Entrance examination

Applicants to the Bachelor's degree program in Composition must pass an entrance examination.

The following must be submitted together with the application:

• at least three scores of the student's own compositions (if possible for different combinations of instruments/voices)

After reviewing the scores, the panel of judges will decide whether to invite the applicant to take the entrance examination. The judges will be looking for originality, craftsmanship and a contemporary aesthetic approach in the compositions.

Examination components

1. Interview
2. Instrumental performance
Music theory / general knowledge of music
4. Aural tests

1. Interview (duration: 30 minutes)

Applicants will be asked to talk about their motivation, previous education, how they see themselves developing as composers, and about their knowledge of music and the arts. In particular they will be asked questions

• about the compositions submitted

• about music history, composers, styles, compositional techniques, etc.

2. Instrumental performance (duration: ca. 30 minutes)

Performance of three moderately difficult instrumental pieces of different styles (one contemporary and one from the Viennese classical school). The choice of instrument is free. The performance is intended for the examiners to be able to judge the applicant's ability to interpret a piece of music.

3. Music theory / general knowledge of music

In a written examination (duration ca. 90 minutes) applicants must complete the following tasks:
a) Identify and write out intervals and scales (including church scales)
b) Identify and write out chords and chord progressions
c) Set a given melody in two-, three- or four-part harmony
d) Comment on an excerpt from a score with respect to instrumentation, tone color, style, historical epoch, form, compositional technique, and character.

downloads:
sample music theory test
answers music theory test
musical examples music theory

4. Aural tests

a) In a written test lasting approx. 60 minutes candidates must demonstrate their ability to recognize basic rhythms, melodies, harmonies, sounds, and musical forms (see sample test) when they hear them.
b) the requirements of the written test will be also be examined in a practical oral test lasting a maximum of 10 minutes.

downloads:
sample aural test
answers aural test