Malmö Academy of Music

It is Wednesday the 5th of March. I am applying to Malmö Academy of Music for a master degree in composition and today was the first part of the entrance exam. It began with a group summoning at 9AM, where after we all were direct to an own room, with a piano in it. We had a total time of 8h to accomplish three written tasks. We were interrupted for 15 min for making an aural test (in contemporary analysis, this time we got to listen to Lutoslawski), but otherwise I sat in my room the whole day (with exception for when I went to buy more green tea).

I have to say I really enjoyed the test! I began with the third task, orchestration. It was scored for piano, but we were supposed to re-score it for 8-11 players. Then I did the free counterpoint task, which I enjoyed even more! There was one bar written ready for piano in three voices and about 12 empty bars, which I filled up with a four-voices quasi fugue. Last I did the first task, analysis, which I liked the least. I always find it hard to write texts containing self-evident things on paper, but as time was ending I forced my self to write two pages about the contemporary string quartet. I am very happy with how the exam went, but really exhausted after having to concentrate for 8 hours (after having slept for about 5h every night three nights in a row). But tomorrow there is only the interview, so I’m looking forward to that!