Entrance Examination
Admission Requirement:
University entrance qualification (equivalent to the „Abitur“ in Germany)
Language requirements:
For enrolment: language certificate at least level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
- Certificate of the Goethe-Institute B1 or
- European Certificate B1 or
- UniCert I or
- a comparable language certificate
The following language certificates are accepted:
- TestDaF
- TELC
- Goethe certificate
- UNI Cert
- ÖSD certificate
In addition, language certificates according to the European Framework of Reference are also accepted by language schools that have recognized quality management certificates.
A list of recognized language schools can be found here
A list of recognized quality certificates for language courses can be found here
Students at the HfM Dresden who have received admission subject to proof of German language skills can take part in the language course offered at the HfM Dresden. Studies can only be continued in the second semester if the German exam at the HfM Dresden has been passed at the required level or, alternatively, a language certificate has been submitted according to the criteria listed above.
Main Subject
The entrance examination in the artistic focus consists of a subject-specific examination, which for the artistic focus composition and composition JRP refers to previously submitted compositions. These must be submitted together with the application documents - observing the respective deadlines:
- three own works as score and audio recording. The works should be as varied as possible and show the technical and artistic possibilities of the applicant with regard to melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation and form. Of the three works
- should a work be a pure lead sheet (melody plus chord symbols)
- a work should be written for a cast of at least 8 voices
- a work can also be the arrangement of someone else's composition.
- a list of 10 foreign music titles with the question: What kind of music would I like to make?
The examination committee evaluates the submitted documents as "passed" or "failed". If the assessment is “passed”, the applicant will be invited to the face-to-face test with the following test components:
- 10 minute presentation of one of the submitted works.
- 5-minute short presentation of any foreign piece of music / excerpt. The clarification of the works on the piano or through audio examples is desired.
Piano:
- artistic presentation piano (approx. 10-20 min) of any two pieces that are as different as possible. The interpretation of an own composition is desired.
- From sight reading of the chords of a typical jazz standard (e.g. "Girl from Ipanema")
- Improvisation in a given modality (e.g. Eb melodic minor, A lydian)
- Applicants interested in the module “Music Practice Elective”: artistic presentation (approx. 5-10 minutes) with a piece of your choice on the chosen instrument/singing
Music theory/aural training:
- Interval designations, major and minor triads, seventh chords, circle of fifths, parallel sounds, chord symbols, simple cadences (I-IV-V-I and II-V-I) and functions (dom.,- subdom.,- tonic), modes (church tonal scales such as Doric etc.)
- Interval and chord determinations by ear
- Sing, clap or play phrases
- sing or clap melodic and rhythmic sequences sight-reading
- Comments on the music theory/ear training entrance exam (“getting to know test”) for download: