Required Undergraduate Audition Repertoire

Music Performance candidates- Students intending to major in the Music Performance program must perform an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below.

Composition candidates-  In addition to performing an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below, candidates may also include an original composition in your audition performance. Also, please note that students intending to major in composition must submit examples of original compositions in the form of scores and/or pre-recorded submissions of midi recordings or live performances (please do not send your only copy). A performance audition may not be required of Graduate composition candidates. 

Music Education candidates- In addition to performing an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below, please also note that students intending to major in music education must interview with the music education faculty.

Music Therapy candidates- In addition to performing an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below, please also note that students intending to major in music therapy must interview with the music therapy faculty.

Bachelor of Arts in Music candidates- Students intending to major in the Bachelor of Arts program must perform an audition on their principal instrument as outlined below.

Instruments arranged alphabetically

BASSOON

Any movement from a standard concerto or recital piece that will demonstrate the candidate's technical proficiency; any slow movement from a standard concerto (candidate may substitute any slow study from Milde Concert Studies or Study #21 from Weissenborn, Daily Studies)

CELLO

One etude of Popper, Piatti,  Duport, or equivalent work; two movements from a Bach suite; and one movement of a standard concerto

CLARINET

All major and minor scales; one etude from the Rose 32 Etudes (applicant's choice); Concertino by C.M. Von Weber; and one Concerto by W.A. Mozart

DOUBLE BASS/STRING BASS

Two contrasting movements from a concerto or sonata OR two contrasting etudes; two orchestral excerpts

EUPHONIUM

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

FLUTE 

1st movement of the Mozart Concerto in G Major; a second piece of your choice that contrasts stylistically with the Mozart concerto; all major and minor scales  

GUITAR

One movement from a Bach suite; two Sor studies (Edited by Segovia); three Ponce preludes; three Brouwer etudes (Book III or IV); and two Villa-Lobos preludes

HARP

Etude No. 1 Lariviere (#36 Allegro) or one etude from Modern Study of the Harp by Salzedo.
Cadenzas from "Waltz of the Flowers" from The Nutcracker ballet, cadenza and last movement from Capriccio Espagnol by Rimsky-Korsakov
Solo of candidate's choice

HORN

One of the following: 1st movement of one of the Mozart Horn Concerti (1-4), 1st movement of the Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1, 1st movement of a Beethoven sonata, or 1st movement of the Hindemith Sonata; two contrasting etudes (such as Kopprasch, Kling, or Maxine Alphonse); all major and melodic minor scales; two to four contrasting orchestral excerpts 

OBOE

Two movements of contrasting style from a standard repertoire sonata or concerto; one Barret Grand Study; one orchestral excerpt  

ORGAN

Auditions for entering first year organ majors should include a representative selection of repertoire from various periods illustrating the candidate's level of preparation and expertise at the instrument. All freshman organ majors must also audition in piano.

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

TIMPANI

Any etude by Goodman, Hochrainer, or Delecluse using three or four drums

SNARE DRUM

One etude from 14 Modern Contest Solos by John S. Pratt; one etude by Cirone, Delecluse or comparable

PIANO

Audition repertoire should include music from three stylistic periods. The following list is designed to help prospective pianists select appropriate repertoire:

Baroque: A Bach prelude and fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Volume One or Two, a two-part or three-part invention, a French or English suite or partita, or two or three Scarlatti sonatas.

Classical: A sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven.

Romantic: A composition by Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, or Rachmaninoff.

Impressionistic: A work by Debussy or Ravel.

Contemporary: A composition by Bartok, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Kabelevsky, Copland, Persichetti, Dello Joio, Gershwin, or any other recognized twentieth-century composer.

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

One of the following:
1st or 3rd movement of the Haydn Concerto
1st or 3rd movement of the Hummel Concerto
1st or 3rd movement of the Kennan Sonata

Two contrasting etudes from the following:
Arban - Characteristic Etudes
Brandt - 34 Studies

2-4 Orchestral Excerpts

All Major and Minor Scales

Any requests for substitution of audition repertoire should be directed to Professor Booth at tbooth@smu.edu. 

TUBA

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

VIOLA

Rode #2 (dotted quarter=55); Kreutzer #14 (quarter=65); and either one movement of a Bach suite OR one movement of a standard sonata or concerto (excluding Telemann)

VIOLIN

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

VOICE

Applicants must perform two songs from memory: One art song in English, and one aria or art song in a language other than English