Audition Requirements

Audition Repertoire Requirements

This list of audition requirements is for you to show what you are capable of and comfortable with at this point in your studies. If you have specific questions on repertoire requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bachelor of Music in Performance, Bachelor of Arts in Music, and Minor in Music candidates: Candidates must perform an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below.

Bachelor of Music in Composition candidates: In addition to performing an audition on your principal instrument as outlined below, candidates must upload examples of original compositions in the form of PDF scores and/or midi recordings or recordings of live performances. An original composition may be performed as part of your audition. An interview must be completed with the music composition faculty.

Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy candidates: In addition to performing an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below, an interview must be completed with the music education or music therapy faculty.

Instruments arranged alphabetically

BASSOON
Choose two movements, contrasting in style or period, from the standard concerto and/or recital repertoire; two contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice. In addition, the applicant may be asked to play a selection of major and harmonic minor scales up to high C.

CELLO
One etude of Popper, Piatti, Duport, or equivalent work; two movements from a Bach suite; and one movement of a standard concerto.

CLARINET
One movement from a standard recital piece or concerto. One Rose etude of your choice. Two orchestral excerpts.

DOUBLE BASS
Two contrasting movements from a concerto or sonata OR two contrasting etudes; three orchestral excerpts.

EUPHONIUM
Solo of choice; two contrasting etudes (i.e. one melodic, one technical); major scales and arpeggios.

FLUTE
1st movement of the Mozart Concerto in G Major; a second piece of your choice that contrasts stylistically with the Mozart concerto.

GUITAR (Classical Guitar)
Three pieces chosen from differing style periods: one Renaissance or Baroque piece, one classic or romantic-era piece, and one modern piece. Recommended: 6 Renaissance Lute Pieces (ed. Chilesotti); Bach suites; Sor 20 Studies (ed. Segovia); Ponce preludes; Brouwer etudes; Villa-Lobos preludes.

HARP
Candidates should prepare two contrasting solo pieces* and one orchestra excerpt from the following list:

  • Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique harp 1, beginning to rehearsal 23
  • Britten, cadenza from Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
  • Tchaikovsky, cadenza from the Nutcracker
  • Verdi, Overture to La Forza del Destino

Memorization is encouraged for the solo pieces.
*approximate difficulty to that of Grandjany's Fantasie on a Theme of Haydn or Andrès Absidioles.

HORN
Two contrasting etudes (such as Kopprasch, Kling, or Maxine Alphonse); all major scales in three octaves; three contrasting orchestral excerpts demonstrating high and low horn playing; and one of the 1st movement of the Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1

OBOE
One Barret Grand Study; two movements of contrasting style from a concerto, sonata, etc.; one orchestral excerpt.

ORGAN
Auditions for entering first year organ majors should include a representative selection of repertoire from various periods illustrating the candidate's level of preparation and expertise at the instrument. All first year organ majors must also audition on piano.

Transfer students should include a Baroque piece, a major Bach work, a piece in the romantic style, and a contemporary piece, preferably one demonstrating technical dexterity.

All auditioning organ students must include a complete repertoire list, specification of the organ on which the audition was recorded, when applicable, and a listing of the dates when each work was begun. Bring these to the audition or submit them with the recording.

A short sight reading exercise will be administered at the audition.

PERCUSSION — audition on all of the following:

  • Keyboard: One two-mallet etude or solo and one four-mallet etude or solo. Preferably, one of these works should be from the Violin or Cello Suites of J.S. Bach and one should be modern.
  • Timpani: Any etude by Goodman, Hochrainer, or Delecluse using three or four drums.
  • Snare drum: One rudimental etude from 14 Modern Contest Solos by John S. Pratt, a selected work by Joseph Tompkins or similar; one etude by Cirone, Delecluse or comparable orchestral style etude.

PIANO
Audition repertoire should include pieces from a minimum of three stylistic periods. One of those pieces must be from the Baroque or Classical periods.

  • Undergraduate applicants auditioning for the B.M. in Piano Performance should prepare a program of at least 25 minutes of memorized music from which the piano faculty may choose to hear at the live audition. For video recorded auditions, please submit the entire program.
  • Undergraduate applicants auditioning for the B.M. in Music Education, Music Therapy, Composition, the B.A. in Music, or the Minor in Music should have at least 15 minutes of repertoire prepared for the live audition or recorded for submission (memory preferred).

A short sight reading exercise will be administered at the live audition.

SAXOPHONE
Three well prepared and contrasting Ferling etudes that demonstrate your musical confidence and agility. One Class I solo of your choice that demonstrates your strong musical and technical proficiency. All major scales from memory are a must.

TROMBONE
Solo of choice; two contrasting etudes (i.e. one melodic, one technical); two orchestral excerpts; and major scales and arpeggios.

TRUMPET
Two etudes of contrasting styles (not to include UIL etudes); solo of choice (can only be one movement if a concerto or sonata with multiple movements); at least three orchestral excerpts of choice.

TUBA
All major scales; 1-2 minutes from a solo of applicant's choice; two contrasting etudes from either Blazevich (Book I), Kopprasch or Bordogni (Rochut); and two contrasting orchestral excerpts of an applicant's choice.

VIOLA
Two contrasting movements from JS Bach Six Cello Suites or JS Bach Partitas and Sonatas; one movement from a standard viola concerto (such as - Hoffmeister, Stamitz, Bartok, Walton, Hindemith) OR one movement from a standard viola sonata (such as - Brahms, Clarke, Schubert or Shostakovich). Optional: 1-3 orchestral excerpts of your choice.

VIOLIN
Three pieces of different styles. One piece may be a caprice or etude.

VOICE  (Vocalists interested in auditioning in November or December are required to submit a pre-screen video by or before November 1. Vocalists interested in auditioning January or February are required to submit a pre-screen video by or before December 1.)

The pre-screen should include two songs from memory: one art song in English, and one aria or art song in a language other than English.

Applicants must perform two songs from memory: one art song in English, and one aria or art song in a language other than English. Applicants may audition with the same pieces as their pre-screen submission. An accompanist will be provided for on-campus auditions. A short sight-reading exercise will be administered at the audition.