Hello everyone! I'm a student from National Taiwan University (NTU) who successfully applied for an inter-university double major in the Music Department of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) in the 2020 academic year. As this is the first year that NTNU's Music Department has opened up for cross-university double majors, there might not be enough information available online. Therefore, I wrote this article in the hopes that it could be useful to students planning to apply in the future!
This article will be as detailed as possible, aiming to assist readers at all stages of understanding about the NTNU Music Department's double major.
The application process for an inter-university minor in NTNU Music
Announcement of information
Typically, all quotas and enrollment regulations for the tripartite alliance for the year are announced at the end of the second semester. Applicants should closely monitor the university's website：University Website Link
The university usually also sends a notification email to students, as shown in the following picture.
Completing the application form
In the 2020 academic year, you had to fill out an application form, get it stamped by the head of your original department at NTU, then get it stamped by the NTU Office of Academic Affairs, and finally submit it to the NTNU Music Department office. Now you need to fill out your preferences in the NTU Double Major section according to the public announcements.
For application and exam-related matters, Teaching Assistant Yu Chen is in charge: yuchenhsu16@ntnu.edu.tw
Exam Content and Preparation for NTNU Music
Paper Exam
The preliminary stage is primarily a written test, testing dictation and music theory. The test time and location will be announced on the Music Department's website news section：NTNU Music Department website, and you'll also be notified by email!
For the 2020 academic year, the instructions were announced on June 24th, applications were open from July 6th-10th, preliminary test notices were announced on July 15th, and the written test was on July 21st. Applicants, please pay close attention to the announcements! For students in NTNU, the tests are usually around April and May.
Music Theory Exam Content
The total score for the music theory exam is 50 points:
Scales: 5 questions (2 points per question, totaling 10 points)
Chords and inversions: 10 questions (2 points per question, totaling 20 points)
Four-part harmony: 1 question (20 points)
It’s basically identical to the professional exam in college in terms of form and difficulty, but it covers fewer topics. There aren’t any multiple-choice questions on music history either. I prepared for the exam using a book titled "Conquer Music Theory, Challenge Yourself," which is widely used in many music classes and clearly explains all the concepts. After reading this book, you should not encounter too many problems with these types of questions."Conquer Music Theory, Challenge Yourself" can be purchased from this Shopee link.
For students who are unfamiliar with the type of questions, you can start by looking at the questions from the college entrance exam. You can also watch videos for a better understanding of four-part harmony！Video Link
Here are a few more recommended books (all available on Shopee):
Notes for the Art Subject Test in Music History🎵📚 Key Points for Revision Before Exam📖: Notes made by a student who scored 98 on the Arts Entrance Exam. It's handy for a quick review before school starts or before the written exam.
Conquer Music Theory, Challenge Yourself (Guide Edition): A more basic music theory book than the yellow one.
Music Theory Simulation Exam: Real Exam Questions: Useful for practicing before the exam!
Aural Exam Content
The total score for the aural exam is also 50 points:
Intervals 10 questions (1 point per question, total of 10 points)
Rhythm 2 questions (I've kind of forgotten the scoring here, but from memory, it's 5 points per question, total of 10 points)
Single melody 1 question (10 points)
Chord progression (writing the bass and numbers) (20 points)
Dictation might be a bit difficult to master in one day, and different students might need different practice methods.
The dictation exam is structured similarly to the college entrance exam, only with fewer types of questions. The speed and number of plays are also the same as the entrance exam. You can practice according to the simulated exams before the test.
Note: Example of dictation exam audio file for the Arts Entrance Exam：Video Link(I've been asked whether the interval audio files are played together or separately, and what the instrument sounds like. Here is a good introduction to chord dictation questions：Link
Again, here are some recommended books:
Dictation Simulation Exam: Real Exam Questions: Dictation has more time pressure, so I recommend practicing this.
Rhythm Single Beat with CD: You can start practicing with simpler questions and then write simulation questions.
Rescue Operation Practice Workbook: Similar to the previous book, you can gradually practice with simpler questions.
Online Ear Trainer 3.0: This website's training topics include intervals, chords, melodies, and chord progressions.
Audition
In 2020, the re-examination list and examination order of audition were announced on 7/23. The information was posted on the Music Department's website and also emailed. The interviews were held on 7/29!
Here's a bit about the interview process: after arriving at the classroom, the assistant will take everyone to the piano room to warm up (I happened to be assigned to the room opposite 109 to warm up). When the time is almost up, the assistant will call you in. Back then, only one self-selected piece was required for the interview, but now it has changed to require two self-selected pieces from different musical periods. A small reminder here is not to choose too controversial pieces, try to make it obviously Baroque/Classical/Romantic/Modern. The dividing line between Romantic and Modern for NTNU's final exam is 1900, but try to choose pieces that fit the time period and style.
Once inside, you need to report your name, department, and the pieces you'll play, introduce yourself, and then start playing. There will be three professors sitting at the other side of the classroom scoring. In addition to playing accurately and skillfully, knowing what the piece should sound like and how to express it is also important! After the performance, the professors may ask some questions, such as whether you have attended a music class, and then you can leave. The assistant will then ask for your student ID to confirm your identity, so remember to bring it.
Key Points for Implementing Minor：Link（Latest version as of July 2023)
Preparation Before the Semester Starts
In my first year, I was directly notified by phone by the teaching assistant, but subsequent announcements follow the school's timeline and can be found online!
Practicing Room
Minor students can also use the practice piano room. However, cross-university minor students can't directly book online as they don't have an account from NTNU. For room booking, you have to send an email directly to the teaching assistant, Jing-Chun: a1995910@ntnu.edu.tw. But remember to send the email early as the teaching assistant won't handle last-minute requests. To access the piano room, you need to swipe a card, which can be set up at the music department's office using your NTU student card. However, the entrance door can't be set up this way, so you might be locked in if there are few people in the building.
Course Selection
For major instrument courses, you can first consult the teacher you want to study with. The department will then send out a form to survey everyone's major teachers. If you have agreed with a teacher, just fill it in, otherwise, the department will arrange major teachers for you. In addition, there will be an exam for the willingness to participate in harmony studies and basic music training. This will be taken with first-year music department students a few days before the start of the semester. Both courses will be divided into three classes, A, B, and C, based on the exam results. If you don't take the exam, you will only be placed in the basic A class.
Then the teaching assistant will open another form to ask each student what courses they want to take this semester. Once these courses are opened on the NTU course selection system (if you can search for the course on the NTU course site, it means it's open), you can then get the authorization code from the course teacher and select the course from NTU's end.
Link to NTNU Course Site：Link
All course selection matters are handled by Teaching Assistant Yu-Ting: yutingkao@ntnu.edu.tw
Payment
After the course selection is confirmed at the beginning of the semester, if you have any individual courses, you will have to pay an additional fee. The department will send a payment form, and you can follow the procedures on it to make the payment (which takes approximately half an hour). The individual guidance fee is 9500 TWD per credit, and the equipment maintenance fee is 590 TWD per semester, so you have to pay an extra 10090 TWD per semester.
I may share some course experiences later!
Thank you very much for reading; I am RosyArts.
Please like, comment, and share! Your support is my greatest motivation to write!
Recommended Reading：
[Comparison of Rachmaninoff's Piano Sonata No. 2 | 1913 and 1931 versions]
New German School vs. Brahms: A Discourse on Traditional and Innovative Music Aesthetics
Debussy [The Sunken Cathedral] Exploring the Submerged City of Ys: Background and Musical Analysis
