Entrance examinations for guitar

You can choose to take the audition at several levels of the Academy

The entrance examination consists of the following elements:

Principal study (duration: 30 minutes incl. assessment)

A list of repertoire for the entrance examination must be enclosed with the application form. The audition in the principal study consists of these three tests:

1st test: Set/self-chosen tasks, etudes, scales (duration: 15-20 minutes)

  • All scales in two octaves
  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the Renaissance or Baroque period with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. J. S. Bach: Prelude in D minor, BWV 999 or L. Milan: 6 Pavanes.
  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the Classical or Romantic period with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. F. Sor: Minuets, F. Tárrega: Estudio en forma de minueto, or M. Giuliani: Rondo, C major from Sonatina, op. 71, No. 1.
  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the 20th century with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. H. Villa-Lobos: Préludes, or Vagn Holmboe: 5 Intermezzi.
  • The chosen pieces must contain slow as well as faster varieties of movements.

2nd test: Set task

A proposed task which is emailed to the applicant 7 days before the entrance examination takes place.

3rd test: Sight reading

Sight reading of a not too difficult composition notated in G clef e.g. F.Sor: Etudes, op. 60, no.12

Assessment

3 separate marks are awarded according to the 7 point grading scale. 1 in each of the above-mentioned test. The test will be passed succesfully, only if the applicant has achieved a minimum mark of 02 in the principal subject examination. If the applicant passes the principal study audition, he or she then takes further examinations in supporting subjects. These examinations are identical for all Bachelor programmes.

The entrance examination consists of an audition in the principal study.

Repertoire requirements for the audition recording:

Duration: 15-20 minutes

  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the Renaissance or Baroque period with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. J. S. Bach: Prelude in D minor, BWV 999 or L. Milan: 6 Pavanes.
  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the Classical or Romantic period with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. F. Sor: Minuets, F. Tárrega: Estudio en forma de minueto, or M. Giuliani: Rondo, C major from Sonatina, op. 71, No. 1.
  • Piece chosen by the applicant from the 20th century with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. H. Villa-Lobos: Préludes, or Vagn Holmboe: 5 Intermezzi.
  • The chosen pieces must contain slow as well as faster varieties of movements.

The entrance examination consists of an audition in the principal study.

The applicant must perform:

  • 3 or more movements from different periods of style of a total duration of 20 minutes. The programme should contain one etude by Heitor Villa-Lobos and a newer composition.

Duration of the entrance examination max. 20 minutes (30 minutes including assessment).

The entrance examination is censured by two internal examiners, and a grade is awarded according to the 7 point grading scale. The entrance examination can end with a five-minute conversation about the applicant's motivation for applying, career considerations, etc. The conversation does not affect the grade but is used for mutual matching of expectations about the education.

The entrance examination consists of an audition in the principal study.

Repertoire requirements for the audition recording:

Duration: max. 20 minutes

  • 3 or more movements from different periods of style of a total duration of 20 minutes. The programme should contain one etude by Heitor Villa-Lobos and a newer composition.

Form, content, and assessment of the examination

The entrance examination consists of a principal study audition, which is taken in two rounds. If you apply for the specialisation Soloist Artistic Research or Soloist with teaching qualifications (advanced level), there will also be a third round in your chosen specialisation.

You can read about the different specialisations and the content of the entrance exams here.

1st round – Video

The 1st round consists of a video recording with a duration of 20 minutes, where you play your chosen repertoire for the 1st round. The video recording must be uploaded in the application form.
You find the repertoire requirements below.

If you pass the 1st round, you will continue to the 2nd round.
We will send you the result from the 1st round in an email in the middle of May.

The 1st round will be assessed by two internal examiners and one external examiner with pass/fail.

Requirements for the video recording

  • The recording of the entire 1st round must be one-take. You are allowed to take a sip of water or a short break between the pieces – like you would do, if it had been a live entrance exam.
  • The video recording must be unedited.
  • The video recording must be a maximum of six months old.
  • We encourage you to record works with an accompanist, if the piece normally is performed with accompaniment.

Recommendations for the video recording

2nd round – At RDAM

The 2nd round will be held at RDAM between mid-May and end-June. If you pass the 1st round, you will be summoned for the 2nd round.

From end-March, you can find a preliminary schedule of the dates for the 2nd round on the Academy website under “The entrance examinations schedule”.

In the 2nd round, you will be asked to perform a programme of 30 minutes' duration. Please find the repertoire requirements below.

The 2nd round ends with a five-minute conversation about the applicant's motivation for applying, career considerations, etc.. The conversation does not affect the grade but is used for mutual matching of expectations about the education.

The 2nd round will be assessed by two internal examiners and one external examiner according to the 7-point grading scale.

Repertoire

The applicant chooses the repertoire, always subject, however, to the following rules:

  • At least one work at one of the two rounds must be written after 1945
  • Playing the same work at both rounds is not allowed.
  • The works performed in the two rounds must together cover at least 4 stylistic periods.

Examples of type and difficulty of repertoire:

  • J.S. Bach: A suite for lute
  • M. Giuliani: Concerto No. 1, Op. 30
  • B. Britten: Nocturnal after J. Dowland. Op. 70
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