Announcement
1. Round: Song Play
(exam: 40 minutes preperation time)
Preperation
Two of three prepared titles of different styles, which should demonstrate the artistic focus of the participants in particular quality, are performed from memory. One of the three titles must belong to the field of international folklore. After the performance of a self-selected introductory title, the jury will select the final title from the remaining two titles.
Examination
- Traditional folk song
- Pop/rock song
- Jazz standard
One of the short prepared titles suitable for school practice must be sung by the candidate. The other titles are accompanied by a singer. All three titles have to be performed with prelude as well as melody playing (melody played along) and song accompaniment playing (melody not played along) in two keys (by means of style-typical modulation by a maximum of one whole tone). Depending on the style, it may be sufficient to play only part of the melody.
Evaluation criteria
- Differentiated and sensitive piano playing
- Stylistic authenticity
- Balance between singing and piano playing
- Quality of the singer's accompaniment
- When using the microphone: Appropriate use
The total duration of the first round must not exceed 15 minutes. Of the total of three self-sung titles, a maximum of two may be sung using a microphone or headset.
Sequence of the artistic performance
opening title - briefly prepared titles - closing title
2. Round: Score and Sight-reading
(exam: 30 minutes preperation time)
1st part: Playing a classical choral movement prepared in the examination. The movement is largely homophonic and notated in four systems.
2nd part: Accompaniment of an art song prepared in the examination.
3rd part: Ad-hoc accompaniment according to a lead sheet.
Possible styles: Medium swing, jazz ballad, jazz waltz or bossa nova.
Procedure: Counting in by instrumental soloist, two rounds (theme, accompaniment of improvisation), ending.
Apart from the certainty in the musical text, the assessment criteria are above all the music-making in partnership (balance, interplay) with the soloists to be accompanied as well as, in the case of the choral score, the orientation towards vocal phrasing, but also a convincing and differentiated piano sound.
3. Round: Improvisation
(exam: 45 minutes preperation time)
Four themes from the following areas are given:
a) a picture
b) a short text
c) two unrhythmic sequences of about eight tones with different tonal relations. The notes of the sequences must occur at least once in their original order within the improvisation.
Three of the four themes must be chosen.
The evaluation criteria are in particular originality, stylistic variety and authenticity, tonal differentiation and musical persuasiveness, as well as the successful processing of the tone series beyond the formal requirements.
The jury
- Prof. Thomas Hettwer (HfMT Hamburg)
- Prof. Christopher Miltenberger (HfM Mainz)
- Prof. Laurens Patzlaff (MH Lübeck)
- Ania Paz (UdK Berlin)
- Annelie Ripke (HMT Leipzig)
- Prof. Gero Schmidt-Oberländer (HfM Weimar)
- Jury president: Prof. Dr. Ortwin Nimczik (BMU)