Music preparatory programme Arnhem
Are you about to complete your havo, vwo or mbo-4b programme and planning to continue your studies at the conservatory? The Preparatory Programme Music gives you the best possible preparation for the admission to a bachelor’s programme.
What you will learn in the Preparatory Programme Music
In the Preparatory Programme Music, you combine high-level music-making with everything you need for your bachelor admission exam.
You develop your musical skills and receive guidance and information to help you advance musically. This includes main subject lessons on your instrument or in voice, performing during student performance evenings and taking part in the Werkdagen (read more about these below). You will also receive music theory lessons. All lessons are taught by conservatory lecturers.
Over the course of a year, you will discover how things work at the ArtEZ Academy of Music and whether a conservatory programme is right for you. A preparatory programme is not a guarantee of admission to a bachelor’s programme. However, your lessons with conservatory lecturers will give you a strong advantage and the best preparation for your admission exam.
You can choose from the following pathways within the Preparatory Programme Music:
Start date: September
Over thirty teaching weeks, you receive:
- individual main subject lessons taught by a conservatory lecturer;
- general theory lessons (ear training and general music theory), 60 minutes weekly;
- for wind players, string players and vocalists: music-making with piano accompaniment (Classical Music);
- student performance evenings at the ArtEZ Academy of Music;
- three workshop days at ArtEZ (the Werkdagen).
Costs: €1.590
You will be thoroughly prepared for our bachelor’s programme Composition for Film and Theatre. Over 30 teaching weeks, your foundation in composition, theory and music production is strengthened. You will explore writing in multiple styles and genres and work with live musicians who will perform and record your compositions. This allows you to build a strong portfolio within the Preparatory Programme, which you will use for your admission audition.
Over thirty teaching weeks, you receive:
- group lessons in composition and production taught by a conservatory lecturer: 90 minutes weekly;
- general theory lessons (ear training and general music theory), 60 minutes weekly;
- a studio day;
- various project days with live musicians who will perform your compositions;
- three workshop days at ArtEZ (the Werkdagen).
Costs: €1.590
For the Preparatory Programme Jazz & Pop, you complete an audition that is identical to the bachelor Jazz & Pop audition. During this audition, we also assess whether you are already admissible to the bachelor.
- If you are admissible to the bachelor, you can no longer participate in the preparatory programme.
- If you have previously auditioned for the bachelor and received a negative result, you unfortunately cannot apply for the preparatory programme.
More information about the audition can be found on the admission page of the bachelor Jazz & Pop in Arnhem.
About the audition:
- You audition with a band of at least two people.
- Auditioning with only a karaoke/backing track, solo or as a duo is not permitted.
- If you cannot bring your own band, you may hire ArtEZ students as your accompanying band. You arrange this when submitting your application.
Please note: for voice and guitar, there is a pre-selection due to the large number of applications.
For your audition, you first submit a digital portfolio. More information can be found on the admission page of the bachelor Music Theatre.
Application
In June, you will perform a programme that you have created yourself. This will demonstrate where you are now and how you are developing.
This programme must meet the requirements listed on the admissions page for the bachelor's programme in Classical Music.
Admission consists of a motivational interview based on your portfolio.
Your portfolio should contain:
- Three recent productions, at least one of which must be in score form.
- Descriptions of your compositions: why, for whom, what they are about and what you wanted to experiment with or say/write with them, etc.
- The composition process.
- The software and hardware you used (e.g. computer and operating system, DAW, VST libraries, plug-ins, microphones, etc.).
- Explanation as to how you did the mixing and mastering.
Submit your portfolio as a PDF with links to your work:
- Use YouTube links for video (they can be set as unlisted, but not private)
- Use SoundCloud links for audio.
Important: always test whether your links work. Make sure that the videos are not set to private.
For the Jazz & Pop preparatory programme, you will audition in the same way as for the bachelor's programme in Jazz & Pop. During this audition, we will also assess whether you are already eligible for admission to the Bachelor's programme.
- If you are eligible for admission to the Bachelor's programme, you can no longer participate in the preparatory course.
- If you have previously auditioned for the Bachelor's programme and the result was negative, you will unfortunately not be able to apply for the preparatory course.
More information about the audition can be found on the admissions page for the bachelor's programme in Jazz & Pop in Arnhem.
About the audition:
You will audition with a band of at least two people.
- Auditioning with only a karaoke/backing track, solo or in a duo is not permitted.
- If you are unable to bring your own band, you have the option to hire ArtEZ students as your backing band. You can arrange this when you submit your application.
Please note: due to the large number of applications, there is a pre-screening process for singing and guitar.
Before your audition, you must first submit a digital presentation portfolio. More information can be found on the admissions page for the bachelor's programme in Music Theatre.
Application
Deadlines for application and, when required, for uploading admission material are:
- 15 April for Jazz & Pop and Composition for Film and Theatre
- 1 May for Classical Music and Music Theatre
You can apply for the Preparatory Programme Music up to one year after completing secondary school or an MBO-4B programme.
Applications received after the deadline will only be considered if sufficient study places are still available.
