PAU Catalonia Performing Arts II exam-day guide
PAU Catalonia Performing Arts II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID (DNI, passport, or NIE)
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and whether the ID must match the name on your registration exactly; if your documents use different name forms, ask in advance how to handle it.
Exam admission document / registration confirmation
Print or download whatever proof of registration the administering body issues. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital version on your phone is accepted, and whether any signature or barcode must be legible.
Know your exact venue, room, and reporting time
Check the official call (convocatòria) for your centre, since rooms and timetables can change. Plan to arrive with margin for security checks and seat allocation. If the venue is not stated clearly, confirm with the provider before the day.
Instrument-specific materials you are allowed to use
For performance components, check the official list of permitted materials for your instrument or discipline (for example reeds, rosin, valve oil, spare strings, metronome if allowed). Confirm with the provider whether personal instruments must be brought or are supplied, and whether any equipment needs prior approval.
Sheet music or scores, if the format permits them
If your option involves prepared repertoire, bring clean copies as specified in the rules. Confirm with the provider whether photocopies are allowed, whether you must provide copies for the panel, and whether annotations are restricted.
Water and a light snack
Long sessions and waiting times are common in practical exams. Keep it simple and quiet to avoid disturbing others. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area or only outside the exam room.
Warm-up plan that needs no special space
Prepare a short physical and instrumental warm-up you can do quietly in a corridor or waiting area. Confirm with the provider whether a practice room is available and how to request it; if not, plan a silent warm-up.
Simple clothing and footwear you can perform in
Choose clothes that let you breathe, move, and hold your instrument comfortably. Avoid distracting accessories. If the programme involves movement or dance, confirm with the provider whether changing facilities exist.
Watch or small timer (if permitted)
You may need to track your own preparation or performance time. Confirm with the provider whether wristwatches and phones are allowed in the room; phones are commonly restricted, so a plain watch is safer.
Transport and backup plan
Check routes, strikes, and parking in advance and identify a backup way to arrive. Aim to be at the centre well before the reporting time rather than exactly on it.
Emergency contacts and provider contact number
Save the administering body's contact and a family contact in your phone and on paper. If something goes wrong on the day, you need to know who to call and how to document the problem.
Read the official exam-day instructions end to end
The call document usually covers permitted materials, timing, access, and conduct. Read it once in the final week and once the day before. Anything unclear should be confirmed with the provider, not guessed.
Plan the day
Re-read the official call and confirm venue, room, reporting time, and the list of permitted materials for your instrument or discipline. Check that your ID and admission document are valid and match your registration. Finalise your programme or prepared pieces and rehearse them at realistic tempo under timed conditions, including the transitions between pieces. Do one full mock run in the clothes and shoes you plan to wear. Confirm transport and, if relevant, book or check accommodation. If anything in the rules is ambiguous, contact the provider now rather than on the day.
Do a light technical session and a short warm-up run, then stop; avoid learning new repertoire or making last-minute changes to your programme. Pack your bag with ID, admission document, permitted materials, water, snack, and a plain watch. Charge your phone and write down the provider's contact number on paper. Check transport updates and set two alarms. Eat familiar food, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at a normal time. Read the exam-day instructions once more, focusing on timing and conduct rules.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate, but not excessively. Do a short, gentle warm-up at home so your first notes at the centre are not your first of the day. Arrive at the venue with generous margin before the reporting time, allowing for checks and finding the room. Keep your ID and admission document accessible rather than buried in your bag. Stay quiet and focused in the waiting area; avoid comparing preparation with other candidates, which rarely helps. If a practice room is available, use it briefly and leave it tidy.
Follow the panel's instructions exactly on when to enter, how to announce yourself, and when to begin. Take a moment to settle your posture and breathing before your first note. If you make a mistake, keep going; recovery matters more than perfection. Watch the panel for signals about time limits. At the end, thank the panel, collect your belongings, and leave quietly without discussing the content with candidates who have not yet entered. Note anything that went wrong on the day, in case you later need to raise it with the provider.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and keep it on the desk if asked. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what happens if the name does not match your registration exactly; do not assume a photocopy or a photo on your phone will be accepted.
Arrive before the reporting time stated in your call. Late-entry policy varies, so confirm with the provider in advance what happens if you are delayed, and keep evidence of any transport disruption in case you need to justify it.
Use only the materials and equipment explicitly permitted for your instrument or discipline. If you are unsure whether an item is allowed, ask the provider before the exam rather than bringing it and risking a sanction.
Phones and other electronic devices are commonly restricted in exam rooms. Confirm with the provider what is allowed in the waiting area and in the room, and switch devices off or leave them stored as instructed.
Follow the panel's directions on entry, announcement, timing, and exit. Do not ask the panel for score clarifications or negotiate the programme during the test; raise any procedural concern with the administering body afterwards.
Breaks and access to practice rooms are set by the centre, not by candidates. Confirm with the provider what facilities are available and how they are allocated, and respect any quiet zones around exam rooms.
Scoring criteria, weighting, and pass marks are published by the administering body and can change between sessions. Read the current official documentation; do not rely on what earlier candidates told you.
If something goes wrong on the day (illness, equipment failure, venue problem), tell the centre staff immediately and ask how to record it officially. Confirm with the provider what evidence and deadlines apply to any later claim.