Study and Teaching

The spectrum of subjects offered revolves around the occidental art music and encompasses voice, piano, the stringed instruments, the woodwind and brass instruments, conducting, music theater direction, musicology, and composition. Components of the schools educational profile include a trio of institutes operated in conjunction with the Universität der Künste/University of the Arts Berlin: the Jazz Institute Berlin, klangzeitort: the Institute for New Music, and the Kurt Singer Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Health, along with a preparatory music school, the Musikgymnasium Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Berlin. The school’s ensembles, among them the Symphony Orchestra and the Echo Ensemble, perform at the highest artistic levels.

Through master classes and workshops, students hone their musical skills by working directly with leading artistic personalities – among those who have worked with students at the school in such settings have been Midori, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, Seiji Ozawa, Thomas Quasthoff, Sir Simon Rattle, and Christian Thielemann.

Open to the Public

At nearly 300 public events annually, the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin provides insights into the artistic development of its students. Concerts, opera project, lecture evenings, and masterclasses take place is in the on school premises, as well as at a number of additional attractive venues throughout the German capital.

Close Integration with the Music World

As a vital link within the network of renowned cultural institutions found in the capital of the German Federal Republic, the school works closely with the great Berlin orchestras, the city’s three opera houses, and a number of other institutions of various sizes and types. The experience of performing publicly on concert and theater stages is a fundamental aspect of training at the Hanns Eisler School. Already during their studies, students accumulate indispensable experience in the professional music business, and establish contacts capable of furthering their subsequent careers.

Supporters

Claudio Abbado †, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Simon Rattle, and Wolfgang Rihm are among those who have supported or are currently supporting the artistic and educational aims of the school by serving in the function of Honorary Senators. Among the members of the University Board – an external representative body composed of personalities from culture, business, and scholarship and situated at the interface between the school, the government, and the wider society – are Bernd Wieczorek, Petra Mai-Hartung, Lothar Zagrosek, with Prof. Antje Weithaas, who represents the faculty. The Society of Friends and Patrons of the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin promotes the interests of our students, and has also established the artists’ agency “Eisleriana.“

Alumni

Among the school's alumni are personalities such as Jochen Kowalski, Olga Peretyatko, Anna Prohaska, Roman Trekel (voice); Georg Katzer, Siegfried Matthus, Friedrich Schenker (composition); Vladimir Jurowski, Lahav Shani, Ernst Stoy, Sebastian Weigle, Kahchun Wong, Feng Yu (conducting); Jenny Erpenbeck, Tatjana Gürbaca, Peter Konwitschny, Christine Mielitz, Vera Nemirova (direction); Isabelle Faust (violin); Antoine Tamestit (viola); Nicolas Altstaedt, Claudio Bohórquez, Sol Gabetta, Danjulo Ishizaka, Johannes Moser (cello); Martin Helmchen (piano), as well as in the jazz realm, Volker Schlott and Rolf von Nordenskjöld (saxophone).