Pianist Fellowships.
Musiktheater Bavaria’s Collaborative Piano program provides tuition-free Pianist Fellowships for 4 pianists each summer.
Coach, collaborate, perform.
Pianists spend their time at MTB in July refining their skills in vocal coaching, German lyric diction, German language, and collaborating with singers.
In addition to playing in voice studios and attending most of the general classes with the singers, pianist fellows receive weekly classes relating to collaborating with singers. Topics may include:
- Accompanying recitativo secco
- Playing in various styles
- Navigating orchestral or pit band reductions
- Balance challenges with different voice types
- Improvisation, breathing with the singer, and voicing
There will be opportunities to play in public performances and master classes (subject to approval by professional mentors), and pianists have private piano lessons once a week. Pianists also observe and work closely with professional coaches, and study German language and diction.
Every fellow
All collaborative pianists selected for pianist fellowships at MTB 2027 will be awarded tuition-free positions. See Dates and Cost, Housing & Meals and Transportation for details about our included lodging, meals, and local transportation.
Online application
Submit the online application for Pianists found on the Application page. You will upload videos of 3 selections accompanying singers taken from opera, operetta, musical theater or German Lied, along with your resume and photo.
Degrees & age
Pianists applying for Opera must hold a completed master’s degree by the end of spring semester 2027. Pianists applying for Musical Theater must hold at least a completed bachelor’s degree by the end of spring semester 2027. The upper age limit is 32.
From our pianist fellows.
MTB faculty and staff did a remarkable job to foster a wonderful environment for us to learn and grow as collaborative pianists and vocal coaches. Having worked for and/or attended multiple summer festivals and programs in the past, I believe MTB offered the best educational experience for me thus far. I recommend it without reservation to other pianists.
My month with Musiktheater Bavaria was such a fulfilling and wonderful experience and I would gladly recommend the program to any young or aspiring vocalist or pianist. The world-class faculty helped shape and improve the students over the course of the program. As a pianist who sat in on voice lessons, I saw very clear, wonderful improvements in the vocal students’ technique, musicality, and overall maturation. The coaching faculty, who were my teachers and mentors, exhibited teaching qualities of utmost erudition. I feel so honored to have worked and learned from them; their advice and guidance helped my musicianship and my outlook on my career as a collaborative pianist. Finally, the students were of a high caliber and I feel very privileged to have worked with them. Their excitement as young performers, their commitment to the art, and their hard work and diligence were truly inspiring to me. In sum, the month spent in Oberaudorf in the Bavarian Alps was a very happy, healthy and creative environment for all parties involved.
MTB truly exceeded my expectations, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I was especially impressed with the world class faculty that coached us. I grew and learned so much in just a few weeks! I also learned how much I have to grow as a musician and what tools I need to get there.
Musiktheater Bavaria offers a rigorous program of piano classes, lessons, masterclasses, and hours spent every day to observe how vocal coaches teach. For me it was a great chance to gain the knowledge and experience to become an opera coach while also learning German in daily language courses. I would highly recommend this program to anyone!
I became a repetiteur to aid in my career as an opera conductor, and I came to MTB to learn more about opera, make connections with colleagues and friends, and of course to become a better musician. After three weeks in MTB, I can definitively say that all my goals and desires I’ve had for MTB have been met and exceeded. I learned more than I ever imagined I would, and I am walking out with a community and team that I know will support me in ways they can. I have seen tremendous growth and joy from every one of my colleagues here as well.
As a collaborative pianist, I learned so much about vocal coaching and conducting from the insightful and knowledgeable faculty, and the German language and diction classes were excellent. MTB was the best summer program I’ve attended, and it is really well organized.
MTB was a fantastic musical and cultural experience. I loved the chance to learn more about my art within a beautiful, relaxed and completely different setting. Inviting opera singers, pianists and musical theater performers to work together as a group creates a unique and awesome environment.
