Graduate School of Music – Master’s Course

The objectives of the course are to provide students the opportunity to learn and do research on musical art while placing a high priority on developing each student’s personality and creativity. It aims to train excellent musicians and researchers with the ability to play active roles in society by taking full advantage of their professional knowledge.

This course is a continuation of studies at the undergraduate school. To the extent possible, students are expected to actively participate in events so that they can experience the planning and production of events, in order to develop fully as independent composers. To complete this course one has to either (1) present a master’s work or (2) present a master’s work and submit a master’s thesis. For those who intend to continue their studies in the doctoral course, writing a master’s thesis is recommended.

Throughout mankind’s long history, people in different regions and cultures have cherished the many values of art. This is because art as a rich creative activity has always given people freedom, stimulation, healing and a vibrant joy, as well as providing opportunities to sense and think deeply. Our mission as an art university is to continually question and reappraise our legacy, the meaning of art in the present era, and the means by which artists who will create the next generation of art can best be educated.

Having its roots in the Kyoto Prefectural School of Painting, which was established in the year Meiji 13 (1880), Kyoto City University of Arts has the longest history in Japan as a public art university. Fifty years have passed since it merged with Kyoto City Junior College of Music, (which had been established following World War II, in order to found the Faculty of Music), and became a truly comprehensive art university. In recent years, the university has successively established two research centers, the Research Center for Japanese Traditional Music, and the Archival Research Center, and also the Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery (@KCUA) as an off-campus city central satellite facility. Currently, the university is once again undergoing various exciting changes in preparation for the planned relocation of its campus in 2023.