Bachelor of Arts in Music Education for Voice and Instruments (IGP) – Double Bass
Curriculum information at: https://www.mdw.ac.at/1324
Programme objective:
Training of instrumental and vocal music teachers for both institutional and freelance teaching careers. Concludes with a bachelor’s degree examination that represents a fully valid, state-recognised professional qualification.
Teaching activities may include:
Instrumental and/or vocal instruction at educational institutions (music schools, Oberstufenrealgymnasien [specialised upper-cycle academic secondary schools] with instrumental music as a compulsory subject, Gymnasien [classical academic secondary schools] with instrumental music as an elective), and freelance.
Admission criteria:
For the Music Education – Voice and Instruments (IGP) programme, the completion of which represents a fully valid form of professional qualification, a higher level of playing on one’s instrument is expected than for Music Education (ME).
Entrance Examination (corresponds to IME: 1st instrument):
3 works from different stylistic eras
a) 1 etude
b) 1 fast movement
c) 1 freely chosen piece
Bachelor’s degree examination (corresponds to IME: bachelor’s degree examination, 1st instrument)
A total of 4 pieces must be prepared:
- One’s programme must include works from at least 3 different eras chosen from the stylistic categories of baroque, classical (incl. pre-classical), romantic, and 20th/21st century (incl. all areas of popular music); one of the chosen stylistic eras may be represented by 2 pieces.
- One’s programme must contain a concerto at a level of difficulty equivalent to that of Dittersdorf’s Concerto No. 2 in D Major.
- One’s programme must include a work for ensemble (chamber music in any combination except for double bass / piano).
The piece with which the exam performance begins may be chosen by the candidate.
One’s chosen artistic programme must be made available in printed form at the examination.
Didactics Examination:
General Examination Criteria:
The didactics examination is meant to reveal a candidate’s comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge and abilities as well as to facilitate recognition of their ability to think within broader contexts. The concern here is with a sound approach to pedagogical and didactic issues as well as with the ability to work with students as their teacher in a way that makes sense. The candidate should also be capable of demonstrating details of playing technique on an instrument and should therefore bring along their double bass to this examination.
At the examination, the applicant must present a list of 12 works that have been prepared with the general examination criteria (see above) in mind; this list must include works suitable for teaching beginners and contain balanced shares of the following content:
Teaching Literature:
Double bass tutors (e.g., by L. Streicher, Simandl, Findeisen)
Technical exercises (e.g., by Bottesini)
Etudes (e.g. by Kreutzer, Simandl)
Books with pedagogically or didactically relevant content
(e.g., Lehren und Lernen im Instrumentalunterricht by Anselm Ernst, Über das Unterrichten by Tom de Vree)
Performance Repertoire:
The candidate’s performance repertoire should include works of various eras and formal genres.
Examination Structure:
This examination consists of two parts:
1) an oral/rhetorical part, and
2) a teaching demonstration together with a student as well as subsequent reflection thereupon.
Regarding 1): the candidate is permitted to begin the examination by discussing a topic of their own choosing that relates to the provided work list, speaking spontaneously (not reading!).
The examination committee will then ask questions pertaining to further works on the candidate’s list; the answers to these must likewise be spontaneous.
Regarding 2): the candidate should give a demonstration of their teaching conceived to represent not an entire double bass lesson but rather an emphasis appropriate to the level of the participating pupil and the material used in the teaching demonstration.
One’s chosen artistic programme must be made available in printed form at the examination.
Exam duration: ca. 45 minutes