Entrance examinations for orchestra conducting
Form, content and assessment of the examination
The entrance examination consists of a pre-screening and three rounds on site.
An assessment panel will assess the material in the application as a pre-screening with a “pass/fail”.
If you pass the pre-screening, you will be invited to participate in the first round, which consists in a live audition in Copenhagen. An assessment panel will assess the performance in the first round of the live auditions with a “pass/ fail”.
If you pass the first round, you will continue to the second round of live auditions. The second round is assessed by the assessment panel with a grade, which determines if you pass to the three exams of the third and final round.
RDAM aims to place all three on site rounds on consecutive days, typically 2-3 days in February.
The pre-screening of the entrance examination
consists of assessing the applicant's qualifications as documented in CV, diplomas, and video material. CV, diplomas, and video material must be uploaded in the application form.
Video material requirements:
- A recent video selection.
- A minimum of 20-30 minutes of video material where you conduct repertoire and ensemble of your own choice, but it should include at least 2 different works/movements.
- Filmed so that you can see the conductor from the front.
- If possible, it may very well contain excerpts from both rehearsals and concerts.
- The rehearsal work should be in English, German, Italian, French or a Scandinavian language.
- A video recording of a solo or accompanied piece of your own choice performed on your primary instrument, approx. 10 minutes.
The first round of the entrance examination
consists of conducting and correcting a proposed string quartet + piano.
In your application you must choose one of the following movements to conduct and demonstrate your conducting skills:
- W. A. Mozart Symphony No 39, 1st movement
- J. Haydn Symphony No 104, 1st movement
- L. van Beethoven Symphony No 1, 1st movement
Duration: 10-12 minutes.
The first round will be assessed by the teacher of the main subject of conducting, an internal and an external examiner.
Only applicants who pass the first round are admitted to the second round.
The second round of the entrance examination consists of conducting and rehearsing the orchestra of RDAM. In your application you must choose one of the following movements:
- Dvorak Symphony No 8, 1st movement
- J. Brahms Symphony No 2, 1st movement
- P. Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5, 1st movement
You will be required to conduct and rehearse both the chosen work for this second round and the chosen work from first round. During your work with the orchestra, you may or may not occasionally receive instructions from the assessment panel to assess your suitability for the studies.
Duration: 25-30 minutes.
The second round will be assessed by the teacher of the main subject of orchestral conducting, an internal and an external examiner. One grade is awarded according to the 7-point grading scale.
Only applicants who are awarded the grades 10 or 12 in the second round will continue to round three.
The third round of the entrance examination
consists of the following three exams:
- Piano/Singing
- Aural Training
- Interview
1: Piano/Singing
The applicant chooses a recitative and aria with a total duration of 4-6 minutes. The style and language are chosen by the applicant. The applicant is to play the piano reduction while singing the voice part in the original language.
The entrance examination in piano/singing is assessed by two internal examiners with pass/fail.
The entrance examination in piano/singing is indicative and is used to assess the applicant's ability to achieve the necessary skills required for the exam. The assessment of the entrance examination in piano/singing will be part of the overall assessment of the applicant.
2. Aural training
consists of an oral examination in rhythm, melody and sight-reading, duration: 20 minutes, and a written assignment, duration: 1 hour.
Rhythm
- Prima vista execution of one rhythmic task containing polyrhythmical elements and changing time signatures
- Prima vista execution of one two-part combination assignment, where the applicant sings the upper part and claps the lower part
Melody
- Prima vista singing of an accompanied song
Sight-reading
- Seconda vista execution of a two-part assignment with one part written in alto or tenor clef or transposed to B flat, A or F
Written test
- 1 hour is given to solve the tasks.
- Click here for an example of the written test.
The entrance examination in aural training is assessed by two internal examiners. One grade is awarded according to the 7-point grading scale.
3. Interview and audition on own instrument
The purpose of the interview is to uncover the applicant’s musicality, knowledge, skills and qualifications related to the works from different angles: e.g. conducting technique, instrumentation, score reading, music history, music theory, and the applicant's repertoire knowledge, motivation and other musical activities.
The interview will start with a short live audition where you perform a piece of your own choice on your primary instrument.
There will not be assigned an accompanist. Duration approx. 5 minutes.
You are required to bring a hard copy of the music for the assessment panel.
In your application you must state three works of classical music completely of your own choice specifically for this interview. The interview will be based on one or more of these works and/or one or more of the movements you have conducted in the second round
The interview and audition on own instrument are assessed by the teacher of the main subject of orchestral conducting, a music theory/music history/form analysis teacher, an instrumentation teacher, an internal and external examiner.
One grade is awarded according to the 7-point grading scale.
Duration: 1 hour.