Audition Requirements

Audition Scheduling Process

1. Review the audition requirements.
2. Schedule your audition through the Music Office. Performance Grant auditions may be scheduled using the online reservation request form.
3. Incoming Freshmen and/or Transfer Students must apply to the University.

Brass

• Prepared Pieces: two pieces, movements, or etudes of contrasting tempo and style, or a single selection with contrasting sections
• Scales: Chromatic and all major scales as appropriate for each instrument.
• Sightreading: May be required.

These requirements apply to music minors as well as music majors, and will be requested of students applying for music activities grants and scholarships. Questions? Contact Dr. Erika Schafer (Trumpet), Dr. Jocelyn Sanders (Horn), or Dr. Kenyon Wilson (Low Brass).

Guitar

• Prepared pieces: One etude from Mateo Carcassi's Op. 60, OR one etude from Fernando Sor's (Segovia) Twenty Studies; AND a piece of your own choice.
• Scales: Major and minor scales, two octaves

Questions? Contact Prof. Stephen Brannen.

Percussion

• Prepared Pieces: One piece EACH for snare drum, a mallet instrument, and tympani. (Drum set and multi-surface percussion may also be considered).
• Although students are not required to perform from each of these three areas, students who can demonstrate a competence in all three are normally given preference in admission. Questions? Contact Dr. Monte Coulter.

Piano

Music Major

• Prepared Pieces: Two MEMORIZED pieces in contrasting styles from standard classical concert repertoire originally composed for solo piano (such as Bach "Prelude and Fugue" from The Well-Tempered Clavier, or a single movement of a Beethoven Piano Sonata)
• Scales: All major and minor keys, four octaves, hands together
• Arpeggios: All major and minor keys, four octaves, hands together
• Sightreading: Required

Questions? Contact Dr. Lynn Worcester

Music Minors

• Prepared Pieces: Two MEMORIZED pieces from the standard intermediate classical repertoire, originally composed for solo piano (e.g. Bach "Invention in Two Voices"; Chopin "Prelude")
• Scales: All major and minor keys, two octaves, hands together
• Arpeggios: All major and minor keys, two octaves, hands together
• Sightreading: Required

Questions? Contact Dr. Lynn Worcester.

Strings

• Prepared Pieces: One solo piece (or movement of a larger solo work) and one etude in contrasting tempi.
• Scales: major and minor scales in up to four sharps and four flats, two or three octaves.

Questions? Contact Professor Sandy Morris.

Voice

• MUS 0550:  Purpose:  Available for non-majors and students who simply want to improve by taking applied lessons. Repertoire negotiable with professor.

• MUS 1550:  Purpose:  Available for BA or non-voice majors. Students may take if they wish to improve their skills to enter the MUS 2550 level in order to be a voice major or minor. Audition requirement: Sing 2 prepared pieces, preferably one in Italian. Must demonstrate at least elementary sight-reading ability.

• MUS 2550:  Purpose: Required for 4 semesters in the Music Education, Music Therapy, and Composition degrees, but may be taken by BA vocal majors or performance minors. Audition requirements: Must be able to read music and prepare songs without rudimentary assistance from the instructor. Must demonstrate at least elementary sight-reading ability. Should audition with at least 2-3 memorized art songs, one preferably in Italian.

• MUSP 2550:  Purpose: Required for 4 semesters in the Vocal Performance major, particularly for those who wish to pursue a professional classical singing career. Audition requirements: Must be able to read music and prepare songs without rudimentary assistance from the instructor. Must demonstrate good sight-reading ability. Should audition with at least 2-3 memorized art songs, one preferably in Italian.

• MUS 3550:  Purpose: Required for 3 semesters of the Music Education major and 4 semesters of the Composition major. This may also be taken for upper level study by BA vocal majors or performance minors. These auditions will take place during Semester End Juries prior to the junior year. Audition requirements: Demonstrate intermediate sight-reading skills. Should audition with at least 4 memorized songs, including Italian, French, and German.

• MUSP 4550:  Purpose: Required for Vocal Performance majors for their last 4 semesters. They should audition for the Music Division Jury the semester prior to the junior year. Audition requirements: Should audition with 5-6 memorized songs to include Italian, French, and German. Students will be required to submit a list of vocal literature covered during the first 2 years of vocal study, which should include at least 20 to 25 songs or arias from the classical repertoire. The voice should be of exceptional quality and have promise for a career in classical vocal performance, and/or admittance into a graduate school program.

• Questions? Contact Dr. Rebecca St. Goar

Suggested Vocal Literature

We receive many questions each year about the definition of an "art song" and what is appropriate for a vocal audition. It is perhaps easier to indicate what is NOT appropriate. Inappropriate pieces include: popular music, hymns, gospel songs, movie themes, or solos from high school choral pieces. The following sources would provide appropriate audition materials:

• Collections of Italian Songs and Arias such as Schirmer publications' 24 Italian Songs and Arias (of the 17th and 18th centuries) or Hal Leonard publications' 26 Italian Songs and Arias
• Collections of songs for particular voice types such as New Imperial Edition Soprano Songs or Bass Songs, Alfreds' Singers Library of Song, Hal Leonard Standard Vocal Literature, or G. Schirmer Reliquery of English Song
• Oratorio Arias such as solos from Handel: Messiah or Mendelssohn: Elijah
• Spiritual solo arrangements by such composers as Moses Hogan, Harry T. Burleigh, Nathaniel Dett, or Roland Carter
• A Broadway show tune may be offered IN ADDITION to other traditional art songs.

Questions? Contact Dr. Rebecca St. Goar.

Woodwinds

• Prepared Pieces: two pieces, movements, or etudes of contrasting tempo and style, or a single selection with contrasting sections (may be performed with accompaniment)
• Scales: chromatic and all major scales as appropriate for the instrument
• Sightreading: May be required.

These requirements apply to music minors as well as music majors, and will be requested of students applying for music activities grants and scholarships.

Questions? Contact  Dr. Nikolasa Tejero.