Undergraduate Music Audition Requirements

Undergraduate voice candidates who wish to apply for admission to the Bass School of Music must schedule an audition on the Oklahoma City University campus during one of the three national audition weekends or send a recording.

Undergraduate instrumental candidates are encouraged to audition during one of the three national audition weekends if possible. Instrumentalists who are unable to attend a national audition weekend may audition by appointment or send a recording.

VOCAL AUDITIONS

All vocal music must be performed from memory. Vocal applicants may be asked to sing all or part of their prepared repertoire. Applicants must prepare entire pieces (not 16 bars or a "cut"). An accompanist will be provided free of charge at the on-campus national audition dates. One copy of the music must be supplied for the accompanist. You will meet with the accompanist briefly prior to your scheduled audition time. Taped accompaniments, A Cappella performances, staging, props, and dance are not allowed during the vocal audition. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to bring a headshot and resume to the audition.

Vocal Music Education, Music Business-Voice Emphasis, Composition-Voice Emphasis, Church Music-Voice Emphasis, and Bachelor of Arts-Voice Emphasis
Applicants are required to sing two contrasting classical or art songs.
One selection must be in English.

VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Applicants must be prepared to sing three classical or art songs:

• One piece must be in English
• One piece must be an early Italian piece (e.g., a selection from 24 Italian Songs and Arias of the 17th and 18th Centuries)
• One piece of the applicant’s choice

MUSIC THEATER
Applicants must be prepared to sing three songs:

• One classical or art song in any language
• One classic Music Theater piece written prior to 1970
• One contrasting Music Theater piece of the applicant’s choice

Music Theater applicants must also perform by memory two contrasting monologues. The two monologue selections together should not exceed three minutes in total time. The monologues are to come from published plays. The applicant should audition with contemporary material and stay away from Greek tragedy, Shakespeare, Moliere, and the like. Monologues from musicals, television, or other mediums are not allowed. There is no dance portion of the Music Theater audition.

MUSIC THEATER and VOCAL PERFORMANCE Combined Audition
Applicants interested in both Music Theater and Vocal Performance must be prepared to sing five songs:

• One classical or art song in English


• One classical or art song in early Italian (e.g., a selection from 24 Italian Songs and Arias of the 17th and 18th Centuries)


• One classical or art song of the applicant’s choice


• One Music Theater piece written prior to 1970


• One contrasting Music Theater piece of the applicant’s choice

Applicants interested in both Music Theater and Vocal Performance must also perform by memory two contrasting monologues. The two monologue selections together should not exceed three minutes in total time. The monologues are to come from published plays. The applicant should audition with contemporary material and stay away from Greek tragedy, Shakespeare, Moliere, and the like. Monologues from musicals, television, or other mediums are not allowed. There is no dance portion of the Music Theater and Vocal Performance Combined Audition.

INSTRUMENTAL AUDITIONS

Instrumental Music Education, Instrumental Performance, Music Business-Instrumental Emphasis, Composition-Instrumental Emphasis, and Bachelor of Arts-Instrumental Emphasis:

(For all orchestral and wind instruments, excluding percussion, guitar, piano, and organ)
Instrumental auditions require the performance of two contrasting pieces. Repertoire may be solos or etudes written for the instrument, preferably one fast, technical piece and one slow, lyrical piece. All instrumental auditions will include sight-reading. Photocopied music and taped accompaniments are not allowed.

PERCUSSION AUDITIONS
Applicants are required to perform at least one piece or etude on snare drum, marimba (4-mallet), and timpani. Percussion auditions will include sight-reading.

GUITAR AUDITIONS
Applicants are required to perform two contrasting pieces for classical guitar, equal (or greater) in difficulty to the studies of Sor, Giuliani, Carulli, or Carcassi.

PIANO AUDITIONS
Applicants are required to perform three pieces from memory, selected from the following historical periods:

• Baroque (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Handel, Rameau, Couperin)
• Classical (e.g., one movement of a Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven Sonata)
• Romantic (e.g., Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Liszt)
• Twentieth Century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Hindemith, Prokofieff, Copland, Muczynski)

Applicants may be asked to perform all or part of their prepared repertoire.

ORGAN AUDITIONS
Applicants are required to perform three pieces:

• One work by J.S. Bach or another Baroque composer
• One piece by a Romantic or contemporary composer
• A hymn, prepared as if it were being played for a congregation

Graduate Music Audition Requirements

Voice students who wish to apply for admission to the Bass School must schedule an interview and audition on the Oklahoma City University campus during one of three national scholarship audition weekends. Other majors may audition during the scholarship weekends or by appointment.

VOCAL PERFORMANCE AND OPERA PERFORMANCE
Candidates must prepare a repertoire of six pieces to include the following:

1. Operatic aria
2. Oratorio aria
3. 20th century British or American art song
4. French art song
5. German art song
6. Song of the candidate’s choice

MUSIC THEATER
Candidates must prepare a repertoire of six pieces to include the following:

Classical Selections
1. One operatic aria
2. One art song

Music Theater Selections – three contrasting pieces
3. One up tempo
4. One ballad
5. One classic music theater piece prior to 1970
6. Music theater selection of the candidate’s choice

Applicants must also perform two contrasting monologues no more than two minutes each.

Vocal candidates may be asked to sing all or part of their prepared repertoire. All vocal music must be performed from memory. Photocopied music, taped accompaniments, and a cappella performances are not allowed.

INSTRUMENTAL
Candidates are required to perform four pieces of varied styles and periods. Repertoire may be solos or etudes written for the instrument. All instrumental auditions will include sight-reading.

Photocopied music and taped accompaniments are not allowed.

PERCUSSION
Candidates are required to perform at least one piece or etude on snare drum, marimba (4-mallets) and timpani and six orchestral excerpts (minimum). Audition will include sight-reading.

PIANO
Candidates are required to perform a thirty-minute program representing important works from at least three of the following historical styles:
1. Baroque period (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Handel, Rameau, Couperin)
2. Classical period (e.g., Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart)
3. Romantic period (e.g., Chopin, Schubert, Liszt, Brahms, Schumann)
4. Twentieth century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Hindemith, Prokofieff, Schoenberg, Copland, Barber)

Candidates may be asked to perform all or part of their prepared repertoire.


ORGAN
A 30 minute program should be prepared to include the following:
- One major work by J.S. Bach or another Baroque composer.
- Two additional pieces in differing styles from the Romantic period or later (e.g., one lyrical, one virtuosic piece).

Playing from memory is encouraged, but not required. Ample time and pistons will be provided for registering the program.

COMPOSITION
Candidates must submit a portfolio of original compositions and, if available, recordings. Candidates will be interviewed by the Director of Composition, by appointment. Candidates must also audition on their major instrument or voice, according to the following guidelines:

• Instrumental
  Candidates are required to perform three pieces of varied styles and periods. Repertoire may be solos or etudes written for the instrument. All instrumental auditions will include sight-reading. Photocopied music and taped accompaniments are not allowed.
  
  
• Piano
  Candidates must perform three pieces from memory, selected from the following historical periods:
  Baroque (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Handel, Rameau, Couperin)
  Classical (e.g., Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven Sonata – one movement or an equivalent classical composition)
  Romantic (e.g., Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms, Liszt)
  Twentieth Century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Bartok, Hindemith, Prokofieff, Copland, Muczynski)
  
  
• Vocal
  Candidates must be prepared to sing two contrasting classical or art songs. One selection must be in English. Photocopied music and taped accompaniments are not allowed.