Overview
The Advanced Artist Diploma (AAD) is a one-year course for a select group of instrumentalists at the highest level.
The programme supports development of a range of industry-related skills (as appropriate to your individual profile) with mentoring provided in addition to one-to-one lessons. Successful applicants will be ready to take full advantage of a recording opportunity with world-class production and special release arrangements on major streaming platforms and/or record labels.
AAD students will be required to self-manage critical aspects of the delivery of the recording, and the range of work undertaken during the programme, in line with professional expectations. The programme is at level 8 of the FHEQ, which demands a high level of autonomy and initiative, as well as highly developed artistry.
This course is right for you if you are on the cusp of an international career and aim to develop musical collaborations at a corresponding level. It is designed to enable students to make the most of the artistic and educational opportunities afforded by the Academy and its location in the heart of London.
Entry Requirements
- Performance: You are required to have a performance standard at least equivalent to a Distinction at Master’s level.
- Academic: You are also required to have a Master’s qualification or equivalent (in a relevant subject), but the Academy welcomes applications from students who may not meet the usual academic requirements.
You will also need to include the following three items in your Acceptd profile:
- a repertoire list (repertoire that has been at performance level or that is being prepared for performance, or has been learnt recently, including the titles of the pieces as well as the composers' names).
- recording portfolio (a text list of your professional recordings, with links or details of the CD/DVD where possible)
- your ideas for the year, including a list of professional engagements to which you are already committed
Assessment
The Advanced Artist Diploma is only auditioned by in-person attendance at our London auditions in December.
Advanced Artist Diploma applicants may also take part in a formal Academic Assessment interview.
During this session, you will meet with a member of the postgraduate academic staff to discuss:
- Your individual study plans and artistic ambitions.
- A detailed review of your project proposal, evaluating the scope and academic rigor of your intended creative outcomes.
Please note: Your performance and academic reviews are handled in tandem to determine overall suitability for this highly specialised level of study.
See entry requirements for full information, including English language requirements.
Auditions
For general guidance on auditions see: auditions.
We want you to view your audition as a recital rather than a rigid test. Our panel is looking for your unique musical personality, your technical command, and your potential for growth. Try to relax, focus on your storytelling through the instrument, and let us hear who you are as a musician.
The Master of Arts (MA) in Performance selection process for Ensemble Piano is integrated into our postgraduate audition framework, allowing candidates to demonstrate their artistic maturity, collaborative sensitivity, and advanced foundation in both vocal and instrumental partnership.
Your Audition Repertoire
For your postgraduate audition, you must prepare an advanced free-choice programme of original ensemble piano repertoire. There is no requirement to include or perform solo piano repertoire.
Repertoire Guidelines:
- Duration: Your complete prepared performance programme must last at least 40 minutes.
- Programme Balance: The selection must include a balanced mix of collaborative genres, featuring:
- At least 20 minutes of vocal repertoire (art songs, lieder, etc.)
- At least 20 minutes of instrumental music (duo sonatas, chamber movements, etc.)
- Stylistic Contrast: Your selection must include a wide diversity of character and style, as well as clear evidence of technical accomplishment. It can include individual movements rather than complete works (for instance, a single movement of a duo sonata). We suggest including music in a classical style, a Romantic work, and something 20th-century or contemporary.
Repertoire for International Audition Centres
If you are selected from your video recordings to perform in person at one of our international audition centres, you should take the same repertoire items you uploaded into your Acceptd profile.
What to Expect on Audition Day
1. Provision of Soloists
You are generally expected to provide your own soloists (singers and instrumentalists) to perform alongside you.
- Academy Provided Soloists: If you are attending a live audition in London but are unable to bring your own partners, you must contact the Academy Admissions Team no later than two weeks before your audition date. The Academy will provide professional soloists at no charge to perform the following designated repertoire:
- Instrumental: Beethoven: Sonata for Piano and Violin in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2 (complete).
- Vocal (High Key): Schubert: "Der Musensohn" and "Im Frühling"; Schumann: "Mondnacht"; Debussy: "Green"; Brahms: "Botschaft"; Barber: "St. Ita's Vision".
- Rehearsal Time: If you use the Academy's soloists, you will be allocated 60 minutes of rehearsal time with them directly preceding your audition slot.
2. Delivery Options & Practical Assessment
- In-Person (London): In the live practical room, the panel will ask you to choose one initial item from your prepared programme to open with, and they will then select any further items or extracts they wish to hear. You will also be required to complete a **sight-reading test** to demonstrate your spontaneous collaborative reactivity. Postgraduate candidates receive 1 hour of warm-up time at the Academy immediately prior to their assessment slot.
- Video recordings (video application, or international centres): You must upload recordings of your complete 40-minute programme to the Acceptd portal. It is not necessary to record the programme in a single take; individual pieces or movements can be captured in separate files.