Suggested Audition Repertoire
The audition candidate should prepare approximately 10 minutes of music for the audition.
Entire pieces are not required—individual movements or excerpts are acceptable. The
candidate should prepare a combination of materials that showcase their technical
and lyrical abilities. Examples of suitable repertoire are listed below.
Voice
The requirements for the BM in Vocal Performance and/or BM in Music Education degree program(s) are as follows:
- 3 memorized songs in contrasting styles. One piece must be in a language other than English. One piece may come from the American Musical theater repertoire.
- There is no approved repertoire list and no instrument/vocal styling restrictions. Students and educators are encouraged to select repertoire that is representative of the student’s personal experiences and culture.
Accompaniment is strongly recommended. If you have any additional questions regarding finding accompaniments, please do not hesitate to contact the Voice Area coordinator.
Also include
- 1 letter of recommendation
A list of your audition repertoire one week prior to your audition
The requirements for the MM in Vocal Performance degree program are as follows:
- 2 letters of recommendation from music professionals with whom you have worked
- 5 contrasting selections in different languages and styles sung from memory.
Contact the Voice Area Coordinator with a list of your audition repertoire one week prior to your audition. Video recorded submissions may be submitted in lieu of a live audition reflecting the above requirements. Unlisted or public YouTube videos are preferred.
- Applicants should not upload private videos.
- No audio or video editing is permitted
- Repertoire must be performed from memory
Applicants should include the following information in the video description: Full name, email address, the name of each piece and respective composer names.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact:
Sandra Raquel Bengochea, Voice Area Coordinator
Piano
All piano applicants should play a piece chosen from these examples or comparable pieces.
- Any of the J. S. Bach WTC, book I or II, except Numbers one and eight.
- Any of the Six French Suites or English Partitas, Toccatas by J. S. Bach.
- Any first movement of a sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven.
- Any piece from Books five or six of Bartok's Mikrokosmos.
- Any of the Brahms Intermezzi.
- Fantastiestucke, Opus 12, Robert Schumann.
- Chopin's Nocturnes, Mazurkas, Polonaises, Ballads.
- Any Romantic Work, e.g. Brahms, Schumann, Chopin.
BM applicants must prepare three different works by different composers or from three different style periods for a total of approximately twenty minutes of memorized music.
Graduate applicants should prepare three different and complete works (all movements) and be ready to play them from memory. If videos are sent, they should be unedited (no splicing).
Organ
It is not necessary for the applicant to have studied organ prior to college entrance. It is, however, required that he/she have a minimum of five years of piano study. Therefore, the applicant should be prepared to audition on both piano and organ, if he/she has studied both. The applicant should prepare 2 contrasting works from this suggested repertoire list.
- "Ich ruf u dir" Orgelbuchlein, Bach
- Seventy-nine Chorales, Dupre.
- Partitas, Pachelbel
- Various works from Italian composers
- "Jesu, meine Freude", Walther Variations
- Vingt-quatre Pieces, Langlais
- Prelude and Fugue, E minor, BWV 533 ("The Cathedral"), Bach
- "Jesu, meine Freude" Orgelbuchlein, Bach
- Toccata in B minor, Gigout
- Es ist ein Ros'entsprungen, Brahms
- A prelude and fugue by J.S. Bach, or a fugue alone, if not part of a complete work
- Fugue in G minor, BWV 578, Bach
- "In dir ist Freude" Orgelbuchlein, Bach
- Cantabile, Franck
- Cortege et Litanie, Dupre
- Suite Medievale, Langlais
- Chorale, A minor, Franck
- Piece Heroique, Franck
- Litanies, Alain
- A Sonata or comparable work by Mendelssohn or Brahms
Violin
- 3 octave major and minor scales
- One etude
- One movement from an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita
- One movement of a concerto
Viola
- 3 octave major and minor scales
- One etude
- One movement from an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita
- One movement of a concerto
Cello
- Two contrasting movements (one fast and one slow) from a standard sonata by Marcello, Handel, or comparable material
- An etude by Dotzauer, Popper, or comparable material
- Common scales in two or three octaves
Double Bass
- Two contrasting movements or pieces from the standard repertory.
- One major and one minor scale.
- OR Permission of the instructor.
Guitar
Applicants should be prepared with major and minor scales through the fifth position, two pieces for solo guitar, and an etude of moderate difficulty by Sor, Carulli or Carcassi.
Flute
-Bachelor of Music - Education
- Bachelor of Music - Performance
- Bachelor of Arts - Music
Two contrasting pieces of choice that best represent your current level.
This can include etudes/studies, single movements of multi-movement works, flute parts
from ensemble works, etc.
Please feel free to contact one of our flute professors if you are unsure of what
to prepare.
- Master of Music
First and Second movements of W.A. Mozart's Concerto for Flute in G or D major.
A single 20th or 21st Century piece of your choice.
Two orchestral excerpts displaying a balance of technical and lyrical playing from
the following list:
Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3, mm 328 - 360
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7, Mvt. 2, mm 135 - 183
Brahms: Symphony No. 4, Mvt. 4, mm 67-105
Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Figure 2 to 3
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8, Mvt. 4, Figure D-E
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo, 12 before P to end.
Ravel: Daphis et Chloe Suite No. 2, Figure 176-179
Oboe
In addition to playing scales from memory (all major and minor scales, two octaves to high D), the audition candidate should prepare approximately 10 minutes of music for the audition. Entire pieces are not required - individual movements or excerpts are acceptable. The candidate should prepare a combination of materials that showcase their technical and lyrical abilities. Examples of suitable repertoire:
- Concerto for Oboe in C Major (arr. Benjamin), Cimarosa
- 48 Studies for Oboe, Op. 31 (Southern), Ferling
- Concerto for Oboe in C Minor, Marcello
- Oboe Quartet in F Major, K. 370, Mozart
- Two Fantasy Pieces, Nielsen
- Sonata for Oboe, Op. 166, Saint-Saëns
- Sonata for Oboe in G Minor, Telemann
Clarinet
Any piece from Stubbin;s Recital Literature for Clarinet, Volume I or II (published by Wahr, Ann Arbor, Michigan); or any of the following:
- Rhapsody, Osborne
- Sonata, Hindemith
- Concertos 1 or 2, Weber.
- Grand Duo Concertante, Weber.
- Fantasia and Rondo, Weber.
- 32 Etudes, C. Rose. Please prepare a slow and fast one.
- Sonata 1 or 2, Brahms.
- Sonata, Poulenc.
- Three pieces, Stravinsky.
- Concerto, Mozart (for A clarinet only).
All major scales in two or three octaves. Chromatic scale low E to high G.
Bassoon
The audition candidate should prepare approximately 10 minutes of music for the audition. Entire pieces are not required—individual movements or excerpts are acceptable. The candidate should prepare a combination of materials that showcase their technical and lyrical abilities. Examples of suitable repertoire are listed below.
- Choose from Weissenborn Studies, Op.8, Book II: No.4, No.25 or No.28
- Sonata in f minor, Telemann, movements I and II
- Sonata in Bb Major, Mozart - movement I
All major and minor scales at a minimum tempo of quarter = 96 bpm in eighths.
Saxophone
Two movements or etudes of contrasting nature from below:
- Sonata, Eccles, pub. Southern.
- Sonata, Jacobi, pub. Southern.
- Sonata, Heiden, pub. Schott
- Aria, Bozza, pub. Leduc
- Sicilienne, Lantier
- Tableaux de Provence, Maurice
- Concerto in Eb, Glazounov
- Chanson et Passpied, Rueff
- Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player, Teal
- 48 Famous Etudes, Ferling (slow/fast)
- Selected Studies, Voxman
Trumpet
Prepare two selections or movements that contrast in tempo and style, one of which may be a representative etude.
Suggestions include:
- Trumpet Concerto, Haydn
- Trumpet Concerto, Hummel
- Trumpet Concerto, Arutunian
- Andante and Allegro, Ropartz
- Petitie Piece Concertante, Balay
- Concert Etude, Goedicke
Note: Any candidate should feel free to contact trumpet teacher John Freeman with questions or for further suggestions about repertoire or how to best prepare for the audition
French Horn
In addition to playing scales from memory (all major scales, one octave required, two preferred,) prepare two selections or movements that contrast in tempo and style from the list below or of similar difficulty.
- 1 movement of Mozart Horn Concerto No. 1, or Strauss Concerto No. 1
- Any etude by Kopprasch or Gallay; or an etude of similar difficulty
- Major/Minor Scales: F and G Major/Minor - two octaves; all others (can be asked both articulated and slurred).
- (Optional) One piece of choice, or orchestral excerpts of choice
Trombone and Euphonium
Any etude from Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Joannes Rochut, and one of the following: (a slow and a fast movement)
- Six Sonatas for Trombone and Piano, Galliard.
- Morceau Symphonique, Guilmant.
- Sonata in Bb Major, Vivaldi-Ostrander.
- Clef Studies, Blazhevich (any etude)
Tuba
- Air and Bouree, Bach-Bell.
- Variations on Theme by Handel, Beethoven-Bell.
- Sonatine for Tuba and Piano, Walter Hartley.
- Any Solo from Solos for the Tuba Player, Wekselblatt.
Percussion
- ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIRED FOR PERCUSSION AUDITIONS
- One four mallet marimba or vibraphone solo of the candidate’s choosing
- One two mallet xylophone, marimba, or vibraphone solo
- One orchestral style snare drum etude (such as Delecluse, Cirone, Peters, etc.)
- One rudimental style snare drum etude (such as Wilcoxon, Pratt, etc.)
- One timpani etude of your choice (such as Peters, Hochrainer, Goodman, Firth, etc.).
- Optional: snare drum, mallet, or timpani excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire
Composition
Present two or three original compositions for any instrumental combination (score and audio recording, if possible). Email the material to the Composition Area coordinator (or a link to dropbox or google drive)
Jazz Studies
- Major, harmonic, melodic minor scales
- Sight reading
- 3 jazz standards of varying styles (pre-recorded rhythm section preferred)