Academic courses

The Pontifical Ambrosian Institute of Sacred Music (PIAMS) is a mono-disciplinary university specialised in the domain of Ambrosian chant, sacred music and liturgy. PIAMS is authorized to grant academic degrees with canon and civil value and recognized in all the countries with which the Holy See has diplomatic relations.
As an official institution of the Higher Education System of the Holy See, it is part to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
In all Countries, the recognition is subject to the National law, in accordance with International conventions and in compliance with existing Concordats, Treaties or Agreements between the Holy See and individual States/Governments, and also according to Conventions drawn up by PIAMS with single Institutions.
The Institute grants following academic degrees:

1. Baccalaureate: is conferred at the end of cycle of study 1, which lasts a minimum of 3 years.
2. Licentiate is conferred at the end of cycle of study 2, which lasts a minimum of 2 years.
3. Doctorate is conferred at the end of cycle of study 3, which lasts appropriately (usually 3 years).

The Academic programme of the Institute is divided into four Academic curricula:

1. Philological-musicological  

   

   Disciplines of sacred music

   The course introduces students to the knowledge of heritage of Christian sacred music, especially the one belonging to Catholic tradition, with an historic-systematic approach and with an interdisciplinary methodology. Essential critical tools are provided to understand historical and stylistic processes and to assess and evaluate their richness.

   Course duration: 3 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

2. Technical-musical  

   

   Organ engineering and manufacture

   The curriculum aims to train with a theoretical-practical approach professionals endowed with a complete knowledge of the pipe organ according to a historical, technical-scientific and organological, as well as artistic and musical point of view, for cataloguing and preservation, but also planning, design and management purposes.

   Course duration: 3 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

3. Musical-performative  

   

   Ambrosian and Gregorian chant

   The education programme aims to create figures of church musicians endowed with the scientific knowledge of the musical language developed from the early Middle Ages until the birth of polyphony in the strict sense but also with musical, cultural and liturgical global skills. In this way not only analytic competences and skills in musicological research, transcription, elaboration and musical production are developed, but even application abilities, both in the process of musical creation and in the framework of the contemporary liturgy and other extra liturgical contexts.

   Course duration: 3 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

   

   Technique and education of liturgical chant

   This course of study aims therefore to train performers or teachers of the Christian and catholic vocal sacred repertoire, who are experts under the specifically technical-musical point of view, as well as for the liturgical service and cultural promotion. Also the training of suitable subjects both in the artistic-professional and liturgical-musical domain, and even in the teaching-educational field.

   Course duration: 3 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

   

   Choral conducting (Choir conducting and Choral composition)

   This course aims to educate musicians mastering vocal musical literature for choir, conducting techniques and practices for consultation and conduction of choirs and scholae cantorum, methods for vocal training and education of vocal groups, for an appropriate expression of celebrated faith and a conscious integration of music and singing in the liturgical context.

   Course duration: 4 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

   

   First organ (Organ and Organ composition)

   This course of studies aims to train skilled performers and teachers under the technical, liturgical and cultural point of view. Particular attention is also given to the medieval Christian chant and to organology, as well as to improvisation and composition of original works. They have not only all technical abilities and cultural competence essential for the professional, didactic, scientific and artistic activity, but they can also perform with correctness and awareness in the liturgical activity with a view to a correct celebration use of the instrument.

   Course duration: 6 years (cycle 1) + 2 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)

4. Musical-compositional  

   

   Sacred composition

   This course of studies aims to train musicians mastering composition techniques and musical languages and have a proper understanding of their role at the service of the liturgy, for an competent expression of the faith celebrated and an effective integration of the instrumental and vocal musical language in the liturgical context.

   Course duration: 6 years (cycle 1) + 4 years (cycle 2) + 3 years (cycle 3)