Entrance examinations for percussion

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

The entrance examination consists of the following elements:

Principal study (duration: 45 minutes incl. assessment and set-up of instruments)

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:

First test: Set/self-chosen tasks, etudes, scales

  • All scales and triads (major and minor) spanning two octaves played on a keyboard instrument (xylophone, vibraphone or marimba)
  • Piece chosen by the applicant for snare drum, e.g. Børge Ritz: Dansk Tapto (unpublished), Gert Mortensen: March Cadenza (Southern Percussion), Einar Nielsen: Etude Classique (unpublished) (excerpts from all three may be played)
  • Piece chosen by the applicant for timpani, e.g. movements from Robert Muczynski: Three Designs for Three Timpany or a piece chosen by the applicant for multipercussion
  • Piece chosen by the applicant for keyboard instrument, e.g. Paul Creston: Concertino for Marimba, 1st movement (G. Schirmer), Mitchell Peters: Yellow after the Rain (Mitchell Peters), or Povl Smadbeck: Rhythm Song (Mallets Arts)

Second test: Set task

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

3rd test: Sight-reading

Sight-reading on snare drum and keyboard instrument.

Assessment

Three separate marks are awarded according to the 7-point grading scale. One for each of the above-mentioned tests. The test will be passed succesfully, only if the applicant has achieved a minimum mark of 02 in all of the three tests. 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  • Piece chosen by the applicant for snare drum, e.g. Børge Ritz: Dansk Tapto (unpublished), Gert Mortensen: March Cadenza (Southern Percussion), Einar Nielsen: Etude Classique (unpublished) (excerpts from all three may be played)
  • Piece chosen by the applicant for timpani, e.g. movements from Robert Muczynski: Three Designs for Three Timpany or a piece chosen by the applicant for multipercussion
  • Piece chosen by the applicant for keyboard instrument, e.g. Paul Creston: Concertino for Marimba, 1st movement (G. Schirmer), Mitchell Peters: Yellow after the Rain (Mitchell Peters), or Povl Smadbeck: Rhythm Song (Mallets Arts)

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

The applicant must perform:

  • Snare drum: Masson: “Prim” or “Kim"
  • Marimba: A work by either Maslanka or Kaiko Abe or other works of similar degree of difficulty for multi-percussion, timpani, vibraphone, xylophone, marimba or snare drum

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

The entrance examination is censured by two internal censors, 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: 20-25 minutes

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:

  • Playing the same work at both rounds is not allowed.
  • The programme must a.o. include the following:
    1. A major solo work for keyboard instrument, a major solo work for multi percussion, and a major chamber music work OR
    2. Solo works for keyboard instrument, and a major chamber music work of which multi percussion forms part OR
    3. Solo works for multi percussion, and a major chamber music work of which keyboard instruments form part

Applicants who have not previously been students at The Royal Danish Academy of Music may for practical reasons be granted an exemption from performing chamber music in case the applicant chooses possibility 1.