The admission audition for the bachelor’s programme Music Theatre consists of a preselection and three rounds, spread over several days. Each round comprises one or more working sessions. You work in groups with varying compositions. Read carefully what is expected of you and what you need to prepare for each component — you can find this in the paragraphs below.
The auditions take place at ArtEZ Conservatorium in Arnhem.
The audition committee consists of a chair and experts from the various disciplines. In its assessment, the committee looks at your creativity, originality, potential for development and craftsmanship.
After you have registered for the programme via Studielink, you will receive an automatic email inviting you to complete the application form. Your application is only complete once you have submitted this form.
The form asks, among other things, for:
- Your specialisation (vocalist, instrumentalist or composer).
- A short motivation: why you are choosing this programme and what you hope to learn.
- A summary of your experience to date, such as completed (pre)education, and your activities and projects in the field of music theatre.
- A self-devised short concept (max. 2 A4 pages) or a description of your dream music-theatre production — a production in which music is the driving force. You may present your idea in words, images or a combination (for example text, sketches, photos or a moodboard). Consider questions such as: what is it about; which emotion or theme is central; and how do you want to shape it — as a stage production, a performance, an installation, something small and intimate or something large and sweeping? What kind of music belongs with it, and how does the music propel the production — do you hear voice, instruments, recordings, silence, a particular style or atmosphere? And which images, colours or materials fit? It does not need to be finished or perfect — the aim is to make your idea tangible and let your imagination run free.
- Sheet music for the two pieces you wish to perform in the first round — this also applies to your own work. Choose two pieces in different genres; preferably not musical-theatre or cabaret repertoire. During the audition you will receive tasks that give you scope to shape the pieces theatrically. If you choose the Composer specialisation, both pieces must be your own compositions. By sheet music we mean notated music for voice with piano accompaniment, a lead sheet or a chord chart with lyrics. Make sure all sheet music is in the right key for you.
Based on your answers, an initial selection will be made. You will hear the result of the preselection no later than 2 working weeks after the submission deadline. If the result is positive, you will receive an invitation to the first audition round at least 2 weeks before the audition period.
In the first round, we test your basic musical skills, vocally and/or instrumentally. This takes place in a group of three to five candidates and lasts about an hour. Immediately afterwards, you will hear whether you can proceed to the second round. The second round takes place later that same day.
What do you need to prepare?
Once your registration has been processed and approved (see “Presentatiemap”), you will receive a short musical excerpt to study.
In addition, prepare two pieces of your choice for the first round. These may be existing works or your own, accompanied or a cappella. A pianist will be available at the audition to accompany you.
If you pass the first round, the second round follows later that same day. In this round, we will test your abilities in acting, movement and performance development. You will work in a larger group led by an acting and movement coach. We will examine your performance's practicality and repeatability as well as your ability to combine artistic disciplines.
The second round lasts about an hour and a half. Afterwards, you will hear whether you can proceed to the third round.
Solo performance
In preparation for the third round, you should create a musical theatre solo of up to 3 minutes in response to a theme or topic. The theme changes every year, so no 2 years are the same. Show and let us hear the associations and images that the theme evokes for you. Explore how you can bring music (composition), language, movement and performance together into an interdisciplinary act. Let your imagination run free, including in your choices of setting, costume, light and sound. We are keen to see your full imagination, creativity and voice as a theatre maker.
Once you have passed the prescreening round, you will receive this year’s theme by email.
Basic technical facilities are available for your performance, such as lighting, sound reinforcement (PA and amps), piano and percussion. Beyond that, you may bring anything additional that you wish to be included from home. To avoid losing too much time during changeovers between solos, please keep it simple.
Theory test
The music theory test is also part of the third round. This test is partially written and partially oral.
See the "Toelatingseisen Muziektheorie" section on this webpage for what is expected for this test.
At the end of the third round, you will hear whether you have passed the audition.
In Music Theatre, music theory is a part of your practice. For music theory, we emphasise skills rather than sheer knowledge. We are interested in what do you do with your musical knowledge rather than the amount you know. Of course, you do need a foundation to start the programme, so you should have basic familiarity with notation and good aural skills.
Need extra training? ArtEZ offers an intensive crash course in music theory to prepare for the bachelor’s admissions theory exams.
- You know these note values: semibreve, minim, crotchet and quaver; and these rests: semibreve rest, minim rest, crotchet rest and quaver rest.
- You can tap or sing back a simple rhythm that is played to you.
- You can perform simple notated rhythms in 4/4, 3/4, 2/4 and 6/8.
This is an example of such a rhythm.
- You can name notes, with and without sharp (#) or flat (♭), written on a stave in the G clef (treble clef) or F clef (bass clef), including notes with one ledger line.
- Given the name of a note, you can write it on a stave with a G clef or an F clef. You can also point it out on a piano keyboard.
- You can memorise and sing back a short, played melodic fragment of a few bars.
- You can sight-sing a simple notated melody in C, G and F major without preparation.
This is an example of such a melody.
- You know these intervals: perfect unison, minor and major second, minor and major third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor and major sixth, minor and major seventh, perfect octave.
- You recognise these intervals in notation — that is, written on a stave with treble or bass clef — with the notes either vertically aligned (harmonic) or one after the other (melodic).
- You can notate a given interval above (and below) a given note on a stave.
- You can sing back played major and minor triads, in root position and inversions.
- When a triad is played, you can identify whether it is major or minor. The triad may be sounded simultaneously or broken (arpeggiated), in any position.
- From notation, you can identify whether a triad is major or minor.
In Music Theatre, we pay close attention to healthy speech and musicianship. If you are admitted to the programme, you will take a speech and voice test with the ENT partnership at Rijnstate Hospital and the Loes Selten Voice and Throat Practice, so that we have a sense of your vocal health at the start of the programme. This also applies to Music Theatre students with an instrumental main subject. The examination will take place shortly after the final audition round at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem.
Please note: the costs of the speech and voice test are at your own expense. Most health insurers offer reimbursement for these costs.
The auditions will take place from 27 March to 2 April 2026.
Rounds 1 and 2 will be held on either 27, 28 or 30 March.
Round 3, including the theory test, lasts three days and will take place on 31 March, 1 April and 2 April.
The official admission decision is made by the Examination Board of the Academy of Music, which verifies that the admissions process has been followed correctly.
A positive admission decision is valid only for the programme for which you applied and for the academic year immediately following the admission audition. If you wish to audition for a programme or specialisation at another location, you must apply for that programme separately. If you wish to start a year later, you can submit a written request to the Examination Board to retain your results for one year.
If you disagree with a negative admission decision or believe that an incorrect admission procedure was followed, you may lodge an appeal with the Examination Board.
