What Francesco says about the Master's in Music Performance, Composition Diploma of Excellence

Francesco del Nero from Italy

Why did you choose this programme at Lund University/the Malmö Academy of Music?

"I studied piano and composition in Italy and after I finished my studies, I decided to have an experience abroad. As I wanted to continue with composition, I looked for composers I liked. I found that Luca Francesconi was a professor here and I applied. Another reason was that this programme is taught in English, which is not that common in other countries, including Italy."
 
What do you think of the programme so far?

"I very much like how this programme is structured. It’s very practical and that’s exactly what I needed. In Italy, you get a lot of theory but not that much practice. Here, you have projects with professional orchestras. I, for example, had projects with the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, the Jönköping Symphony Orchestra and the Swedish Wind Orchestra. I couldn’t have done anything like that in Italy, where the projects are much smaller, more like chamber music. I am very glad that I got this opportunity here. I’d never listened to one of my pieces played by an orchestra before – it was incredible!"
 
Do you have any favourite course so far?

"Apart from the main course in composition, I really liked the course in electronic music – a composition course with electronic tools."
 
What are the professors and the academic environment like?

"The professors are very dedicated and helpful. We have seminars every week, either with our own professors or with guest lecturers from different countries and universities. We always have the opportunity to interact with them. Sometimes you can get some individual lessons from a guest lecturer as well."
 
Is the programme very international?

"There are many international students at the Academy. In the composition class, we’re mainly Swedes and Italians, but there are also some students from other countries."
 
Why should prospective students choose to study at the Malmö Academy of Music?

"It’s a good academy! The instrumental teachers are famous and really good, and the level is high. There are also a lot of opportunities for composers, including the projects I mentioned."
 
Do you have any advice for prospective students who are considering to come here?

"Participate in the student life, so that you find friends that are musicians and that can play your music. Networking is one of the most important things for a composer. It’s a bit easier if you’re a musician: the class is bigger and you also have projects with the other classes. If you are a composer, you can get a bit isolated if you don’t make an effort."
 
What do you think of the student life in Malmö?

"Malmö is not like Lund in terms of the student life, but life in Malmö is very nice. There are many concerts and places to go out."
 
What are your plans for the future?

"I’ve formed a group with two other composers in Malmö. We organise concerts and festivals and I will continue doing that. I also have a part-time job, as a piano teacher, which means that I still have time for composition."