Music Audition Requirements

  1. Two selections from the "classical" or "art song" repertory -- contrasting periods and styles. Show tunes, pop music, and contemporary Christian songs are not acceptable for this audition.
    • Vocalists should have two art songs or arias--one in English and one in a foreign language, if possible. Please do not choose Latin choral pieces.
    • Brass, winds, and orchestral strings should prepare at least one piece with piano accompaniment. The other selection can be a contrasting etude or orchestral excerpt.
    • Percussionists should prepare one melodic percussion piece (mallets) and be prepared to demonstrate basic rudiments on snare.
    • Pianists should be prepared to play one Romantic or twentieth-century piece or movement from a larger work by such composers as Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, Bartók, or any other concert music composer. In addition, please prepare one Classical or Baroque piece or movement from a larger work such as a Mozart sonata or Bach suite.
    • Guitarists should prepare one classical (finger-style) piece, one accompaniment to a hymn, scales played across all six strings, and one piece from tablature notation.
  2. Ten minutes is the maximum time allowed for the full audition. Please consult your high school director or private teacher for help in choosing appropriate repertoire.
  3. An accompanist will be provided--no accompanist tapes, please. Bring clear and readable copies of your music in the original score or in a binder, printed front to back, and in book form. (Loose, photocopied sheets can fall off the piano while you are playing or singing.) You will be given time to work with the accompanist before your audition.
  4. Audition repertoire for vocalists, pianists, and guitarists must be memorized. Wind and string players are encouraged to memorize selections.

Scheduling Auditions

It is strongly preferred that students audition in-person during the Performing Arts Visit Days. Special in-person audition or video auditions can be arranged, but only in emergency situations when the regular audition day will not work.

Provisional Status

The music program wants to see all students on the path to success. If, through the audition process, the faculty feel that some of your music skills are not yet at a sufficiently advanced level, you may be placed on provisional status for the first year. This grants you full privileges as a music major, but indicates additional support is needed to bring your skills up to a collegiate level (such as an online course preparing students for Music Theory I). Successful completion of assigned supporting efforts within the first year will result in this provisional status being removed.