Rotterdam Arts & Sciences Lab (RASL) degree is a five-year Dual Degree programme, combining a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Asrts & Sciences at EUC or International Bachelor Arts and Culture Studies at EUR and a Bachelor from either Codarts (Music) or Willem de Kooning Academy (Arts). During this Experience Day you'll be able to explore the programme during information sessions, talk to students and staff and attend presentations about current research projects within the RASL community.
The World Music department was established in the late 1980s by Jan Laurens Hartong and Joep Bor, making Codarts the first conservatoire in the Netherlands to concentrate on musical traditions from various parts of the world. This pioneering effort set a new standard, and over the years, Codarts has distinguished itself internationally through this department. Reclaiming a pioneering role However, an extensive survey of faculty and industry experts revealed that the World Music department, in its current form, no longer met the evolving needs and expectations of students and the music industry. Technological advancements and globalisation have introduced new challenges in music education. In response, Codarts is launching an updated programme that prepares students for an increasingly globalised musical landscape. With this transition, Codarts aims to maintain its pioneering role by focusing on new musical forms and modern technologies, including digital music production and cross-cultural projects with both local and international partners. Key changes Codarts is committed to an inclusive vision, where diversity and globalisation are at the forefront. One of the major changes includes the introduction of two new specialisations: Maqam Music and Afro-Caribbean South American (Latin) Music. To better equip students for international music careers, concrete steps will be taken in entrepreneurship, cultural diversity, and building both local and international networks. This will provide students with opportunities to broaden their horizons and enhance their skill sets. Impact on the music scene The transition of the World Music department is also significant for the music scene at large. By contributing to the development of a new generation of musicians who can bring together diverse musical traditions, Codarts enriches the global music industry. Codarts prepares forward-thinking musical talents for a continually evolving world. In this way, students become experts in their fields, innovative thinkers, and cultural ambassadors, in a world that increasingly requires connection through music. Proud of our alumni Our pride in the World Music department is further amplified by the stories of our alumni, such as Jawa Manla, who recently spoke on the television programme Podium Klassiek. She shared her admiration for Codarts as a unique place in the music world: "A place that changed my life. Nowhere else in the world is world music taken as seriously as classical music and jazz." Jawa emphasised how Codarts has shaped her as both a musician and an individual. Her story underscores why we continue to invest in the World Music department. You can watch the programme through this link .
Since 2019 he has been Principal Guest of the Residentie Orkest and Artistic Partner of the St Paul Chamber. He was Music Director (now Emeritus) of the Philharmonia Baroque 2020-2024, Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music 2005-2020, and Associate Artist with the Scottish Chamber 2011-2017. He straddles the worlds of historically-informed and modern symphonic performance and has conducted many leading symphony orchestras, notably the London Symphony, Royal Concertgebouw and Philadelphia orchestras. He made his Glyndebourne debut in 2007 and conducted opera cycles of Monteverdi, Purcell and Mozart with AAM at the Barbican; Handel oratorios lie at the heart of his repertoire. In 2024/25 he conducts the London Philharmonic at the Southbank Centre in a programme ranging from the baroque to the contemporary. He returns to the Cincinnati Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Essen Philharmonic, Seoul Philharmonic, Nederlands Bach Society, Philharmonie Zuidnederlands, and leads a project with the Spanish National Youth Orchestra JONDE. Highlights with the Residentie Orkest and St Paul Chamber this season include Beethoven’s Egmont (complete), a programme of Chopin and Saint-Saens, and Bach’s St Matthew Passion and the Brandenburg concerti. As half of Duo Pleyel, Egarr regularly plays four-hands repertoire with his wife Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya; they have released 3 acclaimed albums on Linn – Mozart/JC Bach, Dussek and Schubert - with a project to record all Beethoven Symphonies in arrangements by Czerny for the composer’s anniversary year in 2027. Their next release will be Yuletide favourites in late 2024, when they will also give a concert tour to Holland and the UK. Egarr is noted for his many solo harpsichord recitals over the years, notably at the Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Hall. Egarr’s extensive discography includes solo keyboard works by Byrd and Sweelinck on Linn, and by Bach, Handel, Mozart and Couperin on Harmonia Mundi. His long list of recordings with the Academy of Ancient Music includes several award-winning Handel discs (2007 Gramophone Award, 2009 MIDEM and Edison awards) and both JS Bach’s Passions. His world premiere recording on AAM Records of Dussek’s Messe Solemnelle won the Gramophone Best Choral Recording 2021. Egarr trained as a choirboy at York Minster, at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, and as organ scholar at Clare College Cambridge. His studies with Gustav and Marie Leonhardt further inspired his work in the field of historical performance. He taught for many years at the Amsterdam Conservatoire and was Visiting Professor at the Juilliard School for over 10 years.
Program: E6D7: Edoardo Caleffi (16’) Grasshopper: Weronika Ast (9’) Issues with my other half: Panagiotis Tsamouras (6’) La noirceur souterraine des racines: Javier Rodriguez Garcia (10’) Lotus eyed girl: Celeste Wright (6’) Flower rain: Agamemnon Maziotis-Vasileiou (8’) Ingresso Animali: All 6 students (15’) Length: 120 min
While visiting Codarts Circus Arts, the panel was impressed by the openness during conversations with students, teachers and staff, and - more importantly - by what they had observed. Circus Arts meets all accreditation standards and criteria, including the special characteristic, and according to the panel, Codarts offers something unique with this programme, with a broad impact on both the students and the city of Rotterdam, and on the national and international circus community. The panel praised the safe and supportive environment Codarts provides for students, both mentally and physically, as well as the high level of performance made possible in part by the 'Team Around The Artist' (TATA) and our dedicated and demanding staff. The application for the special characteristic was seen as a strong reflection of the program's vision and its careful implementation. Panel: “The panel has never seen anything like it in the field of circus education: not only are the building and material facilities excellent, the fact that there is on-site support for the health and well-being of students provides an excellent material and support infrastructure for performers. The team is highly qualified, has strong professional networks and experience, and is tremendously dedicated.” A point of attention from the panel concerns diversity within the student population. Although the international composition is appreciated, it is recommended to also attract more Dutch and Rotterdam diversity in cooperation with relevant partners. This defintive report is submitted to the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO) for formal renewal of the programme's accreditation for the next six years. Anna Beentjes, head of Circus Arts: “Codarts Circus Arts is very proud of the positive recognition we have received from the international accreditation panel. A recognition of the achievements we have made over the past six years, made possible by the combined efforts of the entire Circus Arts team.”
Discover our curriculum and learn from our passionate teachers and students about their experiences. During the open day you will have the opportunity to ask everything you want to know about the programme, admission requirements and the future as a circus artist. Our Bachelor Circus Arts is known for its innovative approach and strong focus on personal development. We believe in the power of creativity and collaboration, and offer an environment where you can be yourself and grow. Register
During the project week The Human Algo-Rhythm, Codarts Jazz students explore how artificial intelligence influences the creative process. At a time when AI increasingly plays a role in composing, producing and performing music, this week is dedicated entirely to experimentation and reflection: what does creativity mean in the age of algorithms? Over the course of five days, students collaborate with artists, researchers and developers working at the intersection of technology and art. They attend lectures, masterclasses and work in AI labs on their own musical experiments and prototypes. The project week kicked off on Monday 27 October with Luis Gimenez Alvarez, creator of Impro Master, an AI-powered app for improvisation. On Tuesday, Yosha Wijngaarden, Assistant Professor at Erasmus University Rotterdam, gave a talk on the impact of AI on creative careers. Wednesday features a live performance by drummer Hans Eijkenaar and his project AI Collective, followed on Thursday by an interactive show by Tin Men & the Telephone, where the audience can actively influence the music in real time. The week ends on Friday 31 October with group presentations, during which student teams present their ideas, concepts and prototypes to a jury of Codarts faculty members and AI experts. With The Human Algo-Rhythm, Codarts explores how technology not only presents new challenges but also opens up exciting opportunities for musical innovation and collaboration between human and machine.
As the official opening of the educational Block 2: Intersection of Gender, the week combines critical theoretical inquiry with embodied and creative practice. Through presentations, workshops, collaborative music-making, and reflective activities, students will examine how gender interacts with other aspects of identity, including race, class, sexuality, and disability, in both lived experience and artistic expression. This initiative reflects Codarts’ ongoing commitment to inclusivity, decolonial thinking, and social responsibility within Global Musics education. It represents not only an academic exploration, but also a lived practice of community, creativity, and collective reflection. The week opens with a keynote by Dr. Julian Schaap (Erasmus University Rotterdam), who will introduce key debates in gender and queer theory, and their intersections with music and performance. His lecture will set the tone for a week in which theory meets practice, inspiring both critical thought and artistic experimentation.
