Musicology higher cycle - Cycle Supérieur

1. Eliminatory tests

These tests are common to both the preparatory musicology cycle entrance examination and the advanced musicology cycle entrance examination.

Success in the eliminatory tests is definitive for all subsequent competitions.

1.1 Musical training

• Written tests (duration: 1h30)
  • Dictation with missing parts from the recorded repertoire, which may contain rhythmic, melodic and harmonic statements.
  • Monodic atonal statement and recognition of cadences and keys.
• Oral test
  • Walk through an orchestral conductor including transposing instruments with rhythmic and sung reading on audio support (prior dressing room: 10 minutes).

These tests are common to the entrance examinations for the Advanced Musicology Cycle (Theoretical and Applied Analysis, Aesthetics, History of Music and Music Culture) and the Preparatory Cycle.

The following are exempt from this test

• students or former students in the advanced writing, composition, orchestration, conducting, accompaniment, keyboard improvisation, voice conducting, vocal accompaniment and choreographic accompaniment classes at the Paris Conservatoire;
• instrumentalist students who have passed the exemption exam or obtained the Music Training certificate from the Paris Conservatoire;
• holders of the Diplôme d'État de Formation musicale ;
• holders of the following Certificats d'Aptitude : Formation musicale, Culture musicale, Écriture, Accompagnement, Professeur animateur et Directeur.
• Candidates admitted to the agrégation in music;
• Holders of a DEM in music training or orchestral conducting;
  
  

1.2 Vocal or instrumental practice

Performance of a work or excerpt from a work of the candidate's choice lasting no more than 5 minutes.

This test is waived for

• students or former students in the instrumental classes of a CNSMD ;
• holders of a Diplôme d'Etat or Certificat d'Aptitude in instrumental or vocal performance;
• holders of a specialised cycle award (acquired) from a CRD or CRR, a Conservatoire Municipal d'Arrondissement de Paris, a brevet d'exécution from the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, or their equivalent from a school abroad, less than five years old.

Proof of these qualifications must be provided at the time of registration.

2. Eligibility tests

The entrance examinations consist of two modules:

• a module common to all disciplines ;
• a specific module.

Module 1: (Duration 4 h)

Test common to all four disciplines: three listening commentaries, one of which must include a score.
The commentaries may be accompanied by questions on specific points of analysis. Each work or excerpt from a work will be played two or three times.

Candidates who have already passed the entrance examination for the Musicology and Analysis department are exempt.

Module 2: (Duration 4 h)

Examination common to all three subjects: Aesthetics, History of Music, Musical Culture: essay and/or text commentary.

Candidates who have already passed the entrance examination for the Musicology and Analysis department are exempt.

3. Admission tests

Oral test: appearance before the jury with a dressing room:

• 1 hour in the box and 45 minutes in the viva: a commentary on a quotation and a question on the history of music (^17th-20th centuries) chosen by lot.

N.B. : Candidates admitted to the competitive entrance examination for the^2nd cycle who are not nationals of French-speaking countries must present, before 30 June preceding their first enrolment at the Conservatoire, a certificate issued by a body approved by the French government attesting to a level of French at least equal to B1 on the Council of Europe's scale of common reference levels, before 10 December following their first enrolment at the Conservatoire, a certificate issued by a body recognised by the French government attesting to a level of French at least equal to B2 on the Council of Europe's scale of common reference levels. In all cases, students who have not fulfilled the aforementioned obligations by the end of their studies will not receive the diploma for the course of study followed.

The course may be taken twice or three times.

The following are exempt

- candidates who have already passed the entrance examination for the Musicology and Analysis department.

- candidates who have held the certificate in History of Music - Chronological and Synthetic Study (mention Bien or Très Bien) for less than 5 years.

Module 2a: (Duration: 4 h)
Examination common to Aesthetics and Music History: essay and/or text commentary.

Exemptions :

- candidates who have already passed the entrance examination for the Musicology and Analysis department;
- holders of the Certificat d'Histoire de la musique, étude chronologique et synthétique (formerly Histoire de la musique B) with distinction;

Candidates who pass these entrance examinations are eligible for all subsequent entrance examinations.

ADMISSION TEST

Oral test
A commentary on a quotation and a music history question (17th-20th centuries) chosen by lot.
(1 hour in the box and 45 minutes in front of the jury).

Students who qualify for the competitive entrance examination to the Higher Musicology Cycle but fail the admission tests may, if they wish, be admitted to the preparatory cycle.

N.B.: Candidates readmitted to the competitive entrance examination for the 2nd cycle who are not nationals of French-speaking countries must present
- before 30 June preceding their first enrolment at the Conservatoire, a certificate issued by a body approved by the French government attesting to a level of French at least equal to B1 on the Council of Europe's scale of common reference levels
- and before 10 December following their first enrolment, a certificate issued by a body recognised by the French government attesting to a level of French at least equal to B2 on the Council of Europe's scale of common reference levels.