Audition Requirements
Applications for the 2023–2024 audition season are now open!
We are offering two audition opportunities for instrumental students:
- On-site at the Bass Music Center.
- National Audition Days - Feb. 16-17, 2024
- Alternate date in-person audition*
- Recorded Auditions via Acceptd
*To schedule an alternate date in-person audition, select "alternate date in-person" as audition preference in the Acceptd application.
To receive priority scholarship consideration, you must complete your audition by March 1, 2024.
Candidates auditioning for Spring 2024 must complete their audition no later than Nov. 15.
All instrumental auditions will include sight-reading. Photocopied music and taped accompaniments are not allowed.
Email questions regarding the audition process to [email protected]
Woodwinds Auditions
Flute (For music majors):
- All Major Scales
- 3-octave chromatic scale
- Two solos or movements from a major sonata or concerto demonstrating tone and technical facility
- Examples: any piece from "French Music by French Composers," a Mozart Concerto, Bach or Poulenc Sonata, or solo of comparable difficulty level
- Sight-reading
Flute (for non-music majors):
- All Major scales
- 3-octave chromatic scale
- One piece demonstrating tone and technical abilities
- Sight-reading
Clarinet:
- Major scales: 1-2 major scales as requested by the audition committee, performed from memory or from music, at least 2 octaves
- Two contrasting pieces or etudes: All-State etudes, movements from larger works, or shorter single-movement works that best highlight the applicant's performance level
- Sight-reading
Saxophone:
- Major scales and chromatic scale, 1 or 2 will be requested by the audition committee, performed from memory or from music
- Two contrasting musical selections: standard etudes, a movement/section from a larger piece, short single-movement works
- Examples: Rueff Chanson et Passepied, Joly Cantilène et Danse, Eccles Sonata, Villa-Lobos Fantasia, Glazunov Concerto, Ferling 48 Famous Studies, Berbiguier 18 Exercises (arr. Mule), Voxman Selected Studies
- Applicants are encouraged to select equivalent music beyond the provided examples, feel free to correspond with Dr. Joshua Heaney ([email protected]) with questions about repertoire.
- Examples: Rueff Chanson et Passepied, Joly Cantilène et Danse, Eccles Sonata, Villa-Lobos Fantasia, Glazunov Concerto, Ferling 48 Famous Studies, Berbiguier 18 Exercises (arr. Mule), Voxman Selected Studies
- Sight-reading
Oboe and Bassoon
- Two contrasting pieces
- Repertoire may be solos or etudes written for the instrument, preferably one fast, technical piece and one slow, lyrical piece.
- Sight-reading
Brass Auditions
Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba
Applicants must perform 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.
Strings Auditions
Violin:
Two works of contrasting style:
- A concerto movement of choice
- An elective work or movement selected from the unaccompanied, solo, or duo-sonata repertoire that contrasts in period/style and genre with the selected concerto. This may include études and caprices. If a Classical or Romantic sonata is chosen, it is recommended to collaborate with a pianist in the audition recording; if this is not possible, a different repertoire selection may be more advisable.
Sight-reading
For any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Nicholas Hatt at [email protected].
Viola:
Two works of contrasting styles from the standard viola repertoire selected from the following:
- A movement from a major concerto.
- A movement from the Bach Cello Suites (transcribed for viola).
- A contrasting work that is considered to be from the standard viola solo repertoire. This may include a viola solo work, a concert piece, or a solo movement from unaccompanied works.
- An etude demonstrating accomplished technique, such as Kayser, Kreutzer, Campagnoli, Paganini, etc.
- The current required All-State audition piece.
- A standard orchestral excerpt (e.g., Movement II from Beethoven Symphony No.5, Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, Don Juan, Variation V, VII, or VIII from Brahms Haydn Variations, Mendelssohn Midsummer Night’s Dream Scherzo, etc.)
- Other works not listed (with previous approval from the viola professor prior to the audition)
Sight-reading
For any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Shaohong "Betty" Yuan at [email protected].
Cello:
Two works of contrasting style that demonstrate technical skill and musicianship. Selections may be made from the following:
- An étude (Popper, Grützmacher, Schroeder, Duport, etc.) or caprice by Piatti or Franchomme
- The exposition of a standard concerto
- A showpiece, a lyrical piece, or a movement from a sonata
- A movement from a Bach suite
- Current All-State cello audition repertoire
Sight-reading
For questions about audition repertoire or about the cello program, please contact Professor Emily Stoops.
Double Bass:
Two contrasting pieces demonstrating technical skill and musicianship. Selections may be made from:
- A movement from a concerto. Concertos by composers include, but are not limited to, Capuzzi, Dragonetti, Dittersdorf, Bottesini, Koussevitzky.
- A contrasting work that is considered to be from the standard double bass repertoire. This may include a movement from a sonata, a concert piece, or a movement from a Bach Cello Suite.
- An etude found in studies such as Sturm, Storch-Hrabe, Lee, or Simandl 30 Etudes.
- A standard orchestral excerpt (e.g., Beethoven 9 recitative, Beethoven 5 trio, Strauss Ein Heldenleben, Mozart 40 mvt. 1, Brahms 1 mvt. 1).
- The current All-State audition required piece.
- A two-octave scale may also be requested.
Sight-reading
For clarification or suggestions contact Prof. John Schimek at [email protected] prior to the scheduled audition.
Harp:
Candidates must perform the following:
- One solo work from the standard harp literature
- One solo work that represents your artistic musicianship
- Orchestral excerpt:
- The cadenza from The Nutcracker "Waltz of the Flowers", Tchaikovsky
Sight reading may also be requested. All solo pieces must be memorized, while sheet music may be used for the orchestral excerpts.
For any questions or concerns, please contact Professor Emily Duncan at [email protected].
Percussion Auditions
Please contact Dr. Tommy Dobbs ([email protected]) for any questions
Solo Literature:
Snare Drum: One Solo/Etude by Cirone, Peters, Delecluse, or Tompkins
Marimba (Two-Mallets): One solo demonstrating two-mallet ability
Examples: works by Bach, Koshinski, Green, McMillian, Goldenberg, etc.
Marimba (Four-Mallets): One solo demonstrating four-mallet ability
Examples works by Bach, Zeltsman, Sammut, Stout, Burritt, or published transcriptions/arrangements
Timpani: One Solo or Etude by Delecluse, Carter, Hochrainer, Beck, Goodman, Lepak, etc.
Optional:
Drumset: Medium/Up-tempo swing (time and trading fours), Bossa Nova, Funk, and Samba
World Percussion: Steel Pan solo (pans provided if requested), congas (provided), riq, maracas, various frame drums, etc.
Auditionees can submit videos if they desire.
If time permits, auditionees can select to demonstrate live.
Gear Provided:
- Brass Pearl Philharmonic Snare Drum (4” with REMO Skyntone Head) or Aluminum Pearl Philharmonic Snare Drum (5.5” with REMO M5 Head)
- Yamaha YM-5104A 5.0 Marimba or Malletech Stiletto 5.0 Marimba
- Yamaha Dresden and Balanced Action Timpani will be available
- Adams Alpha Series Xylophone (low C)
- Yamaha YG-2500 Pedal Glockenspiel (3 1/3 Octave Range)
Please Note:
All- State audition material can be used if you desire.
Feel free to contact Dr. Tommy Dobbs @ [email protected] to setup an audition date.
For a free lesson and a personal tour of our facilities, please contact Dr. Dobbs at the above mentioned email address.
Follow the OCU Percussion Studio on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
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
The OCU Guitar program is a highly competitive program that is a unique synthesis of classical, folk, historical performance, jazz, and popular music. Undergraduate Guitar auditions require at least 15 minutes of music with a minimum of two contrasting works. For these works, the music may be performed on classical, acoustic, or electric guitar. Additional works (not required) may include original compositions and performances on other plucked string historical or folk instruments such as the lute, theorbo, banjo and mandolin.
Applicants will be contacted and interviewed by the Guitar faculty upon completion of the Acceptd Application.
Composition Requirements
Composition applicants must audition on their major instrument, according to the guidelines above. In addition, composition auditions require the submission of a portfolio of original compositions, recordings, and an interview with the Composition faculty.
Applicants will be contacted by the Composition faculty upon completion of the Acceptd application.
Music Education Requirements
Music Education applicants must audition on their major instrument, according to the guidelines above. In addition, Music Education applicants will interview with the Music Education faculty.
Applicants will be contacted by the Music Education faculty upon completion of the Acceptd application.