Discipline of Music

Applications & Auditions UPDATED

LAST UPDATED: 3 months ago

Please take note of the updated section: "Audition Video Requirements"

Application Process

Are you interested in studying music at UKZN?

Here are the steps that you need to follow to apply:
  1. Visit the Central Applications Office https://www.cao.ac.za/
  2. Fill in the online application form and pay the required fee.
  3. IMPORTANT: We advise all applicants to apply for both the BA in Music Foundation Programme AND the BA in Music.
  4. For consideration in the music programmes at UKZN you will need to meet the following criteria:

Entrance Requirement

All applicants need a National Senior Certificate with a Bachelor’s Pass (NSC-Deg) or a Senior Certificate with endorsement.  

For the BA in Music candidates will require:

  • A pass at level 4 in English Home language or first additional language and Life Orientation;
  • At least 28 matric points;
  • The equivalent of Grade 5 music theory;
  • Experience in practical music lessons and performance;
  • A practical audition before an accepted panel of music staff;
  • A series of tests in theory and aural.

For the BA in Music Foundation Programme candidates will require:

  • A pass at level 4 in English Home language or first additional language and Life Orientation;
  • At least 24 matric points (excluding Life Orientation);
  • A practical audition before an accepted panel of music staff;
  • A series of tests in theory and aural.

Those who have successfully completed the accredited BA in Music Foundation year may be admitted to the BA in Music degree.

Learning Assumed to be in Place

  • Have the information-gathering, analysis and presentation skills required at exit level 4 on the NQF;
  • Be able to comprehend what they have learned and to communicate it reliably, accurately, and comprehensively in the required medium of instruction;
  • Be able to begin to take responsibility for their own learning and its progress within a well-structured and managed learning environment;
  • Be able to evaluate their own performance.

Important Notes REGARDING APPLICATION:

  • It is your responsibility to check your status for admissions. Please make sure that you check the online system regularly.
  • If you are given the opportunity to send a set of audition videos, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are sent by the cut-off date (see below). No late submissions will be considered.
  • The decision regarding your placement in the BA in Music Foundation Programme or the BA in Music degree is entirely in the hands of the audition panel AND the university admissions staff.

Auditions

On the Central Applications Office website, you will see if you have been asked to submit a set of audition videos; or you will be invited to do so through an SMS from the university. If you meet all the entrance requirements and are offered the chance to send a set of audition videos, you have not necessarily been given a firm offer of acceptance to the university. You will first need to pass the audition to ensure that you satisfy the minimum musical criteria for entry. Please note: there are limited places for opera, pop and jazz voice in the two programmes offered at UKZN. Only the top performing applicants will be given firm offers.

The audition videos need to be emailed through Google Drive to ukznmusic@gmail.com by 28 February 2021. If you have been asked to submit videos, it is very important that you do so by the cut-off date. If you miss the cut-off date for audition videos, you will not be considered for admission. 

Audition video requirements

  1. For the audition, you will need to record two videos of yourself singing/performing. These do not need to be professional recordings – they may be done on your cell phone.

  2. The pieces may be from any genre. Your pieces should be contrasting in nature. For example, try to include songs with different tempos (speeds) – an up-beat piece and a slow piece.

    1. SINGERS: choose songs which are suited to your voice and which bring out the best parts of your vocal range.
    2. INSTRUMENTALISTS: choose pieces which demonstrate your fluency and abilities on the instrument.
    3. AFRICAN MUSIC AND DANCE: in one video present a dance, in the other present a song or instrument.
    4. ALL JAZZ APPLICANTS: one or both of your videos should demonstrate your ability to improvise.
  3. For singers and instrumentalists, you may have an accompaniment for the recording, but you may also submit a recording without accompaniment.
  4. Make sure that you are clearly visible in the recording. If you are an instrumentalist, please ensure that we can see your hands on the instrument while you are playing
  5. Once you have made the recordings, share them via email to this address: ukznmusic@gmail.com. The videos must reach this address by midnight on 15 November 2020 to be considered.

  6. In the email include:

    1. Your name,
    2. Your CAO number,
    3. A short paragraph about your musical experience, for example:
      1. How long have you been singing/playing?
      2. How long have you been having lessons?
      3. Did you do music as a subject at school and/or did you participate in any musical activities at school or elsewhere?
      4. Have you won any prizes for music?
    4. For which stream would you like to be considered:
      1. African Music and Dance,
      2. Jazz,
      3. Classical,
      4. Opera,
      5. Pop Voice,
      6. Choral.
  7. Once you have submitted your videos, you need to wait to hear from the university if you have been accepted into one of the music programmes. The results of all audition candidates are considered by the music staff who make recommendations of acceptance to the admissions office. Once the admissions office has received the audition results, it will update your profile accordingly. Please check your online profile to find out whether you have been granted a firm offer or not. PLEASE NOTE: the Discipline of Music does not contact applicants who have been granted a firm offer or those who have not. The admissions office is responsible for updating your profile.

  8. You might be invited to write a theory and aural test if you are considered for the 3-year BA in Music degree. You will be contacted individually about this.

    The theory test includes:

    • note names,
    • time signatures,
    • intervals (size and quality),
    • scales (major, harmonic minor and melodic minor),
    • key signatures
    • cadences (perfect, plagal, imperfect and interrupted).

    If you haven’t done theory and aural for a while and would like to update your knowledge in preparation for the tests, try visiting these helpful websites: