Ionian University | Department of Music Studies

Short Description

The Music Department of the Ionian University (DMS) was founded in 1992. The island of Corfu has enjoyed a rich musical tradition and occupies a special place in the musical culture of modern Greece.

Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of its faculty, as well as on the local cultural and historical resources, the DMS nurtures a special environment for learning, collaboration, and research. It has itself developed into a vital cultural resource for the local community and occupies a special place within the country’s academic music institutions.

The DMS is currently located in a historic building within Corfu’s Old Castle, in close proximity to the historic part of the town. The building hosts a library, lecture rooms, computer music studios, a computer lab, practice rooms, faculty offices, and administrative offices.

3D Illustration: Spyridon Verykios, Assistant Professor

Studies

The DMS offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs under the three broad areas of i) Music Composition (instrumental, vocal, film and performing arts, electronic), ii) Music Performance (early music, keyboard instruments, symphonic orchestra’s instruments, jazz), and (iii) Musical Science (musicology (historical, systematic, byzantine, ethnomusicology), music pedagogy, music psychology, music technology). Within these, there are numerous individual areas of specialization. Unique within Greek academia are the areas of Early Music Performance, Organ Performance, Jazz, Electro-Acoustic Music, and Music Therapy.

The Department also hosts three Research Labs.

DMS confers an Integrated Master degree (Level 7 in European Qualifications Framework).

Location and Facilities

The Department of Music Studies is located in Corfu since the October of 1992.

Academic Activities

- New International Collaborations
- Develop International Collaborations
- Enhance existing networks

Summer Schools

The DMS offers numerous summer programs and research seminars, and organizes regular cultural events, often in collaboration with local organizations.

The Summer Academy of the DMS is an educational initiative that started in 2003 with the aim of expanding the educational opportunities of students. It is based on a framework of collaboration with artists and educational institutions abroad and is addressed to music students, teachers, artists, and researchers. Distinguished Greek and foreign experts teach at the Academy.

The program of the Academy includes, or has been included:

Seminars on Ancient Greek Music
Theory and Composition Seminars
Early Music Seminars
Piano Pedagogy Seminars
Classical Singing Seminars
Jazz Seminars
Seminars on Arts and Sound Technologies
Seminars for the Youth Choir Conductor
Special lessons for piano, wind, strings, percussion
Lectures on musicology and aesthetics

During the courses, concerts of ensembles and individual recitals are held by professors and students of the Academy. The Summer Music Academy takes place in late June - July every year.

International Collaborations

The DMS, being one of the first tertiary level institutions in Greece offering professional musical training, has from its establishment on 30 years ago, followed a path of internationalization, participating in relevant international forums and associations such as the “Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen” (AEC), the “International Association of Schools of Jazz” (IASJ), organizing international masterclasses, workshops and lectures throughout the academic year and welcoming scholars from around the world as part of its comprehensive study curriculum.

As member of the Erasmus+ program and within the frames of the Key Action 1 for student and staff mobility, it maintains a wide spread network of approximately 80 partnerships and regularly welcomes and sends students and academic staff for studying, teaching and training. The DMS is also a sought-after partner in Key Action 2 activities that support European and global partnerships and joint projects and has participated in and/or initialized numerous joint Erasmus projects (ie. Moving Music, Mediterranean Sounds, La Follia, MusiChild, Omega etc.). As a founding member of the “Mediterranean Network for Music” the DMS contributes to the advancement of higher Music Education within the Mediterranean region, particularly focusing on and promoting music performance, composition, music education, technology and the related research.

Official Website: music.ionio.gr