The Royal Danish Academy of Music (RDAM) is Denmark's oldest professional music institution, founded in 1867 by composer Niels W. Gade. It enrolls approximately 400 students and focuses primarily on classical music. The academy is best suited for classical performers, composers, and conductors seeking intensive conservatory training in a small, focused environment in Copenhagen.
The academy publishes concerts, masterclasses, and seminars on its official YouTube channel. This documentary follows Professor Tim Frederiksen (former principal viola of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra) coaching two student string quartets at RDAM:
Notable Alumni
RDAM has trained some of Denmark's most prominent musicians across composition, performance, and chamber music:
- Carl Nielsen (1865 to 1931) - Denmark's most celebrated composer. Nielsen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music from 1884 to 1886 and later returned as a professor in 1916, teaching there until his death. He composed six symphonies, three concertos, and the opera Maskarade. His Symphony No. 4, "The Inextinguishable" (1916), written during World War I, is his most performed orchestral work. Here is a performance conducted by Herbert Blomstedt with the San Francisco Symphony, with over 168,000 views:
- The Danish String Quartet - One of the most acclaimed chamber ensembles working today. Violinists Rune Tonsgaard Sorensen and Frederik Oland, violist Asbjorn Norgaard, and cellist Frederik Schøyen Sjolin all studied at RDAM under Professor Tim Frederiksen, who coached the ensemble during its formation. The quartet has released multiple albums on the ECM and Orchid Classics labels and tours internationally. Their NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert has over 880,000 views:
- Bjarke Mogensen - Accordionist who graduated from the soloist class at RDAM and now serves as associate professor of accordion and chamber music at the academy. He made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011 and has had over 60 works dedicated to him by composers worldwide. He won the Victor Borge Music Prize in 2006 and the Royal Danish Academy of Music's own competition in 2008. Here he performs Carl Nielsen's "Hindu Dance" on accordion, from an Orchid Classics recording:
- Bent Sorensen (born 1958) - Composer known for his evocative, atmospheric works. Studied at RDAM and has received the Grawemeyer Award and the Léonie Sonning Music Prize. His works have been performed by the Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic.
- Katrine Gislinge - Pianist who earned her diploma at RDAM in 1990. She has performed as a soloist with major Scandinavian orchestras and studied further with Boris Berman at Yale and Seymour Lipkin in New York.
About the Royal Danish Academy of Music
RDAM offers a three-year bachelor program (BMus) and a two-year master program (MMus). Students can also pursue an advanced postgraduate soloist diploma lasting two to four years. The academy operates eight departments covering orchestral instruments, piano, voice, composition, conducting, accordion, church music, and opera. The Opera Academy operates as a separate division within RDAM. Queen Mary of Denmark serves as patron. The academy hosts regular masterclasses with visiting international musicians. Programs are taught in English at the master's level, making it accessible to international students. EU and EEA students pay no tuition fees. Non-EU students pay moderate fees compared to US and UK conservatories.
Real-World Example
A violinist entering the bachelor program in 2025 pays no tuition as an EU citizen. The same program for a non-EU student costs approximately 12,000 EUR per year. The academy's small size means students receive frequent individual attention from faculty. RDAM graduates regularly audition into Danish and Scandinavian orchestras, including the Royal Danish Orchestra and the Copenhagen Philharmonic.
Admissions and Audition Requirements
RDAM holds annual entrance auditions. Applicants must apply online through the academy's website and submit a recording for pre-screening. Candidates who pass pre-screening are invited to an in-person audition in Copenhagen.
Bachelor (BMus): Applicants perform a program of 15 to 20 minutes on their principal instrument. The audition also includes a music theory test and an aural skills test. Bachelor programs are taught in Danish, so international applicants must demonstrate Danish language proficiency.
Master (MMus): Applicants perform a 20 to 30 minute audition program. Master's programs are taught in English, making them accessible to international students without Danish language skills. A bachelor's degree in music is required.
Soloist Diploma: The highest level of study at RDAM, lasting two to four years. Admission requires a completed master's degree and a competitive audition. The soloist diploma is equivalent to a German Konzertexamen.
Tuition (2025 to 2026)
- EU and EEA students: No tuition fees for bachelor and master programs
- Non-EU students: Approximately 12,000 EUR per year for bachelor and master programs
- Application fee: None for EU applicants; a modest fee applies for non-EU applicants
RDAM participates in the Danish government's SU (Statens Uddannelsesstøtte) system, which provides monthly stipends to eligible Danish and EU students.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
RDAM's small enrollment of 400 students means more direct contact with professors than at larger institutions. The master's programs are taught in English, removing a language barrier for international applicants. Copenhagen offers a compact but active classical music scene with regular performance opportunities. The low tuition for EU students and moderate fees for non-EU students make it financially accessible compared to US conservatories charging $50,000 or more per year. Independent artists should consider RDAM for specialized classical training without the debt burden of American or British schools.
Drawbacks / Things to Consider
The academy's focus is almost entirely classical. There is no jazz, pop, or electronic music program. Copenhagen is an expensive city for housing and daily living costs. The small student body means fewer ensemble opportunities than at larger conservatories. Non-EU students must navigate Danish visa requirements. The academy's international reputation, while strong in Scandinavia, is less recognized in North America. Bachelor programs are taught in Danish, requiring language proficiency for undergraduate international applicants.
Related Resources
- Music Schools Directory
- Visit Royal Danish Academy of Music for more info
- Norwegian Academy of Music - Compare with another Scandinavian conservatory
- Royal College of Music Stockholm - Compare with Sweden's royal music academy
- Sibelius Academy - Another Nordic conservatory with strong classical programs
- Royal Academy of Music - Compare with a major UK conservatory
