Application process, conducting

Your application in two steps:
1. Apply at www.universityadmissions.se
2. Submit portfolio and personal letter

The University seeks applicants who demonstrate cognisance, introspection, and self-sufficiency in their artistry, in addition to high-level musical competence.

The two steps of your application

1. Apply at universityadmissions.se External link, opens in new window.

Last day for application is Wednesday the 15th of January, 2025.

2. Audition

The entrance exam in conducting consists of two parts:

• Orchestral Conducting
• Choral Conducting

The exam assesses skills such as technical proficiency, gesture, musical expression, and communication. The entrance exams serve as a basis for selection.

The orchestral audition consists of a high-quality video recording in which you conduct Finlandia, Op. 26 by Jean Sibelius, with either an orchestra or a pianist. We may accept recordings with an orchestra of works of similar difficulty. Please contact us before submitting your recording. The recording should be done in one take and begins by stating your name loudly and clearly. You must be visible in full figure throughout the entire recording, with the camera positioned directly in front of you or slightly angled from the front. Note: We will not accept recordings taken from behind or from the side.

Link to full score of Finlandia:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/15894/froq External link.
Link to piano reduction of Finlandia:
Finlandia: https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ImagefromIndex/15959/froq External link.

The choir audition consists of a high-quality video recording in which you conduct one of the works listed below with a mixed choir of at least 8 singers:

• Josef Rheinberger – Abendlied
• Einojuhani Rautavaara – El Grito from Suite de Lorca
• Sven-Erik Bäck – Jesus, think of me
• Veljo Tormis – On hilissuvi (no. 1) and Kanarbik (no. 7) from Autumn Landscapes
• Knut Nystedt – Gloria from Missa Brevis

The following applies to both orchestra and choir auditions: The recording should be done in one take and start with you saying your name loudly and clearly. You must be visible in full figure throughout the entire recording, with the camera positioned directly in front or slightly angled from the front.
Note: We will not accept recordings taken from behind or from the side.

In addition to these mandatory orchestra and choir pieces, we also require a video recording, either old or new, in which you conduct an orchestra/ensemble and/or choir/vocal ensemble.
The digital video recordings should be accessible via internet links, preferably as a YouTube link. Each link must be accompanied by detailed descriptions of when/how/where the recording was made, along with information about the repertoire. Information about the video recordings and links to them must be received by us no later than Sunday, March 9, 2025, and sent to antagningsprovmukom@mailbox.ltu.se

Note: We will also arrange an on-site audition for applicants travelling to Piteå on Thursday, March 6, 2025. For the orchestra audition, we will provide pianists for the conducting of Beethoven's Leonore. For the choir audition, we will provide a choir for rehearsing one of the works listed above and for conducting through an additional piece.