Sophomore Assessments

  • For BM and BME sophomore assessment juries:
    Total jury time is approximately 15 minutes. A minimum average score of 25/50 must be achieved to pass. See jury rubrics for more information.
  • For BA/BMA sophomore assessment juries:
    Total jury time is approximately 15 minutes, roughly equally split between performing your jury selection and presenting your project proposal. A minimum average score of 25/50 must be achieved to pass. See jury rubrics for more information.

BRASS

  • TRUMPET
    • BM
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at or near that of a good conservatory student.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios. Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from F# to C, and one octave from C# to F.
      • Two-octave chromatic scales beginning on any note.
      • Sight-Transposition at the following intervals: down a m2, down a M2, up a M2.
    • BME
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios. Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from F# to C, and one octave from C# to F.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight-Transposition at the following intervals: down a m2, down a M2, up a M2.
    • BA/BMA
      • Performance of one work of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios. Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from F# to C, and one octave from C# to F.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight-Transposition at the following intervals: down a m2, down a M2, up a M2.
  • HORN
    • BM
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto/solo rep., concert etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at or near that of a good conservatory student.
      • Two-octave major and minor (all three forms) scales and arpeggios.
      • Two-octave chromatic scales beginning on any note.
      • Sight reading of etude material.
      • Sight-transposition in E-flat, E, D, C, G and A.
    • BME
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto/solo rep., concert etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good performance at the university level.
      • Two-octave major and minor (all three forms) scales and arpeggios.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight-reading of etude material.
      • Sight-transposition in E-flat, E, D, and C
    • BA/BMA
      • Performance of one work of standard repertoire (concerto, sonata, other horn solo, concert etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good performance at the university level.
      • Two-octave major and minor (all three forms) scales and arpeggios.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Prepared transposition in E-flat, E, and D
  • TROMBONE
    • BM
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (one piece of standard solo repertoire, and choice of an etude or selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at or near that of a good conservatory student.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios. Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves
      • Sight-Reading in bass, tenor, and Bb treble clefs (bass and tenor trombonists)
      • Sight-Reading in alto clef (tenor trombonists only)
    • BME
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (standard solo repertoire, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios (jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play). Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight-Reading in bass or tenor clef (bass and tenor trombonists)
    • BA/BMA
      • Performance of one work of contrasting styles (standard solo repertoire, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios (jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play). Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from E to Bb, and one octave from B to Eb.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight-Reading in bass clef
  • EUPHONIUM
    • BM
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, sonata, through composed original literature).
        • Performance quality must be at or near that of a good conservatory student.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios. Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from (concert pitch) low E to Bb, and one octave from B to Eb. Students with fourth valve will play all scales and arpeggios for any note in two octaves minimum.
      • Two-octave chromatic scales beginning on any note.
      • Sight reading melodic material in treble clef.
    •  BME
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, sonata, through composed original literature).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios (jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play). Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from (concert pitch) low E to Bb, and one octave from B to Eb. Students with fourth valve will play all scales and arpeggios for any note in two octaves minimum.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Sight reading of melodic material in treble clef.
    •  BA/BMA
      • Performance of one work of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, sonata, through composed original literature).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios (jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play). Scales and arpeggios must be played 2 octaves from (concert pitch) low E to Bb, and one octave from B to Eb. Students with fourth valve will play all scales and arpeggios for any note in two octaves minimum.
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
      • Exposure to Bb treble clef.
  • TUBA
    • BM
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at or near that of a good conservatory student.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios in 2 octaves.
      • Two-octave chromatic scales beginning on any note.
    • BME
      • Performance of at least two works of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting a good public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios in 2 octaves (jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play).
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.
    • BA/BMA
      • Performance of one work of contrasting styles (concerto, etude, selection of orchestral excerpts).
        • Performance quality must be at a level befitting public performance.
      • All major and minor scales (all three forms) and arpeggios in 2 octaves(jury committee will pick 2 or 3 for you to play).
      • Two-octave chromatic scale beginning on any note.

COMPOSITION

  • BM
    • Performance in primary medium (this replaces the semester jury for this term).
    • Presentation of:
      • A significant composition or compositions that demonstrate the student’s current abilities and their curiosity, creativity, ambition and self-discipline. This will be presented in verbal analysis using whatever handouts are useful—score, chart, lyrics or other documents as are appropriate and relevant—and then performed live or via recording.
      • The portfolio (scores, charts, recordings) of all previous compositions created to date while at PLU.

ORGAN

  • BM
    • Three works in contrasting style: one pre-Bach, one of Bach, one post-Bach, totaling at least 20 minutes of music. The Bach work should be a major prelude and fugue, chorale prelude, trio sonata, or work of comparable difficulty.
  • BA/BMA
    • At least two works in contrasting styles and characters (no less than 12 minutes of music).

PIANO

  • BM
    • Three works in contrasting styles and ​scales/arpeggios (no less than 20 minutes of performance time, ​not counting scales) performed by memory. Sophomore piano assessments are to include the following:
      • Bach, Prelude and Fugue or a work of comparable difficulty from the Baroque period
      • Movement of a Classical Sonata (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert)
      • Romantic or 20-21st Century work
      • All major/minor ​4 octave scales (in sixteenth notes at quarter equaling 84-96) and 4 octave arpeggios (in sixteenth notes at quarter note equaling 60).
  •  BME
    • At least two solo pieces from two different periods (no less than 12 minutes of playing time). At least one of the pieces is to be performed by memory.
    • All major/minor ​4 octave scales (in sixteenth notes at quarter equaling 72) and 4 octave arpeggios (in sixteenth notes at quarter note equaling 52).
  •  BA/BMA
    • At least two solo pieces from two different periods (no less than 12 minutes of playing time).
      • At least one of the pieces is to be performed by memory.
      • All major/minor ​4 octave scales (in sixteenth notes at quarter equaling 72) and 4 octave arpeggios (in sixteenth notes at quarter note equaling 52).

STRINGS

  • BM
    • At least three works in contrasting style prepared to the level of a conservatory student
      • Solo from the standard repertoire
      • Contrasting piece from one of the following categories:
        • Etude
        • Unaccompanied Bach
        • Orchestral excerpt
      • One other solo of the applicant’s choice
    • The facility to perform at least three major and at least three minor scales, and related arpeggios in three octaves from memory on demand
  •  BME
    • At least two works in contrasting style prepared to a level appropriate for public performance:
      • Solo from the standard repertoire
      • Contrasting piece from one of the following categories:
        • Etude
        • Unaccompanied Bach
        • Orchestral excerpt
      • The facility to perform at least one major and at least one minor scale in three octaves from memory on demand
  •  BA/BMA
    • At least two works in contrasting style prepared to a level appropriate for public performance:
      • Solo from the standard repertoire
        • Contrasting piece from one of the following categories:
          • Etude
          • Unaccompanied Bach
          • Orchestral excerpt
        • The facility to perform at least one major and at least one minor scale in three octaves from memory on demand

VOICE

  • BM
    • 5 art songs in a variety of styles (baroque-21st century) and in a minimum of three languages (2 arias maximum may be included); students should display an understanding of foreign language translation, a beginning understanding of stage deportment, and a developing understanding of musical style.
  •  BME
    • 3 art songs in a variety of styles (baroque-21st century) and in a minimum of two languages (1 aria maximum may be included); students should display an understanding of foreign language translation, a beginning understanding of stage deportment, and a developing understanding of musical style.
  •  BA/BMA
    • 2 art songs in a variety of styles (baroque-21st century) and in a minimum of two languages (1 aria may be included); students should display an understanding of foreign language translation, a beginning understanding of stage deportment, and a developing understanding of musical style.

WOODWINDS

  • BM
    • Demonstration of musical and technical proficiency via three contrasting pieces.
    • Additional requirements such as scales, etudes, or other exercises may be required by the studio teacher.
  •  BME
    • Demonstration of musical and technical proficiency via two contrasting pieces.
    • Additional requirements such as scales, etudes, or other exercises may be required by the studio teacher.
  •  BA/BMA
    • Demonstration of musical and technical proficiency via two contrasting pieces.
    • Additional requirements such as scales, etudes, or other exercises may be required by the studio teacher.
    • Cognate field/liberal arts interest area(s): discussion of the cognate field/interest areas and possible senior projects.