Voice Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements

• Two songs in contrasting styles
• Interview with Vocal Faculty

Song Requirements

Prepare two memorized songs in contrasting styles with piano accompaniment. Classical, folk, or foreign language songs are welcome; one musical theatre piece may be substituted. You may bring your own accompanist or use a staff accompanist at no charge (music must be in a 3-ring binder if using ours).

Repertoire Guidelines

Classical song literature and folksong arrangements such as those listed in the MSVMA Solo and Ensemble list and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) high school audition requirements would be considered appropriate. 

Piano Accompaniment for Video Auditions 

Candidates should use an accompaniment track, which can often be found on YouTube. You may also choose to purchase an app such as Appcompanist, which offers a large library of classical and musical theatre accompaniments.

Brass and Woodwind Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements

• One movement of a sonata or concerto or
• Two contrasting etudes
• Sight reading

Pianist

Auditions will be unaccompanied. There is no need to bring a pianist.

Piano Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements

• One piece from the Baroque era
• One first-movement from a Classical Sonata
• One free-choice piece from the Romantic through 21st Century repertoire
• Sight reading
• Scales and arpeggios

Memorization

All pieces must be memorized at the audition.

Additional Requirements

Bring a resume/CV and a list of previously learned repertoire to your audition. If these documents were uploaded with your audition registration, you do not need to bring printed copies.

Percussion Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements

• Solo repertoire
• Sight reading and/or a brief aural skills assessment may be required.

Repertoire Guidelines

Please prepare 5-15 minutes of solo repertoire that best highlights your strengths as a percussionist. Audition must demonstrate proficiency in snare drum, keyboard percussion, and an additional third area, which may be selected from timpani, drumset, or accessory/world percussion.

Required:
Snare Drum: Concert and/or Rudimental solos (Suggestions: Peters: Intermediate Snare Drum Studies, Wilcoxon: Modern Rudimental Swing Solos)
Keyboard Percussion: 2-mallet and/or 4-mallet solos (Suggestions: Bach: Cello Suites & Violin Sonatas and Partitas, Hopper: Ghost Garden, Peters: Soundscapes, Ford: Technique through Music)

Choose One:
Timpani: Solos, Etudes, or Orchestral Excerpt Repertoire (Hochrainer: Etudes for Timpani)
Drumset: Demonstrate various styles (e.g. Pop, Rock, Jazz, Latin)
Accessory/World Percussion: Orchestral Excerpts, Latin American and/or African hand drumming styles, Steel Pan, etc.

Instruments to be provided

• Concert Snare Drum
• 5-octave Marimba One
• 3-octave Yamaha vibraphone
• 4 Adams Philharmonic Timpani (Clutch Style Pedals)
• 4-piece Drum Kit with 2 Cymbals and Hi-Hat

Other instruments such as hand percussion and steel pans available upon request (please email Dr. Justin Lamb prior to your audition).

String Audition Requirements (including guitar)

Audition Requirements

• Two contrasting works
• Sight reading

Repertoire Guidelines

Please prepare at least two contrasting works from the following three choices: (1) a movement from a J.S. Bach solo sonata, partita or suite, or other Baroque work; (2) a movement from a 19th or 20th century sonata or concerto; (3) a work of the student’s choice.

Music Technology

Audition Requirements

• Portfolio/resume presentation
• Interview with Faculty

Portfolio Requirements

Candidates for the Music Technology program will present a portfolio or resume of their work to the faculty. The portfolio or resume should highlight previous experience with music technology, such as live event production, original compositions, and/or recording projects. Be sure to list any software and hardware used in these projects. During the presentation, candidates will have the opportunity to share their interests, prior work experience, and career goals.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the portfolio or resume presentation, candidates must audition on their major instrument (voice, guitar, or any band or orchestra instrument). Please refer to the audition requirements for your specific area for detailed guidelines.

Jazz Minor Audition Requirements

Horns

• Demonstrate major scales to 3#’s and 3b’s - 2 octaves.
• Play the melody to Billie's Bounce and improvise over its blues form in the concert key of F at 110-130 bpm
• Choose one of the following jazz standards to play the melody and solo on:
  • Oleo, My Romance, How High the Moon, Take the "A" Train, Blue Bossa, Afternoon In Paris

 Piano & Guitar

• Demonstrate all 12 major scales and all 12 major 7, minor 7, and dominant 7 chords.
• Play the melody and chords to Billie's Bounce and improvise over its blues form in the concert key of F at 110-130 bpm 
• Choose one of the following jazz standards to play the melody, chords and solo on:
  • Oleo, My Romance, How High the Moon, Take the "A" Train, Blue Bossa, Afternoon In Paris

Bass

• Demonstrate major scales to 3#’s and 3b’s.
• Play the melody and walk a bass line to Billie's Bounce. Improvise over its blues form in the concert key of F at 110-130 bpm
• Choose one of the following jazz standards to walk a bass line on:
  • Oleo, My Romance, How High the Moon, Take the "A" Train, Blue Bossa, Afternoon In Paris

Jazz Percussion

*If you are auditioning for the Music Tech, Music Education, or Music Performance majors, please consult the “Percussion Audition Requirements” above.

Prepare a 4–6 minute medley that demonstrates a variety of styles on drumset. Styles may include, but are not limited to, Medium Swing, Medium-Fast Swing, Slow Swing (walking ballad), Straight Ballad (with brushes), Shuffle, Funk, Bossa Nova, Samba, & Odd Meter (7/8, 5/4, etc). During the medley, please also demonstrate soloing vocabulary through trading fours in any of the above styles.

OPTIONAL: Demonstrate experience with keyboard mallet percussion (e.g. vibraphone), hand percussion (i.e. congas, bongos, etc.), and/or other concert percussion (e.g. snare drum, timpani).

If you wish to demonstrate your experience with hand percussion, please request instruments by emailing [email protected] prior to your audition.

Vocalists

• Demonstrate major scales to 3#’s and 3b’s - 2 octaves.
• Scat the melody to Billie's Bounce and improvise over its blues form in the concert key of F or Bb at 110-130 bpm
• Be able to demonstrate basic piano skills, like identifying notes, intervals, and triads.
• Sing the melody to one of the following songs:
  • All of Me, Bye Bye Blackbird, Fly Me to the Moon, Lullaby of Birdland, Our Love is Here to Stay, Summertime

Prospective jazz minors who are not yet ready to audition are encouraged to enroll in applied (private) lessons on their instrument to prepare. Once accepted into the program, this semester of coursework can be applied toward the requirements for the minor.