Admission criteria
In order to enter the FHNW Master of Arts in Composition/Music Theory programme with a Composition Major, applicants must be awarded a Bachelor in Composition or equivalent as well as they must 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 online entrance exam by mail and online meeting. For further information on the admission criteria, please see the Studienreglement of the Master of Arts FHNW in Composition/Music Theory.
Required skills
- Sound basic knowledge of composition, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, ear training and music history of honours’ degree standard.
- Advanced level of piano proficiency or basic vocal proficiency/proficiency in a different instrument.
- Ability to engage reflectively with music and to contextualise one’s own thought and ideas within a historico-cultural and societal framework.
- Ability to perform an independent and complete analysis of musical works and present the findings in an appropriate manner.
- Ability to write/adapt one’s own works for different formations.
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 consists of several parts.
Procedure
Written exam by mail (duration approx. four hours)
- Short compositional exercise by mail. The exercise is based on various materials or concepts (you may also choose from electronical materials). In case of electronic concepts, you must submit a sound file including a written documentation.
- Written analysis of a short movement from the 20th/21st century (preparation time one hour).
Online Oral exam
- Quick oral presentation (5-6 minutes) of an example of the submitted composing works by video*
- You will listen to an example from the 20th/21st century and report explicitly on the techniques, pitches, rhythms, timbres, etc.
- Online meeting
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 short biography
- The school leaving qualification, the Bachelor Diploma, the Master Diploma (if available).
- 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.
Upload your video onto YouTube and insert the link in the registration tool or send it by mail to registration.hsm@fhnw.ch by 15th February.
Announcement of the results
The results will be communicated by mail in May.
Example Examination Assignments Composition (in German):
Audio example (in German):
