Higher education

University masters are academic titles which, at the end of a specific course of study, certify particular knowledge and competences in well-defined study or professional domains.
PIAMS academic programme provides a range of Higher education courses (Master course) designed to meet training needs of new graduates in humanities and musicological and technical disciplines, as well as graduates in musical disciplines.
They even meet needs of people already active in the world of musical liturgical-musical or extra liturgical production and want to broaden and enhance their skills on specific topics.
 
So four different master courses of level 1 and 2 lasting two years are proposed:
Master course after level 1 (only who is in possession of a bachelor’s degree or a university diploma of level 1, or other legally equivalent qualifications can be admitted):

1. Choir conducting for the liturgy  

   

   According to the project created by the National Liturgy Office, the course aims to train choir conductors prepared to face and enhance, in the each area of expertise, what concerns singing and music in the celebration domain of catholic liturgy. It aims both to promote, plan and enhance events of musical culture in the sacred extra-liturgical domain.

2. Organ for the liturgy  

   

   According to proposals provided by the Italian Bishops’ Conference, the course aims to train organists endowed with a professional profile appropriate to manage, in their area of expertise, what concerns singing and music both in the celebration context of catholic liturgy and in the carrying out of cultural events.

Master course after level 2 (only who is in possession of a Master’s degree or a university diploma of level 2, or other legally equivalent qualifications can be admitted):

1. Ambrosian liturgical-musical liturgy  

   

   The goal of the course is the education in the scientific knowledge of Ambrosian liturgical-musical testimonies through an interdisciplinary perspective and with particular attention to the ritual, philological and musicological aspect to link the memory of the past with needs of the present time. Therefore the Master course aims to provide integrated access tools to this class of sources and to lead students to place these documents in the complex reality in which this unique expression of the intangible cultural heritage came to life and developed.

2. Expert in Organ building  

   

   The Expert in Organ building is an autonomous professional who is distinguished by a deep knowledge of the pipe organ in its various aspects and of procedures maintenance, restoration, and sale of such instruments classified as cultural heritage. The Master course aims to provide an interdisciplinary knowledge of the pipe organ in order to train technical consultants of private and public entities.

Each course lasts at least one year and the achievement of at least 60 credits is planned for each year.
 
Master classes are planned in addition to master courses. They are special study and retraining opportunities addressed to qualified people and which are interested in refining their skills under the musical, artistic and teaching point of view.
Two different master classes are therefore proposed:

1. Interpretation and Organ improvisation  

   

   Residential course at the Sanctuary Maria Ausiliatrice which combines the analysis of a homogeneous organ repertoire under the chronological, geographical and/or thematic point of view, and deals with its leading figures and outstanding works, with the study of different languages and styles of organ literature for a correct integration of improvisation in the liturgy.

2. Organ specialization  

   

   Higher specialization course held in places of particular organological interest, which focuses the attention to the strictly interpretation aspect of organ repertoire and studies the performing technique in the light of the coeval performance practice.

According to the course typology, students are led to the monographic improvement of a specific typology of repertoire through the examination of its languages and styles also in function of the liturgical use. In addition to this, students face the interpretative dimension in an advanced way in the light of the coeval performance practice.