Auditions

First-year intended voice majors must prepare two contrasting pieces, to be performed from memory. The pieces performed should be taken from the standard classical, traditional, sacred, or Broadway styles. All transfer students at the second-year level of vocal study pursuing the B.A. or B.M.E. degrees must prepare three pieces from the standard classical repertoire: one in English, one in either: Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Latin, and one in a foreign language other than those languages listed above. All transfer students at the 3rd- or 4th-year level, and all potential voice performance (Bachelor of Music) transfer students (2nd- through 4th-year) must prepare five pieces from the standard classical repertoire which include English and two or three foreign languages. Students should bring the sheet music for their pieces with them; an accompanist will be provided. The auditionee will be asked to sight-sing. After auditioning, there will be a short interview with the voice faculty.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Dr. Richard Kosowski.

Students auditioning should prepare two contrasting pieces displaying both lyrical and technical proficiency. Repertoire for an audition may include studies/etudes, orchestral excerpts, sonatas or concerto literature. Students should prepare all major scales and their arpeggios, and auditions will include a short sight-reading excerpt on the chosen instrument.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Dr. Monty Cole.

Students interested in pursuing a Performance degree through the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings should contact the Center for more information.

Applicant will perform two contrasting pieces, preferably from memory.  The following examples indicate the minimum difficulty:

• Bach 2-Part Inventions
• Haydn or Mozart Sonata Movement
• Chopin Nocturne, Waltz, or Polonaise (Op. 26 Nos. 1 and 2)
• Bartok Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm from Vol. 6 of Mikrokosmos
• Schumann Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15

Major and minor scales and arpeggios

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Dr. Jack Mitchener.

Applicants should prepare three pieces in contrasting styles (preferably one major free work of J.S. Bach, plus two pieces from the 19th through 21st centuries), prepare a hymn (include introduction and two stanzas, the last of which should include a re-harmonization), and sight-read a hymn.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Dr. Jack Mitchener.

Candidates for guitar study should be able to play all scales and studies corresponding in difficulty to those of Sor and Carcassi, and perform two contrasting solo works from memory. Students will be asked to sight-read and should have a knowledge of music theory.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Terry Cantwell.

Percussionists should prepare a mallet solo (2 or 4 mallets) and a selection on each of the following instruments: timpani, snare drum, and/or multiple percussion. A drum set selection may be presented if applicable. Sight-reading will be requested on timpani, mallets and snare drum.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Dr. Marcus Reddick.

Applicants should prepare one orchestral excerpt/Harp cadenza, and 2 contrasting style solos.

Questions about appropriate repertoire should be directed to Calista Koch.

Voice Concentration

• One sacred art song or oratorio aria in the original language
• One art song or aria in either French, German, or Italian
• One selection of your choice

Note:  One of the selections must be in English.

Organ Concentration

• Two pieces in contrasting styles, one of which should be based on a chorale or hymn
• Prepare a hymn (include introduction and two stanzas, the last of which should include a re-harmonization)
• Sight-read a hymn

Keyboard, Instrumental, and Conducting Concentrations

• Reference the audition requirements for your area of concentration as a basis for your audition requirements. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies and the Chair of your area of concentration for further clarification of audition requirements.

Those wishing to pursue an MM in Conducting will be sent repertoire to prepare.  The prospective student will be given approximately 15 minutes of rehearsal time with an ensemble to demonstrate conducting and rehearsal techniques.

Master of Music in Performance

• Three pieces in contrasting styles (one major free work of J.S. Bach, plus two pieces from the 19^th – 21^st centuries)
• Prepare a hymn (include introduction and two stanzas, the last of which should include a re-harmonization)
• Sight-read hymns
• Additional sight-reading is possible

Artist Diploma

• A recital of approximately 30-45 minutes including four pieces in contrasting styles (one major pre-Bach work, one major free work of J.S. Bach, plus two pieces from the 19th – 21st centuries).  The level of difficulty of the repertoire (both musical and technical) will be taken into consideration.
• Sight-read at least two hymns
• Additional sight-reading is possible

Five selections, including the following:

• One opera or oratorio aria
• One German Lied
• One French melodie
• One 20th or 21st century English/American song
• One selection of your choice

Note: One of the selections must be in Italian.

Applicants should prepare four selections, including the following:

• A major Bach work or a Classical sonata
• A major Romantic work
• A 20th or 21st century work
• A short virtuosic work (ex. Chopin or Liszt etude)

Applicants should prepare representative pieces on the following instruments:

• Snare Drum
• Any concert solo or etude by Delécluse, Masson, Aleo, Tompkins, Zivkovic, The Noble Snare collection, or the Nexus collection, or the equivalent
• Two standard orchestral excerpts of your choice
• Sight-reading
• Mallet Keyboard
• A contemporary work or study to demonstrate multiple-mallet style such as works by Abe, Aldridge, Deane, Druckman, Lansky, Reynolds, Schwantner, or the equivalent
• Demonstration of two-mallet playing with a movement from Sonatas and Partitas for Violin or Six Suites for Cello by J.S. Bach
• Two standard orchestral excerpts of your choice (glockenspiel or xylophone)
• Sight-reading (2 mallets)
• Timpani
• An advanced work or study to demonstrate musicianship such as Eight Pieces for Four Timpani, Elliott Carter, Variations for Solo Kettledrums, Jan Williams, or Rhythm Gradation, Toshi Ichyanagi, an etude by Richard Hochrainer, or the equivalent
• Two standard orchestral excerpts of your choice
• Sight-reading and demonstrated ability to tune multiple drums from a single given pitch
• Multiple-percussion/World music
• A solo or etude to demonstrate musicianship such as music by Udow, Campbell/Hill, Hamilton, Hollinden, Ishii, Kopetzki, Lang, Xenakis, or Zivkovic, or the equivalent

(The pre-audition screening DVD/e-portfolio will be accepted in lieu of live performance).

Students wishing to gain admittance into Masters level programs with a concentration in flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium or tuba, should be prepared to present the following material in an audition:

• Two contrasting movements from a Romantic era concerto composed for your instrument (saxophonists may use the Glazunov Concerto)
• One movement from a 20th or 21st-century work for your instrument
• Major, minor and chromatic scales as requested
• Sight-reading
• Two orchestral excerpts (complete excerpts from two separate compositions; e.g., Beethoven Symphony No. 6 and, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4)
• Any additional material that you feel exemplifies your musicianship and versatility (e.g., jazz, world music, etc.)

Please bring a repertoire list to your audition.  Sight-reading will be a significant part of each audition.  Repertoire requirements for each area are listed below.  Any proposed repertoire substitutions must be approved in advance.

Vocal Collaborative Pianist Audition Requirements

Applicants are encouraged to bring their own vocalist to the audition. Please notify in advance if this is not possible and other arrangements will be made.

Please prepare:

• A solo work and/or a substantial movement from a violin sonata of Mozart, Beethoven, or the Franck Sonata
• Choose five songs from the following list:
  • Brahms: Wir wandelten (Db major) or Meine Liebe ist grün (F# major)
  • Schubert: Gretchen am Spinnrade (original key) or Rastloseliebe (original key)
  • Schumann: Mondnacht (original key) or Meine Rose (original key)
  • Debussy: Green (Ab minor) or Il pleure dans mon cœur (G# minor)
  • Fauré: Clair de lune (Bb minor) or Notre Amour (original key)
  • Poulenc: Violon (original key) or Paganini (original key)
  • Strauss: Cäcilie (E major) or Morgen (original key)
  • Wolf: Ich hab in Penna (original key) or Wie lange schon war immer mein Verlangen (original key)
  • Argento: Spring (original key)
  • Musto: Litany (original key)
• Choose two songs from the following list:
  • Mozart: “Giunse alfin il momento…Deh vieni non tardar” from Le nozze di Figaro
  • Massenet: “Va! Laisse couler mes larmes” from Werther
  • Puccini: “Quando m’en vo” from La bohème
• Choose one selection from your entire audition list to sing and play

Instrumental Collaborative Pianist Audition Requirements

Applicants are strongly urged to bring their own instrumentalist to the audition.  Please notify in advance if this is not possible and other arrangements will be made.

Please prepare:

• Solo work of your choosing
  • One movement (not the slow movement) of any Mozart instrumental concerto (orchestral reduction)
• Two contrasting movements selected from the following sonatas:
  • Fauré – A Major Violin and Piano Sonata
  • Strauss – Violin and Piano Sonata
  • Franck – Violin and Piano Sonata
  • Saint-Saëns – Violin and Piano Sonata No. 1
  • Any Brahms Sonata
  • A work comparable to the list above may be substituted with advance permission from the Collaborative Piano Area.

Students selected to audition for the Artist Diploma with the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings will undergo a highly selective and rigorous auditions process. Please note that students in the Center may only pursue the Artist Diploma in Strings Performance. For specific audition requirements, please visit the McDuffie Center for Strings.

If selected for an on-site, live audition with the McDuffie Center for Strings, you must also make formal application to the Townsend School of Music by following this link:

Graduate Studies Application for Admission

Please provide all requested materials before the deadlines listed on the Townsend School of Music Graduate Admissions webpage.