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Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion

● Only one musical selection is needed, though you may prepare more than one provided it fits into the 5 minute audition time. Your selection(s) should show your best tone quality and demonstrate both lyrical and technical playing.
● Acceptable repertoire includes a movement (or portion of a movement) from a sonata or concerto, a solo etude for your instrument, a small selection of orchestral excerpts for your instrument, or some combination of the above.
● Percussionists should perform on at least two different instruments.

If you have any questions regarding brass, woodwinds and percussion audition repertoire, please contact: Dr. Zach Lyman, Coordinator of Wind, Brass, and Percussion Studies.

Composition

Those interested in studying in composition should perform in their primary medium, using the guidelines provided on this page. Students may also submit a portfolio of original works for review by the composition faculty.

If you have any questions regarding composition auditions, please contact: Dr. Gina Gillie.

Jazz

If you are performing a jazz piece at your scholarship audition, here are some guidelines:

● Whether you are a jazz vocalist or instrumentalist, you should prepare a jazz “standard,” defined as a jazz composition (ex.: “Blue Bossa”) or a piece from the Great American Songbook commonly used as a vehicle for jazz (ex.: “All of Me”). These are readily available in commercially sold jazz “fake books” such as The New Real Book, published by Sher Music Co.
● Sing or play through the composed melody for one chorus, then improvise for a chorus if you are able.
● Do not use as your audition piece a portion of your part from a big band arrangement (ex.: Letter B from the third trumpet part).
● Jazz pianists should either present an unaccompanied jazz solo piece or you may bring a playback device with an accompaniment track, such as an mp3 player or a device with iReal Pro software.
● Jazz bassists should play a chorus of melody, play an accompanying bass line for a chorus, then improvise for a chorus.
● Drummers, rather than playing a jazz piece, should be prepared to demonstrate a few bars of different styles: swing, Latin (samba, bossa nova, Afro-Cuban 6/8), ballad (using brushes), and funk/rock styles. You will also be asked to improvise a brief solo in a style of your choice.

If you have any questions regarding jazz audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Cassio Vianna, Director of Jazz Studies.

Organ

Prepare two contrasting works from different periods and regions.

If you have any questions regarding organ audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Oksana Ejokina, Coordinator of Keyboard Studies.

Piano

Prepare two contrasting pieces, with one from the Baroque or Classical period (e.g., a piece by Bach, or a movement from a sonata by Haydn/Mozart/Beethoven), and the second from the Romantic or Modern era.

If you have any questions regarding piano audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Oksana Ejokina, Coordinator of Keyboard Studies.

Strings: Violin

● Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves with various bowings
● A movement of unaccompanied Bach, or an etude from the standard repertoire for violin (Mazas, Dont, Rode or similar study)
● A standard solo of the student’s choice

If you have any questions regarding violin audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Svend Ronning, Coordinator of String Studies.

Strings: Viola

● Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves with various bowings
● A movement of unaccompanied Bach, or an etude from the standard repertoire for viola (Mazas, Rode, Campagnoli, Fuchs, or similar study)
● A standard solo of the student’s choice

If you have any questions regarding viola audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Svend Ronning, Coordinator of String Studies.

Strings: Cello

● Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves with various bowings
● A movement of unaccompanied Bach, or an etude from the standard repertoire for cello (Popper, Du Port, Klengel, or similar study)
● A standard solo of the student’s choice

If you have any questions regarding cello audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Svend Ronning, Coordinator of String Studies.

Strings: Double Bass (Orchestra)

● Major and minor scales and arpeggios in two octaves with various bowings
● Two Contrasting Movements (slow and fast) from a sonata (Vivaldi, Marcello, Eccles, Hindemith, etc.), or a movement from a standard concerto (Capuzzi, Dragonetti, Dittersdorf, Koussevitzky, Bottesini, Vanhal, etc.)
● A standard solo of the student’s choice

If you have any questions regarding double bass audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Svend Ronning, Coordinator of String Studies.

Strings: Double Bass / Electric Bass (jazz)

● Major and minor scales and arpeggios in two octaves with various bowings
● Prepare a jazz “standard,” defined as a jazz composition (ex.: “Blues Bossa”) or a piece from the Great American Songbook commonly used as a vehicle for jazz (ex.: “All of Me”). These are readily available in commercially sold jazz “fake books” such as The New Real Book, published by Sher Music Co. Play a chorus of melody, play an accompanying bass line for a chorus, then improvise for a chorus.

For further information about jazz bass auditions, please contact Dr. Cassio Vianna, Director of Jazz Studies.

Strings: Harp

● An etude (Pozzoli, Bochsa or LaRiviere, or similar study), or a section of the Level 2 or 3 warm up from “On Playing the Harp” by Yolanda Kondonassis
● A standard solo of student’s choice

If you have any questions regarding harp audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Svend Ronning, Coordinator of String Studies.

Strings: Guitar (Classical Emphasis)

● Major and minor scales in two octaves.
● Two contrasting movements of pieces from the solo repertoire that demonstrate the student’s current performance level. The following pieces are suggested:
Milan: 6 Pavanas
Sor: Twenty Studies
Carcassi: 25 Melodious Studies
Tarrega: Adelita, Lagrima or Capricho Arabe
Villa-Lobos: Preludes and Etudes
Leo Brouwer: Estudios Sencillos

If you have any questions regarding classical guitar audition repertoire, please contact Elizabeth Brown.

Strings: Guitar (Jazz Emphasis)

● Major and minor scales in two octaves.
● Prepare a jazz “standard,” defined as a jazz composition (ex.: “Blue Bossa”) or a piece from the Great American Songbook commonly used as a vehicle for jazz (ex.: “All of Me”). These are readily available in commercially sold jazz “fake books” such as The New Real Book, published by Sher Music Co.

If you have any questions regarding jazz guitar audition repertoire, please contact Dr. Cassio Vianna, Director of Jazz Studies.

Voice

AUDITIONING FOR A MUSIC AWARD ONLY

  • Two selections representing contrasting styles that showcase your vocal range and musicianship.
  • Suggested Repertoire includes songs presented for Solo and Ensemble competition, art songs, or folk songs for which you have sheet music. One in a language other than English is preferred but not required.

AUDITIONING FOR BOTH MUSIC AND MUSICAL THEATRE

  • Two selections: (1) art or folk song [see repertoire suggestions above]; and (2) a selection from the musical theatre repertoire that showcases your range and musicianship.

AUDITIONING FOR A MUSICAL THEATRE AWARD ONLY

  • Two selections representing contrasting styles from the musical theatre repertoire (e.g, one up-tempo contemporary and one ballad from the “Golden Age” of Broadway), that showcase your vocal range and musicianship.

For all auditions, please bring a clean copy of the music for the pianist. Double sided music in a three ring binder is preferred.

If you have any questions regarding voice audition repertoire, please contact Dr. James Brown, Coordinator of Vocal Studies.