A sensible hurdle! The first step to studying music

MK - The Swiss Higher Education Act stipulates that, in addition to the Matura or equivalent school education, an aptitude test must be passed for admission to Bachelor's degree courses in music and the arts.

This is for the simple reason that school education alone (e.g. Matura) does not guarantee comprehensive training (and practice) in this area. All Swiss conservatoires therefore conduct these aptitude tests - the basic rules and scheduling are harmonized via the KMHS (Conference of Swiss Music Universities).

Basically, but always with regional variations depending on the university and course of study, a practical and a theoretical examination is required for admission to the BA courses. In the practical examination, a performance on the main instrument is expected, and compulsory pieces (short preparation) and sight-reading are often required.

Depending on the discipline, the theory examinations include oral and written aural exercises, melodic dictations, rhythm exercises, knowledge of harmony, etc. Candidates are often interviewed at the aptitude tests. After passing the examination (usually March-April), the universities offer places to the successful candidates. They also keep waiting lists in case there are not enough places available for a particular instrument. In an agreement between the universities, June 1 is the deadline for students to accept a study place and be definitively admitted to the university. The universities can then make definitive plans and accept "latecomers" from waiting lists.

From the point of view of the KMHS, the BA aptitude tests are an important instrument for prospective students: on the one hand for quality assurance of the study program (low drop-out rate during the study program), on the other hand in the interest of the students to have a real chance of successfully completing the study program.

Important: You should always ask the respective university for details on the dates and content of the requirements, which vary from university to university. Most universities provide practice tools and workshops for preparing for the theory exams. Here too, the websites of the individual universities provide information.

Matthias von Orelli - Matteo Gualandi (Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève: 3e année de Bachelor en composition à Genève dans la classe de Michael Jarrell), Gabriela Glaus (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Music: Master of Arts in Music Education, Major in School Music II, Major in Classical Singing and President of the Student Council at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts) and Roman Halter (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Music: Bachelor of Arts in Music, Major in Piano) in conversation.

Matteo Gualandi, when did you decide to pass the admission, and where did you pass your entrance exam?

I decided to pass my entrance exam for the bachelor's degree in composition at the Geneva School of Music in December 2015, after speaking with my teachers in Italy.

Gabriela Glaus, when did you make this decision?

I decided to take the entrance exam in my A-level year. However, I had wanted to turn my hobby into a career for some time. So I took the entrance exam in Zurich and Lucerne.

Roman Halter, what exactly did the preparation for the entrance exam look like?

At the beginning of the preparatory class, my piano teacher and I selected the pieces we wanted to work on during the eight months or so we had left until the exams in April 2017 based on the examination requirements of the respective universities. The ear training, theory and dictation courses prepared us for the written and oral parts of the entrance exam. A few months before the exams, I went to audition for various piano teachers at different universities to get their feedback and find out more about their teaching methods. The closer the entrance exams came, the more emotional the preparation phase became. There were days when I felt good about myself and others when self-doubt threatened to consume me. In order to practice the exam situation a week before the entrance exam, I played my complete program for the entrance exam to my former piano teacher at grammar school in addition to the public concert evenings and the many class lessons in Basel. This made it possible to identify the last weak points in the individual pieces, which could then be corrected.

Gabriela Glaus: In my last year at the cantonal school, I was accepted into the gifted and talented program for music. From then on, I had additional theory lessons, which mainly prepared me for the theoretical part. I looked at the sample exams on the universities' websites, but didn't study specifically for them. For the entrance exam in Zurich, I auditioned for a lecturer and went to see her twice to get advice on whether I would even be accepted. She was able to give me good tips and advised me on the choice of pieces for the audition.

I didn't audition in Lucerne, but I already knew my teacher from the visiting day and was sure that our collaboration would work. My singing teacher at the cantonal school also always gave me good advice, and I had an extra lesson every week thanks to my inclusion in the gifted and talented program.

How exactly did the entrance exam go and how did you personally experience it?

MG : The exam went quite well, it was long but I attended it. I tell you that it was impressive to see all the teachers and all the lecturers in the department judging me during the oral on the different exams and asking me questions about my parts.

GG: In Lucerne, the practical part, the audition, took place first. First you sight-read a piece, then you are allowed to choose a piece from your own program that you would like to audition for, after which the panel decides which other pieces they would like to hear. After the audition, the lecturers consult with you and then give you a little feedback, telling you whether you have passed the entrance exam. Of course, I was nervous at the exam, which is why the sight-reading piece went so badly that the lecturers even sang along. However, I did well in the subsequent audition and luckily the teachers chose another piece that I was very confident in and which suited me perfectly. The theory exam took place on the same day. This consisted of a melody dictation and then an oral part, consisting of listening to intervals and triads, singing rhythm tasks, sight-reading and performing a short piano piece. I felt confident during this exam and I did well. After that day, I already knew that I had passed my exam. Now I just had to get confirmation of my place at university.

RH: Basically, the entrance exams at the individual universities did not differ too much: everywhere you were allowed to choose which piece you wanted to start with. The jury then selected excerpts from the other prepared pieces. Finally, there was an interview in which the jury asked you questions - such as about your personal goals or what you expect from your studies. You also had to pass a theoretical or oral exam to pass the entrance exam. I was very nervous about all the entrance exams, as a lot would depend on the result of the entrance exams as to what would happen to me in the future.

The time leading up to the decision as to whether the exam was passed or failed was certainly nerve-wracking...

GG: Well, I already knew that I had passed the exam and just had to wait for confirmation of my place. To my surprise, I received this after three days, so there was no long wait for me."

RH: During the days when I was waiting for the results of my exams, I tried to distract myself and not think about the exams all the time by going outside a lot.

How did you find out about the result of the entry exam and what was your impression?

MG : I saw the results on a screen at the entrance to the school. When I passed the exam, I was very happy.

GG: I received the exam result orally on the day of the exam. My place at university was confirmed in a letter by email. I was delighted, especially as I could now turn my job into a hobby, and immediately ran to my mother, who was delighted with me. I was relieved that I passed the entrance exam at the first attempt and, above all, that I finally knew what I was going to do after my A-levels. But I was also a bit tense, as I would now be moving from home to a new city at the age of just seventeen.

RH: A few days after the entrance exam in Lucerne, I opened my e-mail account. Among the emails I received was one from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. When I opened the attachment with the exam result, my heart skipped a beat. The attachment said that I had passed the entrance exam and that a place had been reserved for me. I felt a huge moment of relief, pure joy and great satisfaction.

How do you summarize the admission experience? And what advice do you have for future students who pass the entrance exam?

MG : It was a positive and very intense experience. I think the best advice to give is to prepare well for individual meetings with the jury in order to get the best out of them and make a good impression.

GG: The entrance exam was a good experience for me. It requires you to take a closer look at the course before you start studying, and I am convinced that this makes you much more aware of what to expect as a music student. Moreover, auditioning is part of the musician's job. It is clear that you are nervous, but you will encounter this moment again and again throughout your life. Good preparation for the entrance exam is half the battle. My advice for students:

Find out early on what the content of the exams will be like. If possible, go and audition for your preferred lecturer before the entrance exam, as these people can always give you valuable tips and you will quickly find out whether it is a good fit.

Make sure you are well prepared for the theory part, either in a special course at the cantonal school or at one of the universities themselves.

For the practical audition, choose pieces that you enjoy singing or playing and that you are comfortable with. Preferably choose a piece that is not quite so difficult. The teachers do not want to see your extreme limits, but rather musicality and creativity in interpretation.

If you need an accompanist for your pieces, this is usually provided by the university. Therefore, when choosing a piece, make sure that it doesn't have the most virtuoso piano accompaniment, and be sure to stick down the sheet music, because if the accompanist can't continue playing because of a mess of notes, you won't be doing yourself any favors.

If you are coming from another city, arrive early enough so that you don't get stressed. Put on something comfortable and pretty that you feel good in and take a snack with you.

And perhaps the most important point: show that you have fun and enjoy making music.

RH: The time of the entrance exams was an emotional rollercoaster. So you shouldn't let yourself be overwhelmed by self-doubt and any doubts from other people. I think it's very important to prepare for the exam conditions right from the start and to make the most of the time available. Having a teacher who motivates you and knows how best to approach the pieces and their difficulties was also very valuable to me.