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Keyboard Audition Requirements

Harpsichord

Applicants intending to take harpsichord Principal Study within degree courses should own a harpsichord or be in the process of obtaining or building an instrument. They cannot rely on the availability of one of the Conservatorium’s instruments for practice.

BMus + Dip Mus

  1. Technical requirements:
    • All major, melodic and harmonic minor scales in all keys, ascending and descending and contrary motion, hands separately and together , 3 octaves

    • All major and minor arpeggios, hands separately and together - 3 octaves

    • Trills: starting on all notes, with a long upper appogiatura, accelerating and finishing with a turn
  2. Prepared program:
    • Two movements by Louis Couperin or Francois Couperin

    • A toccata by Frescobaldi or Froberger

    • Two movements from the French suites by J. S. Bach

    • Any sonata by Domenico Scarlatti
  3. Sight reading

BMusStudies/BMus(Mus Ed)

  1. Prepared program:
    • three contrasting works, including a suite movement by Bach

Piano

Candidates auditioning in Piano at undergraduate level should present the entire audition requirement from memory. Transfer to Piano Accompaniment may only follow successful completion of four semesters of study of Piano. Those interested in progressing to the Accompaniment strand should audition for Piano BMus + Dip Mus level.

BMus + Dip Mus

  1. A program of five works:
    • J S Bach: A Prelude and Fugue from 48 Preludes and Fugues

    • A complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert

    • A composition by Chopin, Schumann, Liszt (or similar romantic) or impressionist composer

    • A composition by a major 20th century composer (excluding Debussy, Rachmaninov, Ravel and Scriabin)

    • One Chopin Etude (excluding Op.10 No. 6 and Op.25 No. 7 and the three posthumous Etudes)
  2. Sight reading.
    Works or part thereof from this program will be selected by the audition panel.

BMusStudies/BMus(MusEd)

  1. Prepared program:
    • Three contrasting works (at the current level or standard of the candidate but should include a fast movement from a classical sonata)
  2. Sight reading.

Contact Paul Rickard-Ford, Chair of Keyboard for further information on audition requirements. Email: