Experience from recent years shows that the "success rate" of the School's preparatory courses is high: provided participants remain actively engaged, practical and theoretical entrance examinations are almost always passed.
The preliminary studies consist of three components: instrumental/vocal main subject, ensemble playing, and theory / ear training. However, instruction in the instrumental/vocal main subject is not always necessary, for instance where students have shown that they possess the requisite skills by e.g. passing the practical bachelor examination.
The Lucerne School of Music has a new offering that is of particular potential interest to prospective students from "non-agreement" cantons which do not subsidise the preliminary studies: its preparatory courses provide expert weekly tuition in music theory / ear training at relatively affordable prices; participants can, depending on their selection and under certain conditions, also attend workshops and/or chamber music sessions. Not only are the contents of these preparatory courses geared towards passing the entrance examination and providing a good start to the bachelor's programme at the Lucerne School of Music, they are generally also suitable as preparation for any entrance examination at Swiss tertiary-level music colleges.
Preparatory course – "basic"
The basic preparatory course comprises weekly lessons (excluding Christmas holidays) in music theory, rhythm and ear training of about 250 minutes per week from the beginning of the semester in September to the completion of the theory entrance examination. The basic preparatory course is not subject to an admission test: participants are expected to be able to read music well and have good knowledge of basic musical concepts.
Preparatory course – "plus"
The "plus" version of the preparatory course incorporates the contents of the basic course, in addition to which weekly workshops are attended in the jazz and folk music profiles; in the classical music profile, instruction is provided in chamber music and improvisation. An admission test is mandatory for the "plus" version of the course.
Preparatory course – "junior"
In addition, further courses are offered in the jazz profile which last for three years: two further preparatory courses – "basic junior" (theory) and "plus junior" (theory and workshop) – are aimed at school students wishing to prepare for the bachelor's degree entrance examination at the same time as their school education but do not require instrumental/vocal lessons (or are not resident in an "agreement canton"). These "junior" courses lead to the same qualification as the preparatory courses and essentially impart the same contents, but over a longer period of time.
The requirements and conditions are the same as those for the preliminary studies.
Further information, including on lesson times and costs, may be obtained from the precollege secretariat, musik@hslu.ch, T 041 249 26 00.
The precollege flyer below provides a comparison of the various options.
