• Advanced musical ability in the programme subject which must be demonstrated in the audition exam
• International applicants without German university entry permission must provide evidence of their German language skills through:
  1. Sprachzertifikat B.2.2 (GER) of the Goethe Institute or TestDaF – Level 4 from the TestDaF Institute.
  Language certificates must be submitted during enrolment at the latest.
  2. Technical German language skills in music will be assessed during the music theory examination.

• For winter semester: May/June
• For summer semester: January/February

Exact dates for the upcoming Examination Week can be found here.

Participation is only possible after successful completion of an application and the resulting invitation.

The audition exam consists of two rounds. After the first round, the Exam Committee will decide who will proceed to the following round.

• fundamental knowledge of conducting technique
• knowledge about musical theater and its artistic relationship with theater
• comprehensive knowledge of music theater and symphonic repertoires

• conducting (realized with three pianos)
  compulsory piece: Weber: Der Freischütz Overture
• presentation of a chosen discerning solo work on piano or an orchestra instrument (also solo concertos or piano-accompanied works in which case an accompanist must be organized by the applicant) or a vocal work. The audition criteria are equivalent to those of an audition exam for the major of the instrument played.

• Conducting (also in a teaching situation)
  three compulsory pieces:
  • Dvořák: 8th Symphony, 1st Movement Exposition
  • Brahms: 3rd Symphony, 2nd Movement
  • Stravinsky: Histoire du Soldat, Part 1 until 15 (March)
• Correpetition
  • presentation of a chosen opera scene with several characters in original language
  • sight-read simple opera passages
  • sight-read singing (atonal passages without rhythm)
• Score-reading
  • sight-read a simple orchestra score
  • playing of transposed instruments
• Core Subject Piano
  • presentation of two chosen solo works, one of which must be a slow movement of a classical sonata or a baroque work in slow tempo

• notation in treble and bass clefs
• knowledge of keys and their accidentals in major and minor
• knowledge of major and minor scales, including modal keys
• determination and notation of intervals in designated octaves
• determination and notation of triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented) and dominant seventh chords, including reversals
• knowledge of the primary and secondary functions in major and minor
• spelling of a short cadence (four parts) according to the functional and level symbols
• analysis of two short excerpts from different musical epochs

• melody dictation (Baroque and/or classical melodies)
• rhythmic dictation (binary and ternary rhythms with slurs and/or syncopation)
• determination of major and minor scales as well as modal scales
• determination and notation of intervals of designated octaves
• determination of triads and dominant seventh chords with inversions (ascending and descending)
• aural analysis of two short music examples from different musical epochs

Small colloquium on general music questions in German language with the following issues:

• foundation of music history from Bach to present (problematic nature of era categories: baroque/classical/romantic/modern/postmodern)
• development of orchestral genres
• development of opera

• Applicants for undergraduate studies who have already studied at a German music school and are applying to transfer to HFM are exempt from taking the exams in piano, composition, and ear training if they are able to provide a matriculation certificate/certificate of enrolment.

• For winter semester: 15 April
• For summer semester: 15 November

• Bachelor of Music with 240 credits or equivalent in the same subject as the Masters programme
• Advanced musical ability in the programme subject which must be demonstrated in the audition exam

• For winter semester: May/June
• For summer semester: January/February

Exact dates for the upcoming Examination Week can be found here.

Participation is only possible after successful completion of an application and the resulting invitation.

The audition exam consists of two rounds. After the first round, the Exam Committee will decide who will proceed to the following round.

• conducting at the piano (10 minutes)
• presentation of 2 solo pieces chosen by the applicant, on the piano or another instrument - one of the pieces must be mainly in slow tempo

• 30-minute orchestra rehearsal
  Applicants must display their talent in handling the orchestra. The candidate is expected to show good rehearsal technique and the ability to execute own interpretative ideas.
  The works will be made known around four weeks before the exam date on the homepage of the application portal under "News". They will also be available on our website under Application Portal.

Applicants must prove an above average talent in general musical areas and technical conducting skills.

• For winter semester: 15 April
• For summer semester: 15 November