SECOND LEVEL HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
BACHELOR’S STUDY PROGRAMME COMPOSITION
ADMISSION EXAMINATIONS
1. For second level higher professional education bachelor’s study programme
Composition applicants:
1.1. Composition:
Concert performance or recorded presentation of pieces composed by the
applicant /overall duration no less than 7 minutes/. Scores of these pieces must
be submitted. The programme can be individually adapted, but representation of
several different genres, pieces for various instruments is encouraged.
1.2. Colloquium in Composition:
Goal of the colloquium – to determine the overall level of applicant’s knowledge
and skills, professional horizon, interests in music and in other fields, as well as
skills to present and defend own opinion. Specialization topics:
 Current events of Latvian music and culture life – concerts, festivals, et
cetera,
 Latvian contemporary composers and their works,
 notable Latvian performers, artistic collectives, the Latvian National
Opera,
 notable foreign contemporary composers and their pieces.
1.3. Solfeggio:
 WRITING:
o Aural definition of separate musical elements (types of scales;
separate intervals, chords; intervals and chords with resolutions;
short succession of intervals and chords; typical modulations).
Elements can be presented as rhythmically shaped phrases or as
music examples within textures and genres.
o Musical dictation (period of 8-12 bars in two voices); chromatisms,
deflections and modulations to the I related tonality, mixed metres,
changing meters may be included. The dictation is played for 12
times and can be written 25 minutes.
 ORAL:
o Repeat phrases played by the examiner, singing within pitch and
naming notes. To develop given melodic impulse to the shape of
period, retaining intonative and metro-rhythmic characteristics of
genre, creating tonal or modulating period.
o Solfeggio a melody whilst improvising its accompaniment in free
texture in corresponding genre and character.
1.4. Music Theory (harmony, polyphony, form):
 WRITING:
o Harmonize melody in four-voice chord texture or in homophonic
harmonic texture as melody with accompaniment. Deflections and
modulations to I related tonalities are possible,
o Write a polyphonic response and counterpoint to given theme,
concluding with a cadenza.
ORAL:
o Sequence musical excerpt (4-5 sequence stages), concluding with a
cadenza on the tonality reached;
o Applicants choice:
 perform modulation to the I related tonality in the form of
period or other structure of form, in free or 4-voice chord
texture with melodic figuration,
 improvise accompaniment within given genre to a melody
(4-8 bars, modulating to the I related tonality).
o Comprehensive theoretical analysis of a piece or an excerpt (detect
the relevant characteristics of genre and style, elements of form,
period structure, musical texture, tonality, chords, melodic
figuration, et cetera).

1.5. Music Literature:
Writing: ten examples of music must be recognized from recordings (composer,
piece, specific musical theme). Two examples from each group of genres will be
requested. The list of music examples:
Composer
J.S. Bach
G.F. Handel
J. Haydn
K.V. Gluck
W.A. Mozart
R. Wagner
G. Verdi
P. Tchaikovsky
M. Mussorgsky
G. Bizet
G. Puccini
Jurjānu Andrejs
Jāzeps Vītols
Piece
I VOCAL INSTRUMENTAL (SYMPHONIC) AND OPERA MUSIC
• Matthew’s Passion: introductory choir Kommt, ihr Töchter; alto aria Erbarme dich
• Oratorio Messiah: choir Hallelujah; soprano aria I know that my Redeemer liveth
• Oratorio The Seasons: [Spring] Choir Komm, holder Lenz
• Opera Orfeo ed Euridice: Choir of Furies Chi mai dell` Erebo / Quel est l`audaciex
and dance (Act 2), flute melody (Act 2.), Orfeo’s aria Che farò senza Euridice (Act 3)
• Requiem: Kyrie eleison; Dies irae, Lacrimosa
• Opera The Marriage of Figaro: Overture, Figaro’s aria Non più andrai (Act 1)
• Opera Don Giovanni: duettino of Don Giovanni and Zerlina Là ci darem la mano
(Act 1)
• Opera Lohengrin: Introduction of Act 1 and Act 3; Lohengrin’s story of the Holy
Grail In fernem Land
• Overture to opera Tannhauser
• Opera La Traviata: Violetta’s scene and aria E strano! → Ah fors’ è lui che l’anima
(Act 1)
• Opera Aida: Triumph March (Act 2, Scene 2), final duet O terra, addio (Aida &
Radames, Act 4)
• Opera Eugene Onegin: Tatiana’s letter scene Пускай погибну я (Act 2)
• Opera Boris Godunov: choir Уж как на небе солнцу красному cлава from
prologue
• Opera Carmen: Habanera (Act 1), Seguidilla Près des remparts de Séville (Act 1)
• Opera La Boheme: Mimi’s tale Mi chiamano Mimi (Act 1)
• Cantata Tēvijai – main themes
• Ballad Beverīnas dziedonis – main themes
Composer
Alfrēds Kalniņš
Jānis Mediņš
Lūcija Garūta
Arturs Maskats
Mārtiņš Brauns
J. Haydn
W.A. Mozart
L. van Beethoven
F. Schubert
F.
Mendelssohn
Bartoldi
H. Berlioz
J. Brahms
P. Tchaikovsky
A. Dvorak
G. Mahler
F. Liszt
E. Grieg
N. Rimsky-Korsakov
A. Scriabin
S. Rachmaninov
J. Sibelius
M. Ravel
D. Shostakovich
S. Prokofiev
I. Stravinsky
A. Berg
W. Lutoslawski
Jurjānu Andrejs
Jānis Ivanovs
Romualds Kalsons
Pēteris Vasks
J. S. Bach
W. A. Mozart
L. van Beethoven
F. Chopin
R. Schumann
M. Mussorgsky
C. Debussy
B. Bartok
Jāzeps Vītols
Alfrēds Kalniņš
Pēteris Vasks
Piece
• Opera Baņuta: Baņuta’s tale (ballade, Act 1; Mourning choir Vaimanā, vaimanā
tēvija (2.cēl.), duet of Baņuta and Vižuts from Act 3)
• Opera Uguns un nakts, Spīdola’s aria Es esmu es!
• Cantata Dievs, tava zeme deg!: Mūsu tēvs debesīs
• Lacrimosa for mixed choir, organ and string orchestra
• Saule, Pērkons, Daugava for mixed choir with orchestra
II SYMPHONIC MUSIC
• London Symphony No. 103 Es dur (with timpani tremolo) – main themes of each
movement
• Symphony [No. 40] g moll – main themes of each movement
• Symphony No.3 – main themes of I movement
• Symphony No.5 c moll – main themes of each movement
• Symphony No.9 – IV movement, theme Freude, schöner Götterfunken
• Symphony in h moll (Unfinished) – main themes of each movement
• Violin Concerto e moll op. 64 – main themes of I movement
• Fantastic Symphony op. 14 – main themes of each movement
• Symphony No.4 e moll op. 98 – main themes of I, IV movements
• Symphony No.6 h moll – main themes of each movement
• Symphony No.9 e moll op. 95 – main themes of I, II, IV movements
• Symphony No.1 D dur – main themes of I, III movements
• Symphonic poem Preludes – main themes
• Piano Concerto a moll op.16 – main themes of I movement
 Suite Peer Gynt: Solveig’s Song, In the Hall of the Mountain King
• Symphonic suite Scheherazade – main theme of I movement
• Poema d’Extase for symphonic orchestra – self-affirmation theme
• Piano Concerto No.2 c moll op. 18 – main themes of each movement
• Violin Concerto d moll op. 47 – main theme of I movement
• Bolero for symphony orchestra
• Symphony No.5 d moll op. 47 – main themes of I movement
• Symphony No.15 - main themes of I movement
• Symphony No.1 – main themes of I, III movements
• Ballet Petrushka: Russian Dance
• Violin Concerto – main theme of movement I (seria), Theme of Bach’s chorale Es
ist genug
• Livre pour orchestre – main theme of movement I
• Latvju dejas – dances I, III
• Symphony No.4. Atlantīda – main themes of I, II movements
• Violin Concerto – main themes of I, III movements
• Kāzu dziesma Nr. 5 for symphonic orchestra
• Musica dolorosa for string orchestra – main themes
III INSTRUMENTAL CHAMBER MUSIC
• Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue d moll (BWV 903) – main themes
• Piano Sonata A dur KV 331. – main themes of I, III movements
• Piano Sonata No.23 f moll op. 57 (Appassionata) – main themes of each
movement
• Ballade No.1 g moll op. 23 – main themes
• Piano cycle Carnaval op. 9: Preambule, Eusebius, Florestan, Chiarina
• Piano cycle Pictures at an Exhibition: Promenade, Il vecchio castello, Ballet of the
Unhatched Chicks, The Bogatyr Gates
• Prelude for piano La cathédrale engloutie
• Allegro barbaro for piano
• Piano variations on the folk song theme Ej, saulīte, drīz pie Dieva
• Balāde for piano – introductory theme and main theme
• Mūzika aizlidojušajiem putniem for wind quintet
Composer
Pēteris Plakidis
Jāzeps Vītols
Emīls Dārziņš
Emilis Melngailis
Jānis Zālītis
Pēteris Barisons
Pauls Dambis
Piece
• Trio Veltījums Haidnam for flute, cello and piano
IV VOCAL CHAMBER MUSIC
• Vocal cycle Die schöne Müllerin: Das Wandern;
• Vocal cycle Winterreise: Lindenbaum, Der Leiermann
• Vocal cycle Dichterliebe op. 48: Ich grolle nicht
• Solo songs: Teici to stundu, to brīdi; Rezignācija
• Solo songs: Brīnos es; Pļāvēja diendusa
• Partita baroka stilā – I, VI movements
V LATVIAN A CAPPELLA CHOIR MUSIC
• Choir ballades: Gaismas pils
• Choir songs: Lauztās priedes; Minjona; Mēness starus stīgo
• Choir works: Senatne; Jāņuvakars
• Choir song Kad nakts
• Choir song Dziesmai šodien liela diena
• Choir cycle Jūras dziesmas – III movement
Maija Einfelde
• Pie zemes tālās
F. Schubert
R. Schumann
Emīls Dārziņš
Alfrēds Kalniņš
Marģeris Zariņš
Oral (selection): describe and analyse music by Latvian or foreign composer (on
or several most popular pieces): ideas, themes, and means of musical expression.


Latvian composers: Jāzeps Vītols; Emilis Melngailis; Emīls Dārziņš;
Alfrēds Kalniņš; Jānis Ivanovs; Jānis Mediņš, Lūcija Garūta, Pauls Dambis;
Romualds Kalsons; Imants Kalniņš; Pēteris Vasks; Pēteris Plakidis
Foreign composers: Johann Sebastian Bach (Bach); Georg Friedrich
Handel (Händel); Joseph Haydn (Haydn); Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
(Mozart); Ludwig van Beethoven (Beethoven); Franz Schubert (Schubert);
Frederic Chopin (Chopin); Hector Berlioz (Berlioz); Robert Schumann
(Schumann); Franz Liszt (Liszt); Richard Wagner (Wagner); Giuseppe
Verdi (Verdi); Antonin Dvorak (Dvořák); Johannes Brahms (Brahms);
Modest Mussorgsky (Mусоргский); Peter Tchaikovsky (Чайковский);
Edward Grieg (Grieg); Giacomo Puccini (Puccini); Claude Debussy
(Debussy); Alexander Scriabin (Скрябин); Serge Rachmaninov
(Рахманинов); Maurice Ravel (Ravel); Bela Bartok (Bartók); Igor
Stravinsky (Стравинский); Serge Prokofiev (Прокофьев); composers of
the New Vienna School (A. Schoenberg, A. Berg, A. Webern); Arthur
Honneger (Honnegger, in relation to the composers’ union Les Six);
Dmitry Shostakovich (Шостакович); Witold Lutoslawski (Lutosławski)