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Gradu­ate Per­form­ance Dip­loma – Clas­sic­al

Admission requirements

The minimum requirement for admission to the Graduate Performance Diploma programme is a Bachelor's degree in Music (or recognised equivalent), with a minimum of 80 ECTS credits obtained from Performance subjects.

Entrance examinations (corresponding to the examinations for the Master of Music Performance Degree Programme – Solo Instrument/Chamber Music) will be administered to applicants. The applicant’s level at the audition must at minimum be equivalent to the completion requirements of the four-year Bachelor of Music Performance Degree Programme at the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Programme description

This is a one-year study programme intended for students with a classical music background who wish to undertake one year of study at the Norwegian Academy of Music, studying with one of the Academy’s instructors to: develop their performance skills; concentrate on a particular repertoire; prepare for auditions/competitions; conduct an in-depth independent study in a specific performance-related area. The programme is aimed at applicants who have already attained a level of performance equivalent to the level of the students in our Master of Music Performance Degree Programme. This is a non-degree-granting programme.

The programme does not offer a degree. However, students admitted to the programme may be eligible for admission to an additional year of study to fulfil the requirements and obtain a Master’s degree in Performance from the Norwegian Academy of Music.

The programme comprises a total of 60 ECTS credits, the equivalent of one year of full-time study.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of the Graduate Performance Diploma programme, the student will

  • have acquired an extensive and varied repertoire
  • demonstrate artistic expression and advanced instrument techniques
  • master a range of music practices, demonstrating presentation skills and knowledge
  • be able to work in an independent, purposeful and thoughtful manner with artistic challenges
  • be able to complete artistic projects alone and with others
  • be critically aware of ethical issues related to their discipline, and obtain professional work ethics

Organisation

The study programme is comprised of teacher-led classroom instruction, academic supervision and independent study.

As a general rule, class attendance at the Academy is not compulsory. However, for specific courses, attendance is required. This is because student activities in the classroom are essential experiences that lead to insight, understanding, and skills in the subject area, which constitute valuable expertise and qualifications that may not be documented/demonstrated by a test or examination. The individual course descriptions specify whether class attendance is compulsory.

Students whose principal instrument is an orchestral instrument, regardless of concentration, may be required to participate in one orchestra project per year, as needed.

Students whose principal instrument is Classical Voice are required to participate in two-chamber choir projects.

ECTS credits are used as the unit of measure to express the scope of the courses in the study programme. One year of full-time study is equal to 60 credits. One credit corresponds to 27-30 hours of study, including classroom instruction and independent study/academic work.

Assessment

The Academy uses two marking systems giving either a final course mark of “passed” or “failed,” or a final course mark on a scale [CJS1] of A to F, where E is the lowest passing mark.

The individual course description specifies which system of marking will be used.

Further details on assessment and examination are provided in Chapter VI of the Regulations governing the study programmes at the Norwegian Academy of Music (lovdata.no).

A final transcript of records will be issued when the student has completed the programme. All courses which are part of the study programme, as well as the marks and number of credits, will be stated on the transcript.

Education quality assurance

The Academy has a system for educational quality assurance and development that applies to all aspects of the education provided. Students play a vital role in these efforts by, among other things, participating in student evaluations of courses and programmes.

Published: Apr 3, 2020 — Last updated: Jul 1, 2022