Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Bachelor of Arts in Music programme with a Music theory major, specialized in contemporary music/composition, applicants must hold a school-leaving qualification (Baccalaureate, Professional Baccalaureate or equivalent) as well as they have to have passed the entrance exam and were offered a free place at the Academy (limited places).
Applicants who have submitted all the necessary registration documents in time will be invited to the written exam by mail and the video meeting. For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Bachelor of Arts FHNW in Music.
Language skills
We expect students to have very good German language skills at the beginning of the studies. Students who are not German native speakers must present a B1 German language certificate according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at the beginning of the studies.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam is split in several parts.
Procedure
Written exam by mail (duration approx. 2.5 hours)
- Dictation (fill-in-the-blanks) with linear and harmonical elements. Harmonizing a folklore piece (free piano movement) or a choral melody (four-part movement).
- Pursuing the counterpoint of a two-part movement or development of a sequence of notes into a thematic shape.
- Harmonical and formal analysis of a work written between 1700-1900.
Oral exam by video call (duration approx. 45 minutes)
- Quick oral presentation (ca. 5-6 minutes) of an example of the submitted works or exercise in style.
- Colloquium about applied techniques, pitches, rhythms, timbres, etc. after listening to short movement from the 20th/21st century (spezialised in contemporary music/composition) or before 1700 (spezialised on Early music/ historical techniques of composition).
- Sight singing and spontaneously developing a major/minor melody, sight singing of an atonal melody and producing a rhythm after sight reading.
- Choice of either playing a chorale in treble and bass clef or a simple basso continuo from the sheet.
- Conversation with the jury.
Dates
The entrance exam by mail and the zoom meeting will take place at the end of April. The exact dates may be seen here.
Registration
You may apply between 15th December and 15th February.
Along with the registration, it is mandatory to submit the following documents:
- A curriculum Vitae, a motivational letter/a short biography the school leaving qualification.
- At least three compositions (may be submitted optionally as MP3 a/o video in addition to the PDF)
- A written analysis (pattern and extent of choice)
- Optional: further exercises in stylistic composition, concepts, digital music programmes, projects, essays, documentation, music-theoretical/scientific research papers, etc.
- A recording of a two short, chosen works of the upper intermediate level which you play on the piano or another instrument
Upload your video onto youtube and insert the link in the registration tool. Please also add the worklist in the registration tool.
Announcement of the results
The results will be communicated by mail in May.
Ear training test
Written and oral test. The level of difficulty corresponds to that of the ear training test at the end of the second year of the Bachelor of Arts in Music with a Vocal/Instrumental major.
Examples (in German):
Examples Entrance exam Musiktheorie (in German):
Hörbeispiel