Composition

Admission requirements

• The course is open to musicians of any nationality who are no more than 35 years of age.
• Candidates must possess a 1^st or 2^nd Level Degree or Conservatory Diploma (old Italian system) in Composition. If the degree was obtained abroad, it will be considered valid if it has been declared equivalent to a Degree or Conservatory diploma; it is the responsibility of any student admitted to a course to obtain the equivalence of the foreign qualification, pursuant to applicable Italian laws.

Exceptions to these requirements may be permitted only in exceptional cases, in the event of special, recognized artistic qualities and subject to the evaluation and approval of both the teacher and the Academic Board.

Provided that the above requirements are met, admission to the course is subject to an entrance examination.

Applications for admission

Applications for admission must be submitted online (form https://santacecilia.it/en/master-courses/form-di-iscrizione-corsi-di-perfezionamento) by no later than 30^th June 2024.

Proof of the application being successfully sent will consist of the e-mail notification sent by the Accademia.

The following documents must be attached to the online application:

• diploma certificate;
• artistic CV;
• examination programme (list of submitted scores)
• photocopy of passport or other identification document;
• proof of payment of the examination admission fee.

Entrance examination procedures and programme

Assessment by the Examination Panel of the compositions submitted by the candidates, and discussion of the topics proposed by the examination Panel.

Applicants are required to submit 3 scores composed for different instrumentations. Applicants may attach to the scores any recordings of these compositions, if available. The files must have the following specifications:

• scores in PDF format, video recordings in mp4 format, audio recordings in mp3 format;
• the single files must be named with SURNAME and name of the applicant, title of the piece (eg ROSSI Mario _Empireo.pdf). To facilitate indexing, please respect the order indicated.

Scores and recordings that do not comply with the aforementioned the following criteria will not be considered valid.

Scores and recordings (if available) must be sent via WeTransfer to didattica@santacecilia.it by no later than 30^th June 2024.

Entrance examinations will be held at the Academy’s headquarters at Via Vittoria 6 (Rome); in accordance with the number of applicants, the 2 or 3 October 2024. Candidates will receive an e-mail concerning date and schedule.

It will consist in the evaluation and discussion of the compositions submitted and any of any subjects proposed by the Examining Panel

The candidate must present himself for the exam with a valid identification document and hard copy of the scores of the exam programme.

No supplementary exam session are foreseen.

The course lasts three years and includes the following exams:

• two intermediate exams (promotion from the 1^st to the 2^nd year and from the 2^nd to the 3^rd year);
• a diploma exam at the end of the 3^rd of attendance.

The diploma exam can be brought forward to the end of the second year only in exceptional cases, subject to approval by the Academic Board.

At the end of each year of attendance, students shall take an examination for promotion to the subsequent course year, with the programmes indicated below.

Promotion from course year I to II

The examination consists of two parts; assessment of each part shall go towards determining the final examination grade. The parts are the following:

1. public performance of a composition written expressly during the first course year, in accordance with the indications of duration and instrumentation determined by the Academic Board in agreement with the teacher. The student is required to deliver the full and final materials of their compositions (score and parts) by no later than the date established and announced at the start of the academic year;
2. interview with the Examination Panel: summary assessment of the works composed during the course, and discussion of subjects proposed by the Panel, suggested by the student’s works or entirely independent of them.

Promotion from course year II to III

The examination consists of two parts; assessment of each part shall go towards determining the final examination grade. The parts are the following:

1. public performance of a composition written expressly during the second course year, in accordance with the indications of duration and instrumentation determined by the Academic Board in agreement with the instructor. The student is required to deliver the full and final materials of their compositions (score and parts) by no later than the date established and announced at the start of the academic year;
2. interview with the Examination Panel: summary assessment of the works composed during the course and discussion of subjects proposed by the Panel, suggested by the student’s works or entirely independent of them.

Should a student fail to pass a promotion examination, he/she shall be entitled to re-apply for admission to the course only after one academic year has passed.

Examination and attendance fees

• € 50.00 entrance examination;
• € 950.00 yearly attendance
• € 100.00 promotion examination;
• € 250.00 diploma examination.

Students in arrears with their course tuition and examination fees will not be admitted to lessons or to examinations.

All payments, specifying as reason “Composition Course,” may be made via:

• postal account payment
  no. 30406003, made out to Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Fondazione
• wire transfer
  c/c n. 9872, made out to Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia – Fondazione
  Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL) Agenzia n. 6340 di Roma, Via del Corso, 471
  IBAN: IT31 I 010 0503 2400 0000 0009 872
  SWIFT: BIC BNL IITRR
• Paypal on Fondazione’s website at this link https://santacecilia.it/alta-formazione/paypal

The receipt of the payment for attendance should be sent to the academic office (Segreteria didattica: didattica@santacecilia.it) before the start of classes.

Students may pay the attendance fee in two instalments of equal amount, the second of which is to be paid by no later than 01 March.

Withdrawal from the course shall not entitle the student to be refunded what was paid.

Download regulations (pdf) – Composition 2024-2025