In the development of the Slovak musical life, the Faculty of Music and dance of the University of Performing Arts resumed the traditions of musical schools and culture on the territory of Slovakia of the 19th and of the first half of the 20th century. Before foundation of the Czecho-Slovak Republic these used to be mainly church and municipal institutions, among them primarily the Kirchenmusikverein in Bratislava and its educational activities, Löschdorfer’s and later Municipal Musical School and others. Between 1919 and 1949 the centre of development and significance moves to the Musical and Dramatic Academy for Slovakia, later the State Conservatory in Bratislava. A school of the type of the Prague Conservatory as the highest artistic and pedagogical establishment providing education of top artistic talents was still missing. Foundation of the University of Performing Arts created conditions for conducting such an educational process. The Faculty of Music and Dance (until 1992 the Faculty of Music) is part of the University of Performing Arts in Bratislava established by act No. 88 of the Slovak National Council of 9th June 1949. The full wording of the cited act presents the existence of four branches of study: music, drama, dance and film. In 1953, two of the initially opened branches – music and drama – were transformed in two faculties: Faculty of Music, and Faculty of Dramatic Arts. To the foundation and development of the Faculty of Music distinctly contributed – besides the first rector of the University of Performing Arts, Prof. Ján Strelec (1893-1975) – mainly Frico Kafenda (1883-1963), Eugen Suchoň (1908-1993) and Václav Talich (1883-1961). The kernel of the teaching staff was constituted of distinguished individualities of the musical and dance arts in Slovakia: A. Moyzes, J. Cikker, Ľ. Rajter, F. Kafenda, A. Kafendová, R. Macudzinski, M. Knechtsberger-Karin, E. Rigler-Skalický, T. Ga‘parek, A. Korínska, J. Blaho, M. Ki‘oňová-Hubová, A. Hru‘ovská, Š. Tóth, J. Reimoser, the first alumni of the University L. Slovák and J. Haluzický, later M. Jelínek, F. Klinda, H. Gáfforová, E. Fischerová-Martvoňová, J. Skladaný, Ľ. Marcinger, M. Jurkovič, I. Hru‘ovský, I. Parík, Š. Nosáľ, M. Starosta, I. Palovič, D. Hubová, M. Grecmanová and others. In respective periods of its history, the Faculty was headed by deans Oto Ferenczy (1953-1955), Tibor Ga‘parek (1955-1963), Juraj Haluzický (1963-1969), Bohuslav Vala‘ťan (1969-1975) Andrej Očená‘ (1975-1979), Milo‘ Jurkovič (1979-1981), Miloslav Starosta (1981-1990), Rudolf Brejka (1990-1991), Peter Krbaťa (1991-1997), Stanislav Zamborský, (1997-2000), Ján Vladimír Michalko (2000 - 2006) and Mária Heinzová (since 2006 until now). Upon the birth of the Faculty, the study was organized at five departments that later found specific profiles and were transformed into their present form (six departments, two divisions). In successive steps, the teaching of standard main subjects has been perfected by such courses as accordion, guitar, harpsichord, tuba, church music, as well as subjects completing pedagogical study allowing to gain teacher’s qualification. A scientific-methodological cabinet was established at KTT in 1979. In recent years, new artistic and scientific units have been founded: the Centre of Research (formerly Methodological Centre) and the Office of Artistic Production (formerly Concert Office). Since its founding, the Faculty straggled with a lack of space. Teaching was conducted on several places in Štúrova, Kapitulská and Panenská Streets and in the Reduta. Since 1986 the Faculty of Music and Dance has had its seat in the building in 1 Zochova Street (formerly the building of the Slovak Radio). The house in eclectic style was built by architect Ivan Alpár in 1895 as a seat of the French Real Gymnasium. In the fifties, an extension of the building and a superstructure were erected. At present, additional reconstruction of the atrium is in progress that is to resolve one of the main issues of the Faculty – artistic production in a well-equipped concert and ballet hall. The Faculty of Music and Dance has contributed considerably to the advance of the current generation of the Slovak music life. Many of today’s soloists, members of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and of other prominent orchestra and chamber ensembles such as the Slovak Chamber Orchestra, the Moyzes Quartet, Musica Aeterna and others, artists of many opera stages both at home and abroad, top personalities, composers and conductors belong to the alumni of the Faculty. Significant and valuable results of the teaching activities of the Faculty include successful participation of our students in international seminars and prizes and awards from domestic and international competitions. The artistic progress of the Faculty benefited strongly from international collaboration: long-lasting reciprocal artistic events with Janáček’s Academy of Performing Arts of Brno, Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Conservatory of Kiev, C. M. von Weber Hochschule für Musik in Dresden. Under new conditions after 1989 these activities have become even more intense. The Faculty has signed contracts on cooperation with artistic universities in France, Norway, Finland, Germany and Austria.

Location
In the very centre of the Old Town (on the vibrant pedestrian zone) adjacent to the city ring road with favourable public transport connections to other wards. VŠMU is headquartered in Venturska Street (Chancellery as well as a part of the Faculty of Drama and Puppetry). The Faculty of Music and Dance is located 10 minutes by walk in the renownd building of the former Slovak Radio.

Dean:
doc. Mária Heinzová, ArtD.

contact:
tel: +421 2 54412070
fax: +421 2 54412056
E-mail: htf.dekanat@vsmu.sk


Vice deans:
prof. Ida Černecká – Vice dean for education
doc. Jozef Ho‘ek, ArtD. – Vice dean for development of faculty and artistic activities
Mgr. art. Katarína Ha‘ková – Vice dean for foreign relations and research
E-mail: haskova.katarina@yahoo.com
contact: +421 2 54419346

Address of faculty:
Hudobná a tanečná fakulta (Music and Dance Faculty)
VŠMU in Bratislava
Zochova 1
813 01 Bratislava
SLOVAKIA

The curriculum is designed to prepare the music students for all of artistic careers. The Faculty, in tandem with the Department of Education provides opportunities to those who wish to become music teachers at music schools of all levels. The study at Music and Dance Faculty is primarly on individual basis, due to the specific character of artistic branches.


Music and Dance Faculty offers three levels of study for the foreign students in English or German language:

Study fees (.pdf)

Departments and Study Programmes (.pdf)

How to apply

The application form has to be submitted by 30 April 2009 to the following address:

Hudobná a tanečná fakulta VŠMU
Zochova ul. 1
813 01 Bratislava
SLOVAKIA


Entrance Examination