Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Specialized Musical Performance programme with the Major soloist, applicants must be awarded a Bachelor in Music/Music and Movement 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 and have passed the first round of the entrance exam will be invited to play a live audition. For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Master of Arts FHNW in Specialized Music Performance
Required skills
- Exceptional stage presence and self-assuredness as well as the technical mastery of the instrument/voice.
- excellent musical expression abilities and outstanding musical expressiveness
- Considerable ease with the role of soloist, whether in a solo recital or solo appearances with an orchestra.
- Proof of a broad yet individual repertoire.
- Documented participation in international competitions.
Admission criteria for internal Bachelor applicants
To transfer to the MA SP Soloist, internal students must complete the regular aptitude assessment. Further requirements are:
- The consent of the Major professor (to be submitted with the registration)
- Having passed the aptitude assessment
- Availability of a place to study
Language Skills
We recommend having sufficient German language skills.
Entrance exam
The entrance exam is split into the first round, which is held “by video”, and the second one, which is a live audition.
Procedure
First round: Video recordings
Applicants must submit a video when registering.
Video requirements
Repertoire requirements
The single works/movements submitted must indispensably be recorded without any cuts. If applicants submit one straight video with the whole programme, the applicant must set marks after every work/movement so that it is possible for the jury to purposely skip within the video.
Microphone: We recommend using a suitable stereo microphone and place it conveniently. If necessary, you may also use the microphone of a camera, computer, or smartphone.
Please record the video from a fixed point of view. The hands and the face of the musician must be visible. Publicly recorded concerts may be submitted as long as they correspond to the above-mentioned requirements (no cuts) and as long as they are not older than 6 months.
Please upload the video onto YouTube and add the link in the registration tool.
Please add the worklist to your application or send it by mail to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch until 15th February at the latest.
Only those applicants who will be considered for the second round will be invited for the live audition.
Second round: Live audition
Repertoire requirements
The choice of the programme may be identical as the one of the video. However, changes of the programme for the live audition can only be made until 14 days prior to the audition date.
The candidate may choose the first piece. Then, the jury will decide which works to play and is allowed to interrupt the audition at any time. Afterwards, there will be a short conversation about the goals of the studies and the study course content as well as the applicant´s prior education, experience, the choice of the professor, etc.
In exceptional cases, an invitation to the live audition can be waived. In this case, an online interview with the examination board is mandatory.
Dates
The live auditions 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, the school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma. In case that the applicant already holds a Master Diploma, we also need a copy of that.
Announcement of the results
The results of the first round will be communicated by mail at the end of March.
The results of the second round will be communicated by mail at the beginning of May.
