Keyboard Studies

In Person Auditions (Live) and Recorded Auditions (Overseas and GRNCM Applicants)

You should prepare THREE contrasting pieces of your choice lasting about 15 – 20 minutes, ONE of which must be played from memory. The panel will then select pieces to assess at their discretion.

Alongside this, the panel would also like you to answer the following questions. If you are an online or GRNCM auditionee, these can be submitted as a separate video or included within your main audition recording of around 6 minutes in total.

1. What did you like about the way you played in your audition and what sort of things do you think you could do better?
2. What other pieces have you worked on previously?
3. Is there a composer that you particularly like to play? What is it that attracts you to their compositional style?
4. Have you had any experience playing piano duets, accompanying someone or playing chamber music?
5. What recordings do you like to listen to?
6. What do you take into account when considering music from different periods?

If you are attending a live audition at the RNCM, you will be required to play some sight-reading which will be given to you on the audition day.

Online Interviews (Overseas Applicants)

If your audition recording is shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live online interview via Zoom.

Interviews will give the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, and for you to ask any questions you might have about studying with us. You will also be given a quick study to perform, which will be given to you prior to the audition via email.

In Person Auditions (Live) and Recorded Auditions (Overseas Applicants)

You should prepare THREE contrasting pieces of your choice lasting about 15 – 20 minutes. One of these pieces may be a continuo part, played from a realised or unrealised bass part, with or without melody line(s). The panel will then select pieces to assess at their discretion.

Alongside this, the panel would also like you to answer the following questions. If you are an online auditionee, these can be submitted as a separate video or included within your main audition recording of around 6 minutes in total.

1. What did you like about the way you played in your audition and what sort of things do you think you could do better?
2. What other pieces have you worked on previously?
3. Is there a composer that you particularly like to play? What is it that attracts you to their compositional style?
4. Have you had any experience of playing continuo with groups? What kind of a part did you play from?
5. What recordings do you like to listen to?
6. Do you like playing music ‘by ear’? Are you able to play music that you know well in different keys?

Online Interviews (Overseas Applicants)

If your audition recording is shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live online interview via Zoom.

Interviews will give the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, and for you to ask any questions you might have about studying with us. No additional performance is required.

In Please prepare 40 MINUTES of repertoire by way of a contrasting programme. The panel will choose approximately 15 minutes from this repertoire.

Please note that the programme should be played from memory, except for contemporary repertoire at the candidate’s choosing, and should be recorded in one take if possible.

Alongside this, the panel would also like you to answer the following questions. If you are an online auditionee, these can be submitted as a separate video or included within your main audition recording of around 6 minutes in total.

1. What did you like about the way you played in your audition and what sort of things do you think you could do better?
2. What other pieces have you worked on previously?
3. Is there a composer that you particularly like to play? What is it that attracts you to their compositional style?
4. Have you had any experience playing piano duets, accompanying someone or playing chamber music?
5. What recordings do you like to listen to?
6. What do you take into account when considering music from different periods?

In addition to your video submissions, the panel would like you to submit a 300-500 word written statement outlining your goals for postgraduate study. You may consider writing about specific repertoire you’d like to explore, or any other particular areas of interest.

If you are attending a live audition at the RNCM, you will be required to play some sight-reading which will be given to you on the audition day.

Online Interviews (Overseas Applicants)

If your audition recording is shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live online interview via Zoom.

Interviews will give the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, and for you to ask any questions you might have about studying with us. You will also be given a quick study to perform, which will be given to you prior to the audition via email.

In Person Auditions (Live) and Recorded Auditions (Overseas Applicants)

Please prepare a programme of 45 MINUTES including a complete duo sonata and a complete song cycle or group of songs (no concertos, operatic or oratorio arias, or other orchestral reductions) and one solo piano piece. The solo piano piece should not exceed 5 minutes. The panel will select up to 15 minutes of music in the audition.

For live auditions, you will also be given a quick study to perform, and some sight-reading. Please note that the RNCM cannot provide duo partners.

For overseas applicants, the quick study and sight-reading will be given to shortlisted candidates in the online interview.

Alongside this, the panel would also like you to answer the following questions. If you are an online auditionee, these can be submitted as a separate video or included within your main audition recording.

1. What did you like about the way you played in your audition and what sort of things do you think you could do better?
2. What other pieces have you worked on previously?
3. Is there a composer that you particularly like to play? What is it that attracts you to their compositional style?
4. Have you had any experience playing piano duets, accompanying someone or playing chamber music?
5. What recordings do you like to listen to?
6. What do you take into account when considering music from different periods?

In addition to your video submissions, the panel would like you to submit a 300-500 word written statement outlining your goals for postgraduate study. You may consider writing about specific repertoire you’d like to explore, or any other particular areas of interest.

Online Interviews (Overseas Applicants)

If your audition recording is shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a live online interview via Zoom.

Interviews will give the panel an opportunity to learn a little more about you and your future aspirations, and for you to ask any questions you might have about studying with us. No additional performance is required.