Conducting (N0215A310033)

Programme objectives

The objective of the programme is to prepare highly qualified musicians with a significant degree of skill in the conducting and dramaturgy of the repertoire of various musical ensembles. The Master’s programme augments the curriculum covered in the Bachelor’s programme. Emphasis is placed on acquiring additional practical experience working with musical ensembles, and on developing and systematising students’ theoretical knowledge and practical skills, particularly in the areas of orchestral and operatic repertoire. The programme is focused on mastery of a wide range of the most technically demanding repertoire, as well as on developing the student’s individual creative approach and capacity for critical self-reflection.

Profile of a programme graduate

The graduate is able to independently and creatively conceive of a musical work, convey his or her conceptual interpretation to the performers, defend and justify it with arguments, and adequately execute it at a public concert.

The graduate performs as a versatile and accomplished artistic personality capable of masterful, original and compelling expression. The graduate is able to independently, purposefully and efficiently plan and structure his or her own work, as well as support the creative process among the other performers.

Specialist knowledge

The graduate of the programme in Conducting possesses knowledge of musical styles, as well as a cultivated and critical understanding of related artistic traditions. The graduate is well oriented in the particulars of various styles, as well as the manner in which each style is manifested in music; he or she can describe the individual styles in a theoretical framework.

The graduate has detailed knowledge of the historical context and development of symphonic music, opera and other vocal genres of musical theatre. He or she has extensive knowledge of the theoretical and historical contexts in which opera is practiced and presented. The graduate will have flawless knowledge of a musical score of a work he or she has studied, and is able to inspirationally conduct such studied material from the piano.

Specialist skills

The graduate of the programme in Conducting possesses skills of the craft with respect to the representative repertoire and various styles, and is able to construct a perfect auditory representation when reading a score. He or she has mastered an efficient and professionally suitable technique for conducting orchestras and leading rehearsals. The graduate understands the terminology and individual phases of rehearsing an opera, and is well oriented in the processes and issues of operating an opera house. He or she is able to make decisions on the composition of the orchestra and chorus with respect to the stylistic period of the work to be performed, as well as to the environment in which the performance will take place. The graduate is able to select a suitable approach to deliberations with the group, and to articulate a clear and compelling musical interpretation of the work.

General competencies

The graduate of the programme in Conducting is able to integrate knowledge obtained from various contexts and perspectives. The graduate is able to learn a designated repertoire and to conduct it at a public concert with a high degree of skill commensurate with his or her aptitudes, the communicativeness of his or her manual technique, the ability to impart his or her interpretative aim to the orchestra, and thus the ability to justify his or her interpretation in the relevant contexts. The graduate has highly refined communication and presentation skills. The graduate recognises the relationships between theory and practice, and uses this knowledge to support and strengthen his or her own artistic development. He or she has a positive attitude and willingly engages in lifelong personal and professional development.

General information about admission process

An admissions proceeding has been organised for the continuing Master’s programme in Conducting, which takes the form of an in-person aptitude test. The applicant shall attach to the application a programme sheet of choral and symphonic compositions and opera titles learned or performed during the Bachelor’s programme, as well as an audio-visual recording of a rehearsal with an orchestra and a public performance of at least 15 minutes in duration.

The precise requirements of the aptitude test for the programme in Conducting are published for each academic year, and consist of a specific programme which is selected in such a way so as to enable the applicant to demonstrate his or her extraordinary aptitudes for the Master’s programme of study. These requirements are updated each year and posted in the relevant parts of the Studies section on the faculty website, and thus they are also available to prospective HAMU applicants.

The aptitude test consists of several parts. These are a sample of work with singers at the piano, a sample of conducting with piano accompaniment, and a sample of playing a piano extract from a pre-assigned piano work. The last part of the aptitude test is an interview in which the applicant demonstrates his or her musical and general cultural awareness and level of theoretical knowledge.

All parts of the aptitude test will take place in person before the examination committee. The examination committee has the right to designate which of the required samples or compositions the applicant shall perform. The examination committee has the right to interrupt individual compositions or samples at any time.

The admissions committee shall assess the applicant with a comprehensive score, which contains evaluations and assessments of his or her aptitude for conducting the repertoire, working with a singer, level of adroitness at the piano, and range of general cultural knowledge, all at least at the level of a graduate of the Bachelor’s programme.

After the completion of the last part of the aptitude test, the admissions committee shall rank individual applicants according to their average scores and shall recommend for admission those applicants who ranked within the admissions target and who earned the minimum score for the programme of study in Conducting.

The requirements of the admissions proceeding, including a designation of the method by which points are awarded, their range and the admissions target, are defined for each academic year by a relevant Decree of the Dean, which is subject to approval by the academic senate of the faculty.

If not enough applicants receive the required number of points, the admissions target will not be met.