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)
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.
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
Ample time and pistons will be provided for registering pieces and hymn.
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.
Composition Auditions
Composition auditions require the submission of a portfolio of original compositions and recordings, if available. Students will interview, by appointment, with the Composition faculty. In addition, composition applicants must also audition on their major instrument, according to the guidelines above.
