Apply for Ba­che­lor of Music In­stru­men­tal

Main Subject

• Pre-selection based on a video submission, the content and formal requirements of which can be found below.
• For harp, guitar, percussion and organ, the preliminary video round is not required. Please do not submit any videos for these instruments.

Main subject in the face-to-face part of the aptitude test

• In the instrumental main subject, at least three works from different stylistic periods (one of which must have been composed after 1920) must be performed, demonstrating interpretative ability and technical skill.
• Examples of works for the required level of difficulty can be found below.

Piano as a compulsory subject

• Performance of two moderately difficult piano pieces of different character.
• The examination is not required if guitar is the artistic main subject.

Music theory (written and practical)

• Basic knowledge of major-minor tonal harmony,
• knowledge of formal principles and genres.

Aural training (written)

• Recognition of intervals, chords, rhythmic and harmonic relationships,
• single and two-part musical dictation.

The video must be uploaded before the application deadline: before that, please send in your application via the online application portal.

In the video, the applicant must be clearly recognisable. No technical editing is allowed within a performed work. The video should not be older than 6 months. Piano accompaniment is optional. Works performed in the video can also be part of the repertoire for the in-person aptitude test.

The following requirements apply to the respective major subject:

Piano

• Works or parts of works from three stylistic periods, including a fast movement from a classical sonata.
• Video length: at least 15 minutes.

Singing

• Works from two stylistic periods, including one work in German.
• Duration of the video: approx. 15 minutes

Violin

• Exposition of the first movement of a concerto and another work or part of a work from a different stylistic period
• Duration of the video: 10-15 minutes

Viola

• Works or parts of works from 2 periods
• Duration of the video: approx. 15 minutes

Cello

• First movement of a concerto of your choice

Double bass

• Works or parts of works from two different eras
• Video length: approx. 15 minutes

Flute

• Exposition of a classical concerto

Oboe

• A Telemann fantasia

Clarinet

• Exposition of a classical or romantic concerto
• and a work or part of a work from another stylistic era

Bassoon

• Exposition of a classical or romantic concerto

Trumpet

• First movement of a classical trumpet concerto
• and an étude of your choice

Trombone

• Two pieces from different eras, one of which is a movement from a sonata

Horn

• Exposition and development from a Mozart concerto of your choice

Saxophone

• 1st movement of a sonata with a difficulty level equivalent to Milhaud (Scaramouche) or Maurice (Tableau de Provence)
• and an etude

The following overview provides examples of works that could be performed during the aptitude test in the respective major subject. This is not a compulsory programme.

Piano

• Bach: Italian Concerto
• Mozart: Sonata in C major, K. 330
• Beethoven: Sonata Op. 10 No. 3
• Schumann: Papillons
• Brahms: Intermezzi
• Ravel: Sonatine
• Bartók: Mikrokosmos Book 6
• Webern: Variations Op. 27

Organ

• Buxtehude: Prelude in G minor BuxWV 149
• Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G major BWV 541, Sonata No. 4 in E minor BWV 528
• César Frank: 2nd Chorale in B minor
• Hindemith: 1st Sonata
• Piano playing with the same requirements as in the main subject

Harp

• Three works from different periods, for example by Nadermann, Dussek, Andres or Handel
• Etudes by Bochsa, Pozzoli or Dizzi

Guitar

• Bach: Suite
• Villa-Lobos: Preludes
• Dowland: Dances
• Etudes by Sor or Carassi

Violin

• First movement of a violin concerto
• plus two works or individual movements (no etudes) from two other eras
• Programme duration at least 20 minutes

Viola

• Stamitz: Concerto
• Hoffmeister: Concerto
• Bach: 2nd or 3rd Suite
• Etudes by Kreutzer, Campagnoli or Rode

Violoncello

• First movement of a cello concerto
• plus two works or individual movements (no etudes) from two other periods
• Programme duration at least 20 minutes

Double bass

• First movement of a concerto for double bass, for example by Dragonetti, Hoffmeister, Vanhal, Larsson or Koussewitzky
• plus two works/movements from different eras (one of them in contemporary musical language, for example by Gubaidulina, Kodály, Ellis, Hindemith, Scelsi or Henze)

Flute

• Handel: Sonata in G major
• Stamitz: Concerto in G major
• Hindemith: Eight Pieces

Oboe

• One of Telemann's twelve solo fantasies (preferably from memory)
• Two further works of your own choice (no études)

Clarinet

• Stamitz: Concerto in B flat major
• Weber: Concertino or Concertos
• Hindemith

Bassoon

• Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor
• Johann Christian Bach: Concerto in E flat major
• Fasch: Sonata
• Etudes by Milde or Weissenborn, Op. 8, Book 2

Saxophone

• One original composition from the traditional saxophone repertoire (at least as difficult as Maurice, Tableaux de Provence)
• One composition in contemporary musical language

Horn

• Mozart: Concerto No. 3
• Strauss: Concerto No. 1
• Berge: Horn Look
• Hackleman: An etude from ‘Low Horn Playing’

Trumpet

• Haydn: Concerto
• Hindemith: Sonata
• Two études of different character

Trombone

• Paudert: Aria
• Hindemith: Sonata
• Two études of different character

Timpani and percussion

• Études for 2-4 timpani, for example by Knauer, Krüger, Zegalski, Delecluse or Keune
• Etudes for snare drum from the schools of Knauer, Krüger, Delecuse, Wagner or Keune
• Etudes for xylophone (e.g. Goldenberg) and/or two movements from a cello suite by Bach
• Telemann: Fantasies for flute or violin (on marimba)
• Solo work for marimba or vibraphone (four mallets preferred)
• All areas (timpani, snare drum and mallets) must be covered
• For higher semesters, more difficult works are required in accordance with the duration of study (including set-up pieces: for example, Xenakis, Volans, Globokar, etc.)