Audition and Interview

The MMus audition on the applicant’s primary study instrument will consist of three to four pieces that exhibit contrasting style periods (as appropriate to the instrument), tempi, and expressive and technical demands. The entire audition program should be no less than twenty minutes and should demonstrate the applicant’s ability to handle large musical works.

At the time of the audition, applicants will be interviewed by the MMus faculty and should be prepared to answer questions related to:

• Personal reflection on their past artistic and educational experiences;
• Their reasons for pursuing the MMus degree;
• How they expect the MMus degree to help them to fulfil their artistic and professional goals.

The audition repertoire will vary according to each applicant’s instrument but should generally reflect the standard of the final recital of a Bachelor’s degree in Performance or Performance Studies. Below are two indicative examples of acceptable MMus audition programs. These are provided for illustrative purposes and actual audition programs must be approved in advance by the MMus Program Coordinator and the relevant instrument instructor.

Indicative Examples of MMus Audition Programs

Classical Piano

• J. S. Bach, Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, from WTC I
• Beethoven, Sonata in B-flat major, Op. 22, 1st movement
• Chopin, Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op. 39
• Debussy, Pagodes & Soirée dans Grenade, from Estampes

Violin

• Technical solo composition by Dont, Gaviniès, or Paganini
• Two contrasting movements from a solo work by J. S. Bach
• One fast and one slow movement from any Classical or Romantic concerto or solo chamber work

English Language Proficiency

Students satisfy the English requirements if their first degree was taught in English. Otherwise, they would need to present a minimum TOEFL score 550 and above, or Computer-based TOEFL score of 213 and above, or Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) score 79-80 and above, or GCSE (or GCE) English Language “O” Level of “C” or above or IELTS of 6.5 and above or Cambridge Exams (First Certificate with Grade B and above, as well as Proficiency with Grade C and above or a score placement at the ENGL-100 level of the University English Placement Test. The University offers English courses at various levels to help students reach the required standard for admission to a graduate program.

Course assessment usually comprises a comprehensive final exam and continuous assessment. Continuous assessment may include, amongst others things, mid-terms exams, projects, and class participation.

For Applied Primary Study courses, the final examination is a performance evaluated by a jury of three faculty members, including the Primary Study instructor, the MMus Programme Coordinator, and at least one other faculty member.

Letter grades are calculated based on the weight of the final exam and the continuous assessment and the actual numerical marks obtained in these two assessment components. Based on the course grades the student’s semester grade point average (GPA) and cumulative point average (CPA) are calculated.

The student must complete 90 ECTS and all programme requirements.

A minimum cumulative grade point average (CPA) of 2.0 is required. Thus, although a ‘D-‘ is a PASS grade, in order to achieve a CPA of 2.0 an average grade of ‘C’ is required.

The student must perform a one-hour graduation recital (which is evaluated as the final assessment of MUSP 513 Post-Graduate Primary Study 3).

The student must submit an approved thesis (which is evaluated as the final project of MUCT-222 Thesis Writing Seminar).

Upon successful completion of this program, the students should be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced technical and interpretive skills in musical performance.
• Demonstrate and express knowledge of a wide variety of musical repertoire.
• Perform in a variety of ensemble situations and solo situations.
• Practice and rehearse effectively, alone and with groups.
• Demonstrate a high level of musical literacy.
• Demonstrate a high level of aural, creative, and re-creative skills.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of repertory for their primary study.
• Demonstrate high understanding of current theoretical research on the nature of musical performance.
• Demonstrate high understanding of theoretical and practical perspectives in regards to music pedagogy in a studio based context
• Manage the entrepreneurial aspects of their careers as performers and teachers.
• Conduct independent research in any area of music related scholarship, but especially in the areas of performance studies and pedagogy related to their primary study.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3