the student with skills to make vocal music sound just ‘right’ when it comes to these musical styles with choirs and a cappella groups, in rehearsals as well as in performances.Tuition includes the minor subjects ear training, theory of improvisation, rhythm and coordination, vocal studies, piano, voice theory, arranging, entrepreneurship, pedagogy, ensemble singing, RAMA Voices (vocal group, as a singer), and an elective flex subject.The program is associated with the RAMA Vocal Center at the Academy’s Aalborg campus; an internationally recognized center of ‘Innovative Choir Leading’ created by Professor Jim Daus Hjernøe.The teacher team has references to Bobby McFerrin, The Real Group, Touché, and Vocal Line, assisted by top guest teachers on e.g., beatboxing by RoxorLoops and concert design by Astrid Vang-Pedersen.For several years choir directors from all over the world attend as students to be educated by this renowned team of world-class teachers, ensuring the highest pedagogical and artistic level.In some cases, students from abroad will be able to participate in the weekly classes through digital high-speed video conferencing and have a choir available locally. This option adds to the modern and international quality of the program.For all students, 8 boot camps per academic year are mandatory to join in person on Campus Aalborg (Monday to Friday). That will be 3 boot camps in the fall semester and 5 in the spring semester. These are supplemented by weekly classes, which in some cases can be joined via video conference.In addition, live coaching sessions via video conferencing in “music mode”, 4 times per academic year per student, where students bring their teacher and fellow students to watch and supervise a choir rehearsal “live”, no matter where in the world you are.This programme is offered at the Aalborg campus. Visit the programmes website. Career Opportunities This master’s program makes the student prepared for a career as a musician, and music teacher, specialized in leading and conducting choirs and vocal groups at the highest level in all jazz/pop-related styles.AdmissionTo be admitted to this programme, students must take an entrance exam that is described in admission requirements. At the Academy’s homepage the applicant can find detailed information about admission requirements for the bachelor’s, master’s, and soloist programmes as well as examples of entry exams.The applicant must apply online via kum.studieoptag.dk, which is the application system for all education institutes under the Ministry of Culture.At the Academy’s homepage the student can find out more about admission e.g., application deadline, schedule for entry exams, application fee etc.TuitionThere is a tuition fee for all fulltime degree students with a citizenship from outside of EU/EAA/Switzerland. Students within an exchange programme are not required to pay tuition.For Further Information Information from the Danish Agency for Higher Education can be located here.You will find information about the Danish assessment of foreign qualifications in Guide to diploma recognition.About the Educational System in general visit the section The Danish Higher Education System.
Duration: 2 years
Electronic Sound and Music 3 years English
On this programme the student will be working with the production and performance of electronic music and sound. The programme focus on compositional methods and take an analytical approach to investigating contemporary and older electronic music, art, and culture. The students gain a relevant understanding of music history and culture which enables them to break new ground and be innovative on the contemporary art scene.The student will be working with e.g., music production, studio technology, hardware, programming, electronics, live performance, installations, synthesis, and sound design. The student will also be working with electronic sound, contributing to productions that span several art forms.In addition, the student will be doing practical work with teaching training. And there are good possibilities for musical collaboration with the jazz/pop/global music students on the Aalborg campus.Tuition takes place in large, elegant rooms with professional-grade studio monitors, monitor controls, sound cards, and sound-absorbing materials. The rooms also contain drum pads, drum machines, synthesizers, MIDI controllers, and MIDI keyboards. One of the rooms has 4 studio monitors, allowing a 4-channel set-up.The student also has access to two e-music rehearsal rooms with a monitor set-up, mixer, sound card, and piano. The rehearsal rooms give great opportunities for working with production and composition around the clock.The subjects are divided into four areas:
Duration: 3 years
Jazz/Pop Musician/Music Teacher (Aarhus) 2 years English
The Academy's jazz/pop programmes are very diverse. Knowledge of historical roots and performance traditions will be a natural part of many contexts and subjects, but always as a precondition for giving the student the ability to communicate future musical ideas.Students will participate in various projects playing live. Examples include tours of boarding schools or folk high schools, performing at the Aarhus or Aalborg Festival, playing at concert cafés, and much more.All the teachers are experienced professional musicians. And the Academy is regularly visited by major international artists who conduct clinics for and with students.Tuition is offered in all common instruments in jazz/pop music. The Jazz/Pop Musician/Music Teacher (Aarhus) master’s programme builds on the skills and qualifications acquired on the bachelor’s programme. At the master’s level the student can choose to focus on musicianship, pedagogics, or songwriting/composition, depending on the selected curriculum:Jazz/Pop MusicianJazz/Pop Music TeacherJazz/Pop Composition and Songwriting The subjects on all three programmes are divided into the following areas:
Duration: 2 years
Jazz/Pop Drum and Dance (Aarhus) 3 years English
The Academy's jazz/pop programmes are very diverse, and we celebrate and use this diversity. Tuition is offered in all common instruments in jazz/pop music.In a sense, on the Jazz/Pop Drum and Dance (Aarhus) programme the student study four main instruments: The students own instrument plus singing, dancing, and percussion.Singing and dancing are integral parts of the programme through the Singing, Dancing and Playing (SDS) subject, no matter what the student’s main instrument is. The programme works within all jazz/pop/global music styles, approaching them from new, creative, playful and artistic angles, and with a willingness to mix established traditions with modern music and dancing. Music from other cultures in general plays a major role on the programme, not least music with strong ties to dancing.The programme gives the student space for play and for being creative. SDS makes it possible to create a unique space for bodily and creative expression. The student will participate in creating the annual Drum and Dance touring show from the ground up and the student will tour with the show to boarding schools, Danish folk high schools, and so on. In addition, the Academy arranges annual study trips to e.g., Africa, Cuba, or Brazil, giving the students an opportunity to get very close to the music traditions of other cultures.The course subjects are divided into the following fields:
Duration: 3 years
General Music Teacher (AM) 2 years English
The General Music Teacher (AM) programme is the broadest music teacher education offered at the Academy. Right from the start, the programme focuses on developing both teaching skills and the students main instrument performance skills. The student will be introduced to a wide range of subjects and projects and will acquire the knowledge, skills, and qualifications necessary to become a music teacher and musician.The General Music Teacher programme can be chosen by both classical and jazz/pop musicians. The programme requires the student to be familiar with a wide range of styles, and the student will receive tuition on both classical and jazz/pop subjects, no matter if the student study a classical or a jazz/pop main instrument.Tuition in the student’s main instrument is offered in all common instruments in both jazz/pop music and classical music.The student will gain a widespread network and will be able to facilitate and participate in cross-disciplinary projects throughout the study environment at the Academy.The master’s programme builds on the skills and qualifications acquired on the bachelor’s programme. The students must immerse themselves in three supplementary main subjects in addition to their main instrument, either classical or jazz/pop/global. Supplementary main subjects include Choir Conducting, Ear Training, or Main Instrument Pedagogics, and all include a communication aspect and a pedagogical course.The course subjects at master’s level are divided into the following fields:
Duration: 2 years
Songwriting 2 years English
The Academy's jazz/pop programmes are very diverse, and we celebrate and use this diversity.The Songwriting programme is part of the Jazz/pop main area at the Academy but has its own curricula. In addition to the main subject and supporting subjects, the student will receive tuition in general subjects, pedagogical subjects, and Entrepreneurial Studies.The student will become part of a vibrant and diverse study environment, participating in cross-disciplinary projects at the Academy and elsewhere in addition to main subject tuition and other elementary subjects.Tuition is based on the student’s creative ideas. The student will develop his or her compositional talent, and will work with storytelling, linguistic identity, text analysis, lyrics writing in Danish and English, co-writing, arrangement, instrumentation, and production and sound. Part of the tuition takes the form of preparation for and evaluation of the student’s songwriting at concert cafés and workshops.The master’s programme combines individual projects with so-called laboratories featuring discussion, criticism, and exchange of experiences between students and teachers. During an internship, the student will be training or working with an organisation within the arts, business, or music.All the teachers are experienced professional musicians. And the Academy is regularly visited by major international artists who conduct clinics for and with students.This programme is offered at the Aarhus campus.Visit the programmes website.Career Opportunities This master's program makes the student prepared for a career as a musician, songwriter/composer, music teacher, and an enterprising music industry player.AdmissionTo be admitted to this programme, students must take an entrance exam that is described in admission requirements. At the Academy’s homepage the applicant can find detailed information about admission requirements for the bachelor’s, master’s, and soloist programmes as well as examples of entry exams.The applicant must apply online via kum.studieoptag.dk, which is the application system for all education institutes under the Ministry of Culture.At the Academy’s homepage the student can find out more about admission e.g., application deadline, schedule for entry exams, application fee etc.TuitionThere is a tuition fee for all fulltime degree students with a citizenship from outside of EU/EAA/Switzerland. Students within an exchange programme are not required to pay tuition. For Further Information Information from the Danish Agency for Higher Education can be located here.You will find information about the Danish assessment of foreign qualifications in Guide to diploma recognition.About the Educational System in general visit the section The Danish Higher Education System.
Duration: 2 years
Electronic Composition 2 years English
The environment at this programme is unique, even by international standards. Based on DIEM, The Danish Institute of Electronic Music, founded in 1986, the programme is very popular and is recognised internationally.Right from the start, the programme has a strong focus on the student’s compositional and technical ability. Taking the student’s compositions as a starting point, the student will be introduced to a broad range of subjects and projects that form the basis for the choice of further studies and future career. Later, we also focus on the communication of music, in practice and in theory.The programme is usually visited by several guest teachers and/or international artists who carry out concerts and workshops.On the master’s programme, the student specialise as an electronic musician and/or composer at the very highest level. Tuition takes place in an artistic, research-based study environment where the student will develop his/her qualifications for independent commencement and execution of musical projects and tuition courses.The students at the programme come from many different backgrounds, ensuring a diverse and inspiring environment. Also, we collaborate closely with the jazz/pop/global and classical music students at the Academy who regularly make use of electronic musicians and composers in their projects.The students have access to professional-grade studio facilities based on Intel Macs with the Logic Pro sequencer environment and 5.1 surround workstations. The studios are fully equipped with state-of-the-art professional software and hardware as well as various sensor systems and other untraditional user interfaces for use in customised music applications. Also, the students have access to several very different concert halls, including a symphonic hall, a multiple function black box hall and a hall equipped with a 48-channel speaker system for spatial sound processing.All master’s programmes include Entrepreneurial Studies and are concluded with a master’s project. To be admitted on the master’s programme, the student must have a bachelor’s degree.This programme is offered at the Aarhus campus.Visit the programmes website.Career Opportunities This master's program makes the student prepared for a career as a musician, songwriter/composer, music teacher, and an enterprising music industry player.AdmissionTo be admitted to this programme, students must take an entrance exam that is described in admission requirements. At the Academy’s homepage the applicant can find detailed information about admission requirements for the bachelor’s, master’s, and soloist programmes as well as examples of entry exams.The applicant must apply online via kum.studieoptag.dk, which is the application system for all education institutes under the Ministry of Culture.At the Academy’s homepage the student can find out more about admission e.g., application deadline, schedule for entry exams, application fee etc.TuitionThere is a tuition fee for all fulltime degree students with a citizenship from outside of EU/EAA/Switzerland. Students within an exchange programme are not required to pay tuition. For Further Information Information from the Danish Agency for Higher Education can be located here.You will find information about the Danish assessment of foreign qualifications in Guide to diploma recognition.About the Educational System in general visit the section The Danish Higher Education System.
Duration: 2 years
Classical Music 2 years English
The Classical Music programmes give opportunity to hone the student’s skills in an inspiring environment with strong professional networks; internally on individual subjects as well as across all classical disciplines. All the teachers are experienced professional musicians.During the studies, the student will get many opportunities for playing concerts and chamber music, attending master classes, participating in internal competitions, or participating in various projects such as orchestra training courses or opera productions.In addition, there are great opportunities for collaborating with students from the Academy's two other main areas: jazz/pop music and electronic music.The classical programmes span many different genres, ages, methods, and tuition formats, and they provide opportunities for specialisation as well as more generalised education.Tuition is offered in all common instruments and fields in Classical music.All the Classical Music programmes at master’s level gives the student the knowledge, skills, and qualifications necessary to become a musician/singer, composer, or music teacher on the highest level. They are concluded with a master’s project.The subjects are:
Duration: 2 years
Nordic Master in Jazz (NOMAZZ) 2 years English
The Nordic Master in Jazz (NOMAZZ) is a joint initiative between the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm.When a student is accepted to the programme, he/she will become a student of one of these three institutions, which will be his/her "home institution", and where he/she will also graduate from eventually.The student will receive tuition from some of the best known musicians of the Nordic jazz scene. However, the course has no pre-conceived stylistic conventions, and the students on the course have wide-ranging tastes in music, meaning they can focus on their own personal expression.The Master's Degree comprises 120 ECTS credits, equivalent to two years of full-time study. The students study together respectively in each institution during the semesters.The students receive a Nordplus scholarship for their exchange studies.Read more about NOMAZZ.
Duration: 2 years
No programmes match your filter in this level.
How to apply to The Royal Academy of Music
What applying to The Royal Academy of Music typically involves — research, eligibility check, document prep, submission, and follow-up.
- 1 Research programmes at The Royal Academy of Music
Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. The Royal Academy of Music offers 12 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.
- 2 Review admissions criteria
Each programme at The Royal Academy of Music has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.
- 3 Gather supporting documents
Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.
- 4 Lodge your application
Apply directly via The Royal Academy of Music's online portal at musikkons.dk. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.
- 5 Confirm receipt and track progress
After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. You can reach the institution by email at [email protected] or by phone at 4572267400. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about The Royal Academy of Music
Quick reference for The Royal Academy of Music: founding, control type, student body, rankings, and recognition status in one place.
Where is The Royal Academy of Music located?
The Royal Academy of Music is located in Aarhus, Denmark.
Is The Royal Academy of Music a public or private institution?
The Royal Academy of Music operates as a public institution.
What qualification levels does The Royal Academy of Music offer?
The Royal Academy of Music offers bachelor's and master's programmes.
Who recognises The Royal Academy of Music?
Yes, The Royal Academy of Music is recognised by Ministry of Culture.
Where can I learn more about The Royal Academy of Music?
The Royal Academy of Music's official website is musikkons.dk.
Top-Ranked Universities in Denmark
Looking for the strongest names in Denmark? These are the highest-ranked institutions nationally — useful context for benchmarking The Royal Academy of Music against the country's most established universities. National benchmarks also signal the upper bound of academic prestige in Denmark.
Københavns Universitet
Copenhagen · Public · Rank #76
Aarhus Universitet
Aarhus · Public · Rank #121
Danmarks Tekniske Universitet
Kongens Lyngby · Public · Rank #161
Aalborg Universitet
Aalborg · Public · Rank #286
UN
University of Southern Denmark
Odense M · Public · Rank #331
Faculties at Nearby Universities
Students considering The Royal Academy of Music often compare it against universities in the same region. Below are nearby institutions with comparable academic departments and student support structures, useful for cross-shortlisting.
Arkitektskolen Aarhus
Aarhus · Public · Est. 1965
Royal Academy of Music
Aarhus · Public · Est. 1927
JU
Jutland Art Academy
Aarhus · Public · Est. 1959
Universities Often Compared with The Royal Academy of Music
Faculty mobility between The Royal Academy of Music and peer institutions is common — academics often move within a comparable tier. This signals shared academic standards and salary structures.
IT
IT University of Copenhagen
København S · Public · Rank #1127
Roskilde University
Roskilde · Public · Rank #1592
CO
Copenhagen Business School
Frederiksberg · Public · Rank #1833
VI
VIA University College
Risskov · Public · Rank #3902
Funen Art Academy
Odense · Public · Est. 1978
