Entrance examinations for woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone

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

The entrance examination consists of the following elements:

Principal study (duration: 30 minutes incl. assessment)

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) in two octaves played legato (slowly) and staccato (fast)
  • Set/self-chosen tasks depending on the instrument:

Flute

  • Two etudes from Joachim Andersen: "Instructive etudes" (Opus 30)
  • J. S. Bach: Sonata in E major, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Philip Gaubert: Nocturne e allegro scherzando - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Oboe

  • W. B. Ferling: Etude No. 19
  • C. Ph. E. Bach: Sonata in G minor, H.549, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. J. Haydn: Concerto, 1st Movement - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Clarinet

  • C. Rose: 40 Etudes, No. 1
  • Niels W. Gade: Fantasistykke No. 2
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Weber: Concertino - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Bassoon

  • L. Milde: 50 Konzertstudien für Fagott, op. 26 No. 1 (Book 1)
  • G. Ph. Telemann: Sonata for bassoon and continuo, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. E. Elgar: Romance for bassoon and piano - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Saxophone

  • W. B. Ferling: Etude No. 16
  • J. Ibert: Aria
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Glazunov: Concerto, 1st Movement - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Second test: Set task

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

Third test: Sight reading

Sight reading of a composition. For bassoons the piece can be in both bass clef and tenor clef.

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

Flute

  • Two etudes from Joachim Andersen: "Instructive etudes" (Opus 30)
  • J. S. Bach: Sonata in E major, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Philip Gaubert: Nocturne e allegro scherzando - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Oboe

  • W. B. Ferling: Etude No. 19
  • C. Ph. E. Bach: Sonata in G minor, H.549, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. J. Haydn: Concerto, 1st Movement - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Clarinet

  • C. Rose: 40 Etudes, No. 1
  • Niels W. Gade: Fantasistykke No. 2
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Weber: Concertino - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Bassoon

  • L. Milde: 50 Konzertstudien für Fagott, op. 26 No. 1 (Book 1)
  • G. Ph. Telemann: Sonata for bassoon and continuo, 1st and 2nd movement
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. E. Elgar: Romance for bassoon and piano - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

Saxophone

  • W. B. Ferling: Etude No. 16
  • J. Ibert: Aria
  • Piece chosen by the applicant with a degree of difficulty similar to e.g. Glazunov: Concerto, 1st Movement - TO BE PLAYED BY HEART!

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

The examination requirements apply equally to applicants who already attend the Academy and wish to take a quota test for the Master's programme.

The applicant must perform:

Flute

1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Flute Concerto in G Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart) + piece chosen by the applicant

Oboe

1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart) + piece chosen by the applicant

Clarinet

1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A Major (no cadenza) (played by heart) + piece chosen by the applicant

Bassoon

1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B flat Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart) + piece chosen by the applicant

Saxophone

1st movement of Glazunov: Saxophone Concerto (played by heart) + piece chosen by the applicant

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

Flute

  • 1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Flute Concerto in G Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart)
  • A piece chosen by the applicant
  • Orchestra extract: Bizet: Carmen, Suite no. 1, no. 2 Intermezzo (entire mov. prelude to 3rd act)
  • Orchestra extract: Mendelssohn: Symphony no. 4, 4th mov. (from beginning to bar 34)

Oboe

  • 1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart)
  • A piece chosen by the applicant
  • Orchestra extract: Tchaikovsky: Symphony no. 4, 2nd mov., oboe solo (from the beginning)  
  • Orchestra extract: Ravel: Tombeau de Couperin - Prelude (from beginning  to rehearsal number [2] + bar 5 in rehearsal number [8] to rehearsal number [9]

Clarinet

  • 1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A Major (no cadenza) (played by heart)
  • A piece chosen by the applicant
  • Orchestra extract: Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream - Scherzo no.1  (from beginning to rehearsal letter [B] + from rehearsal letter [D] to rehearsal letter [F]
  • Orchestra extract: Kodaly: Dances of Galánta (from beginning to bar 65)

Bassoon

  • 1st movement of W. A. Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B flat Major with cadenza (both the concert and the cadenza must be played by heart)
  • A piece chosen by the applicant
  • Orchestra extract: Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro - Ouverture
  • Orchestra extract: Korsakov: Scheherazade, 2nd mov., andantino (beginning to rehearsal letter [A] + from rehearsal letter [L] to rehearsal letter [M])

Saxophone

  • 1st movement of Glazunov: Saxophone Concerto (played by heart)
  • A piece chosen by the applicant
  • Orchestra extract: Ravel: Bolero (the saxophone solo)
  • Orchestra extract: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition - The Old Castle (the saxophone solo)

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.
  • If the piece normally is performed with accompaniment, it must be recorded with an accompanist.

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
 

Repertoire for the 1st round - must be played by heart

You choose the 20 minutes yourself - but any compulsory pieces must be recorded.

Flute

  • Compulsory piece: W. A. Mozart: Flute Concerto in G major, 1st movement with cadenza

Examples of works for the first round:

  • G.Ph. Telemann: 2 of the 12 Fantasias for flute solo (Bärenreiter 2971)
  • H. Dutillieux: Sonatina
  • Reinecke: 1st movement of Sonata Undine

Oboe

  • Compulsory piece: W. A. Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C major, 1st movement with cadenza

Examples of works for the first round:

  • G. Ph. Telemann: 2 of the 12 fantasias for flute solo (Bärenreiter 2971)
  • A. Vivaldi: Sonana in c minor
  • C. Saint-Saëns: Sonata for oboe and piano
  • Carl Nielsen: Romance and humoresque, Op. 2

Clarinet

  • Compulsory piece: W. A. Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, 1st movement

Examples of works for the first round:

  • Debussy: Rhapsody No. 1 (1910)
  • Brahms: 1st and 2nd movement from both f minor and E flat major

Bassoon

  • Compulsory piece: W. A. Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, 1st movement with cadenza

Examples of works for the first round:

  • G. Ph. Telemann: Sonata in F minor
  • C. M. Weber: Rondo and Ungarese

Saxophone

  • Compulsory piece: J. Ibert: Concertino da Camera 1st movement + 2nd movement to figure 26

Examples of works for the first round:

  • J. Ibert: Concertino da Camera 2nd movement from figure 26
  • Rueff: Sonate
  • Ryo Noda: Improvisation No. 1
  • Glazunov: Concerto
  • P. M. Dubois: Concerto 1st and 2nd movement

Repertoire for the second round

You must offer 50 minutes of self-chosen music which must contain works from at least 4 stylistic periods. At least one piece must be written after 1945. From this list the internal examiners choose 30 minutes. The examiners' choices will be send to your email address 1 week before the 1st round of your entrance examination.

Examples of works for the second round:

Flute

  • Carl Nielsen: Flute Concerto
  • Ibert: Flute Concerto
  • Jolivet: Chant de Linos and 5 Incantations
  • Berio: Sequenza
  • Nørholm: Immanens

Oboe

  • R. Strauss: Oboe Concerto
  • B. Martinu: Oboe Concerto
  • H. Dutillieux: Sonata
  • Berio: Sequenza No. 6
  • N. Castillioni: Alef

Clarinet

  • C. M. von Weber: Concerto in f minor or Concerto in E flat major
  • C. M. von Weber: Grand duo concertant
  • Carl Nielsen: Concerto Op. 57
  • Francaix: Clarinet Concerto
  • Francaix: Tema con variazioni
  • Poulenc: Sonata
  • Olav Berg: Fantasia breve (1938)
  • Alban Berg: Vier Stücke für Klarinette und Klavier
  • Esa-Pekka Salonen: Nachtlieder für Klarinette und Klavier
  • Schumann: Phantasiestücke

Bassoon

  • A. Vivaldi: Concerto in B flat major, FVIII No. 35
  • B. Crusell: Concertino
  • C. Saint-Saëns: Sonata, Op. 168
  • A. Jolivet: Concerto

Saxophone

  • N/A