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Piano

Postgraduate certificate

PGL

Overview

The course is defined by the renowned teachers of the Mozarteum University, most of whom are themselves highly successful pianists on the international concert stage. The aim of this programme is to perfect students’ technical and creative skills and to deepen their knowledge of repertoire, while also offering performance opportunities as preparation for a successful career as a concert pianist.

General information

The course includes 1 academic hour per week of instruction in the principal study. In addition, electives and free electives can be taken. Performance opportunities at university concerts and events in Salzburg and further afield are part of the course.

The duration of the course is 2 semesters. With the approval of the principal study teacher and the Director of Studies, it is possible to extend the course by one or two semesters.

Successful completion of the course is based upon passing grades in classes relating to the principal study. A certificate of completion can be issued upon request.

The curriculum provides an overview of the courses offered. In addition to the lessons in the principal study, (free) elective subjects can be taken. These are listed in the semester plan under “no semester recommended”.

Link to the curriculum

A course fee and the ÖH contribution (Students' Union fees) must be paid per semester for participation in the course.

Information on the current fees can be found HERE.

Admission to a postgraduate university course (PGL) requires the successful completion of a subject-related master's degree or diploma at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution in the respective principal study. Admission with a teaching degree, such as music education or instrumental & vocal pedagogy, is NOT possible.

A prerequisite for starting the course is also passing an audition. Auditions take place once a year. All information about the audition can be found under “Information on the Admissions Process” further down on the page.

Information on the admissions process

Admission to a postgraduate university course (PGL) requires the successful completion of a subject-related master's or diploma degree at a recognised Austrian or foreign post-secondary educational institution in the respective principal study. Admission with a teaching degree, such as music education or instrumental & vocal pedagogy, is NOT possible.

A prerequisite for admission to this university course is also the successful completion of an audition. Registration for an audition is completed online and requires candidates to upload documents proving their eligibility for the course. After your application has been processed, you will receive an invitation to upload your application video to Muvac. If the application video is assessed positively, you will be invited to the entrance exam, which takes place on site in Salzburg.

PLEASE NOTE:

Document checks can take up to 6 weeks! Early registration is therefore recommended.
Evaluation of the application videos takes place after the video deadline (20.03.2025) and can take up to 4 weeks!

The audition panel will make a selection based on the application videos submitted. The selected applicants will be invited to an on-site audition.

The following documents must be uploaded in the online application form:

BA certificate and MA certificate or final certificate of an equivalent degree programme, if the degree programme has already been completed.
Confirmation of current enrolment in a Master's programme, if the study programme has not yet been completed (the transcript must be submitted prior to enrolment!)
Overview of subjects and grades from your BA and MA degree programmes (Transcript of Records)
Official confirmation of the principal study, if this is not evident from the other documents (e.g. "Bachelor of Music" is not sufficient!)

Format of documents

The documents can be uploaded as PDF in the application form; the video should be entered as a link.
If the documents are not available in German or English, an official translation must be submitted.

Please note: If you pass the audition and are offered a university place, the documents must meet the certification requirements by the time of your enrolment at the latest.

Furthermore: The application video does not need to be uploaded with the application. You will only be invited to upload it after your application has been processed.

Several steps are necessary for registration. Applicants who have already studied at an Austrian university start with step 3.

1. Create a basic account in MOZonline [Link]
2. in MOZonline: fill in the mandatory statistics UHstat1 (pre-registration for studies) and note the application number that you will receive by email afterwards
3. create an application account in Muvac [Link]
4. fill out your own profile in Muvac (in any case necessary: personal data, information on expertise matching the desired degree programme, in the CV: current employment and information on previous training)

During the application period:

5. selection of the desired degree programme or course in Muvac (Browse -> Studies)
6. Fill out the application form in Muvac ("Apply now") - in the form, the application number (see step 2) or the Austrian matriculation number must be entered in the appropriate place

Detailed instructions with screenshots can soon be found HERE.

Communication during the application process takes place via Muvac or email, depending on the degree programme or course. Please ensure that you can be contacted at the email address entered in your profile throughout the entire application process and regularly check whether you have received any new messages in Muvac. You can set your own profile to inform you of any new messages in Muvac by email (Account settings -> Notifications). If your contact details change, please update your profile yourself.

online registration during the application period via the application portal Muvac (Please note: Registration is only possible if all information and documents are complete!)
after processing your online application: invitation to the video pre-selection in Muvac; there the application video must be uploaded by the specific date
if succesful in the pre-selection (video): invitation to the on-site audition (the invitation is sent via Muvac)
in Muvac: acceptance or rejection of participation in the admission exam; if necessary: information on the examination programme for the audition in the main subject (ZKF)
participation in the on-site audition
upon passing the audition and obtaining a place: invitation to enrolment to the course
personal enrolment during the general admission period

If the admission test is not passed, it is only possible to repeat the admission test in its entirety and only from the next academic year. It is not possible to repeat an exam in the same year. The admission test can be repeated an unlimited number of times.

A pre-selection of applicants will be made by the audition panel based on the videos submitted.

The following excerpt from the audition programme for the course "Postgraduate Certificate Piano" must be recorded:

an etude
the first movement of a classical sonata

General information on the application video is listed below and must be observed urgently!

After your application has been processes, you will receive an invitation to the video pre-selection in Muvac. Your participation must be confirmed by 20.03.2025.

The video must be uploaded when you confirm your participation.

If you do not confirm your participation in the video pre-selection in Muvac in time and therefore do not upload a video, your application will not be considered and will lead to the status "not applied". In this case, the application process would end for you at this point.

The video files are to be created by the applicants themselves and uploaded to the application platform Muvac. The following guidelines must be observed:

Please ensure that your face and body are visible in the video.
The video should have the best possible quality in picture and sound. Videos with insufficient sound and/or image quality will not be considered.
The sound recording in the video must not be electronically amplified or altered.
Video editing is not permitted* - the recording must not be edited/cut and must run from beginning to end. Exactly one video must be submitted per application.
Information on the content and duration of the video per instrument is given on the study pages.
If possible, the names of the pieces should be given in the video description (title of the video in Muvac).

^{*Exceptions: For the instrumental studies (concert subject) of all string and plucked instruments the following applies: The video may be edited between the pieces. Exactly one video must be submitted per application.}

Piano accompaniment in the video

For the following instruments, accompaniment in the video is recommended but not obligatory:

String instruments (except for solo pieces).
Wind instruments (exception for recorder: harpsichord accompaniment; for oboe and bassoon: piano or harpsichord accompaniment)

The data protection information can be found HERE.

The programme presented must include representative pieces of the piano repertoire from several styles or periods, taking into account technical and stylistic diversity. The programme must be performed from memory. The following works are to be prepared:

a demanding etude
a work by J.S. Bach
a classical sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven)
a work of the Romantic period
a work of Impressionism or Modernism

Application video: upload in Muvac until 20.3.2025
Instrumental audition to determine artistic aptitude: 2.6.-6.6.2025

overview of all current entrance exam dates

Please note that the Mozarteum University Salzburg offers various support options at the time of your audition and during your studies if you have a disability or a chronic illness.

If this applies to you and you would like to take advantage of counselling, please contact Claudia Haitzmann: claudia.haitzmann@moz.ac.at or +43 676 88122 337.