Graduate Studies Audition Requirements

Please review the audition requirements listed below for area in the Master of Music in Performance or Performer's Diploma.

Please pick repertoire that shows your ability amongst other applicants. Show us what you can do while still be being comfortable in your playing. If you have specific questions on repertoire requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Master of Music degrees in Music Education, Composition, Conducting, Music History and Literature and Music Theory Pedagogy do not require an audition on a principal instrument (or voice).

Listed alphabetically by instrument.

BASSOON
Mozart Bassoon Concerto, mvt. 1 exposition; slow movement of choice from the standard concerto or recital repertoire, contrasting in style or period; three contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice. In addition, the applicant may be asked to play a selection of major and harmonic minor scales up to high C.

CELLO
One unaccompanied piece (excluding etudes); one standard concerto (all movements).

CLARINET
One movement from a standard recital piece or concerto. One Rose etude of your choice. Two orchestral excerpts.

DOUBLE BASS
One standard concerto; four orchestral excerpts.

FLUTE
1st movement of either the Mozart Concerto in G or D Major; a second piece of your choice that contrasts stylistically with the Mozart concerto, preferably a French Conservatory piece; two movements of any Bach sonata.

GUITAR (Classical Guitar)
Two movements from a Bach suite; a theme and variations or sonata/allegro movement by Sor or Giuliani; two Villa-Lobos etudes; a contemporary work by a composer like Martin, Brouwer, Henze, etc.

HARP
Candidates should prepare:

  • 1 standard work from the harp repertoire (difficulty level similar to the Faure Impromptu or the Grandjany Rhapsodie)
  • 1 work from either the Baroque/Classical era or the Contemporary period
  • 1 cadenza from the following: Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti; Tzigane by Ravel; Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky; Vsherad from Ma Vlast by Smetana
  • 1 excerpt from the following: Wagner, Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde; Ravel, Alborada di gracioso, beginning to rehearsal 4; Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra mvt 4 and 5; Strauss, Death and Transfiguration, beginning to rehearsal C

Memorization is required for the solo pieces

HORN
1st movement of either 2nd or 4th Mozart Horn Concerto; 1st movement of the Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1; all major and melodic minor scales; four to six contrasting orchestral excerpts.

OBOE
1st movement of the Mozart Concerto; Ferling Etude #1 and Ferling Etude #2.

ORGAN
Transfer and graduate students should include a Baroque piece, a major Bach work, a piece in the romantic style, and a contemporary piece, preferably one demonstrating technical dexterity.

All auditioning organ students must include a complete repertoire list, specification of the organ on which the audition was recorded, when applicable, and a listing of the dates when each work was begun. Bring these to the audition or submit them with the recording.

A short sight reading exercise will be administered at the audition.

PERCUSSION — audition on all of the following:
KEYBOARD
All major and minor scales and arpeggios (two octaves); one two-mallet etude or solo; one four-mallet etude or solo, plus three to five standard orchestral excerpts.

TIMPANI
Any etude by Goodman, Hochrainer, or Delecluse using three or four drums, plus three to five standard orchestral excerpts.

SNARE DRUM
One etude from 14 Modern Contest Solos by John S. Pratt; one etude by Cirone, Delecluse or comparable, plus three to five standard orchestral excerpts.

PIANO
 Audition repertoire should include pieces from a minimum of three stylistic periods. One of those pieces must be from the Baroque or Classical periods.

  • Candidates auditioning for the MM in Performance or the MM in Performance and Pedagogy should prepare a program of at least 40 minutes of memorized music from which the piano faculty may choose to hear at the live audition. For recorded auditions, please submit the entire program.
  • Candidates auditioning for the Performer's Diploma should prepare a recital program of at least 60 minutes of memorized music from which the piano faculty may choose to hear at the live audition. For video recorded auditions, please submit the entire recital program.

SAXOPHONE
Any major concerto OR movements 1 & 2 or movements 2 & 3 of the Creston Saxophone Sonata; and major and minor scales.

TROMBONE
Solo of choice; two contrasting etudes (i.e. one melodic, one technical); two orchestral excerpts; and major scales and arpeggios.

TRUMPET
Two contrasting etudes; two contrasting solos (one movement from each solo is okay); at least 5 orchestral excerpts of choice. 

TUBA
All major scales; two contrasting etudes from either Blazevich (Book I), Kopprasch or Bordogni (Rochut); three to five contrasting orchestral excerpts of an applicant's choice; and one of the following: Hindemith Tuba Sonata or 1st movement of the Vaughn Williams Concerto.

VIOLA
Two contrasting movements from JS Bach 6 cello suites or JS Bach Partitas and Sonatas; one movement from a standard viola concerto such as - Bartok, Walton, Hindemith; one movement from a standard viola sonata such as - Brahms, Clarke, Shostakovich; three orchestral excerpts of your choice.

VIOLIN
Three pieces of different styles. One piece may be a caprice or etude.

VOICE (Requires submission of a “pre-screening” video by December 1st)
Applicants should submit a copy of a program from their senior recital or equivalent performance, and prepare the following:

  • An aria from an opera or oratorio
  • Two art songs in languages other than English
  • One contemporary art song

A short sight reading exercise will be administered at the audition.