Audition Requirements

Audition requirements

Voice

• • Two memorized classical art songs or arias in contrasting styles. We recommend that one piece be in English and one be in a foreign language to be considered for a scholarship.
  • The faculty will be listening for clarity of tone and diction, flexibility in the voice, and interpretive/dramatic elements as they apply to your selections.
  • Please send copies of the music for the songs you’ll perform at your live audition must be uploaded to Acceptd when submitting your pre-screening materials.
  • Sightreading will be included in the audition

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Piano

• 2 memorized pieces in contrasting styles (examples include, but are not limited to, a Bach Two or Three-part Invention or Prelude and Fugue, a first movement of a Classical period Sonata, a Chopin Nocturne or equivalent Romantic or 20th Century work).
• All major and minor scales and arpeggios, 2 octaves.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Strings

Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Classical Guitar, Harp

Violin

• Two pieces/movements in contrasting styles (i.e. two contrasting movements from a concerto; a movement of a concerto and a movement of Bach’s unaccompanied works; a show piece and a slow work; a movement of a concerto and a movement of a sonata; two contrasting movements from a sonata)
• An etude
• Three octave scales and arpeggios (up to three sharps and three flats, slurred or staccato). Scales: 4, 8, 12, or 24 notes per bow. Arpeggios: 3 or 9 notes per bow.
• Sightreading will be included in the audition.
• For scholarship consideration: at least one movement from a concerto by such composers as Bruch, Wieniawski, Saint-Saens, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and a movement of an unaccompanied Bach sonata or partita.

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Viola

• Two movements in contrasting styles. An example is a movement of a concerto by Stamitz or Hoffmeister, and a piece such as the Bloch Suite Hebrique or Hindemith Trauermusik. One should be played from memory.
• An etude, such as one by Kreutzer, Mazas, Campagnoli, etc.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition
• For scholarship consideration, both movements should be memorized.

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Cello

• Two pieces/movements in contrasting styles (i.e. two contrasting movements from a concerto; a movement of a concerto and a movement of Bach’s unaccompanied works; a show piece and a slow work; a movement of a concerto and a movement of a sonata; two contrasting movements from a sonata)
• An etude
• Three octave scales and arpeggios (up to three sharps and three flats, slurred or staccato). Scales: 4, 8, or 12 notes per bow. Arpeggios: 3, 6 or 9 notes per bow.
• Sightreading will be included in the audition.
• For scholarship consideration: at least one movement from a concerto and a movement of an unaccompanied Bach sonata.

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Double Bass

• Two contrasting movements of a concerto or sonata OR one movement of a concerto or sonata and a contrasting work.
• An etude – Simandl, Bille, Sturm or Storch-Hrabe
• One orchestral excerpt of applicant’s choice
• Two scales: one major and one melodic minor; applicant’s choice; 3 octaves
• sight reading will be included in the audition

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Classical Guitar

• Two pieces/movements in contrasting styles: Renaissance Lute work or a movement of Bach from either a solo cello suite, lute suite, or violin sonata/partita; and a piece or movement from either the 18th century repertoire (Sor, Guilliani, etc.), 19th century repertoire (Tarrega, Mertz, etc.) or the 20th century repertoire (Brouwer, Villa-lobos, Rodrigo, etc.)
• scales in all 12 keys, major and minor, 1-2 octaves
• sight reading will be included in the audition

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Harp

• • Two contrasting solo works or movements from standard solo repertory representing different historical periods and demonstrating an understanding of different musical styles. For performance emphasis, both works should be memorized.
  • sight reading will be included in the audition

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Woodwind/Brass/Percussion

Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, Percussion

Flute

• Two pieces from the solo literature (two movements of the same sonata is preferable, but not required): One piece demonstrating slow, lyrical playing and one piece demonstrating technical agility. Appropriate repertoire can include: Mozart or other substantial concerto; Bach sonatas; repertoire from the “Flute Music by French Composers” collection. Scholarship applicants must have a movement of a concerto
• A third piece which can be either a movement from a concerto or an etude.
• All major scales in two octaves, three octaves where appropriate
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Oboe

• Two contrasting movements of a major oboe concerto
• Two contrasting etudes
• Major scales up to three sharps and three flats
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Clarinet

• Two contrasting solo works. Examples of appropriate repertoire include: C. M. Weber: Concertino for clarinet op. 26, Concerto no. 1 in f-minor, Mozart: Clarinet Concerto K. 622, Finzi: Five Bagtelles, Osborne: Rhapsody; Stravinsky: Three Pieces
• An etude. Examples of appropriate selections would be from the Rose 32 or 40 etudes.
• All major scales in two octaves, three octaves where appropriate (ex. F, G, E, F#, Gb) demonstrating technical agility.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Bassoon

• Two contrasting works or movements from works that demonstrate your ability technically and musically.
• An additional piece of material that exemplifies your musicianship and versatility (i.e. an orchestral excerpt, an etude, etc.)
• Major and chromatic scales
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Horn

• Two contrasting selections of your choice; suggested, though not required, repertoire includes: Mozart Concertos 1-4; Franz Strauss: Nocturno, Op. 7; Franz Strauss: Concerto, Op. 8; Richard Strauss: Concerto No. 1 in E Major, Op. 11 or comparable solo. It is recommended, but not required, to choose as one of the two works one etude from one of the following books: Kopprasch, 60 Selected Studies for French Horn; Maxime-Alphonse, Two Hundred New Melodic and Gradual Studies, Gallay, 12 Etudes for Second French Horn, Op 57 or comparable etude.
• Scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, two octaves when possible. Two octave Chromatic Scale on a starting not of your choice.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition.

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Trumpet

• Two contrasting selections of your choice; suggested repertoire includes: Balay: Andante and Allegretto; Hindemith: Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, first movement; Kennen: Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, first movement; Haydn: Concerto in E-Flat for Trumpet, first movement; Hummel: Concerto in E-Flat, first movement.
• Scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, 2 octaves when possible; 2 octave chromatic scale on a starting note of your choice—from low F# to high C if possible
• Sight reading will be included in the audition

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Trombone

• Two pieces or movements in contrasting styles demonstrating the candidate’s musicality and abilities on the instrument.
• Scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, two octaves when possible. Two octave Chromatic Scale on a starting note of your choice.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition.

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Euphonium

• Two pieces or movements in contrasting styles demonstrating the candidate’s musicality and abilities on the instrument  One piece demonstrating slow, lyrical playing and one piece demonstrating technical agility. It is encouraged, but not required, to prepare as one of the selections a lyrical etude from Rochut, Melodius Etudes for Trombone Vol. 1
• Scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, two octaves when possible. Two octave Chromatic Scale on a starting note of your choice.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition.

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Tuba

• Two pieces or movements in contrasting styles demonstrating the candidate’s musicality and abilities on the instrument  One piece demonstrating slow, lyrical playing and one piece demonstrating technical agility. It is encouraged, but not required, to prepare as one of the selections a lyrical etude from Bordigni’s Bel Canto Studies or Rochut, Melodius Etudes for Trombone Vol. 1.
• Scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, two octaves when possible. Two octave Chromatic Scale on a starting note of your choice.
• Sight reading will be included in the audition.

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Percussion

• snare drum – rudiments and a prepared solo
• mallets (marimba, xylophone, etc.) – two-octave major scales, a prepared two-mallet solo, a prepared four-mallet solo if possible
• timpani – a prepared solo
• drumset – optional

You may be given some sight-reading on snare drum and mallets. If you play drumset, we’d like to hear that as well; however, do not prepare a drumset solo.

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Jazz Instrumentalists

• Two prepared pieces: 1) A mid-tempo jazz standard (Students applying for Jazz Performance must include improvisation). 2) A piece demonstrating instrumental facility. Examples include an up-tempo jazz composition, a classical etude or repertoire, a jazz transcription, or a solo arrangement.
• 12 major scales and chromatic scale.
• Basic seventh chord arpeggios (root position) in all keys. Piano, guitar, and mallet percussion also need to demonstrate voicings.
• Sightreading will be included in the audition
• Jazz Mallet Percussion – All major scales, two octaves; Chromatic scale, two octaves; sightreading
• Jazz Drumset – 26 Percussive Arts Society International drum rudiments. Demonstrate a variety of grooves and tempi; prepare a solo piece for jazz drumset (example: jazz etude or transcription); Soloing: trading fours with yourself (alternate 4 bars soloing/improvising–and 4 bars playing time) at medium swing tempo, metronome marking quarter note = 120-160; Sightreading, chosen from a standard big band chart.

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Composition

In addition to the above instrumental or vocal audition requirements

• Improvisation is optional
• 2-3 original scores (in PDF format) and recordings of those pieces if available;
• One video or audio file of you performing an audition piece on your instrument/voice (Specific audition requirements for each instrument or voice type are above)
• An artistic resume outlining your musical training and performance/composition experience.

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Music Technology

In addition to the above instrumental or vocal audition requirements

• Improvisation is optional.
• Provide portfolio audition materials through Accept’d, that include the following:
  • 1) at least three examples of audio recordings you have engineered.
  • 2) a text file explaining your role in the recording and how you made it.
  • 3) an artistic resume outlining your musical training and experience.

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