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Graduate Instrumental Auditions

FLUTE
  • 1st movement of the Mozart G or D concerto, including cadenza
  • One movement of a 20th or 21st century sonata
  • One piece of your choice
  • Three orchestral excerpts chosen from the following:
    • Daphnis and Chloe, Symphonic Metamorphosis, Brahms #4, Leonore #3, Mendelssohn's Scherzo, or Carnival of the Animals
  • Sight-reading

CLARINET
  • Three contrasting works, or movements from larger works, including at least one selection from the 20th or 21st century (e.g. Mozart exposition, a movement from a sonata, the second movement of Stravinsky’s Three Pieces). A substantial etude may be used as one of the three selections.
  • Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
  • Sight-reading

SAXOPHONE
  • Major, harmonic minor, and chromatic scales (full range)
  • Two contrasting pieces from the standard repertoire
    • Examples: Desenclos Prelude, Cadence, et Finale, Husa Elegie et Rondeau, Noda Ѳï, Decruck Sonate, Tomasi Concerto, or equivalent
  • One contemporary piece composed after 1980
    • Examples: Dundee Star Bits, Lauba Neuf Études, Garrop Tantrum, Yoshimatsu Fuzzy Bird Sonata, Shrude Kantada, or equivalent
  • Jazz excerpts and improvisation are optional but welcomed
  • Sight-reading

OBOE & BASSOON
  • Candidates are required to perform four pieces of varied styles and periods. Repertoire may be solos or etudes written for the instrument.
  • Sight-reading

  • Primary Instrument: Two major contrasting works (movement of a sonata, concerto, etc.)
  • Secondary Instrument #1: One major work
  • Secondary Instrument #2: One minor work or etude
  • Sight-reading

The amount of music prepared will equate to approximately 30 minutes.

TRUMPET, HORN, TROMBONE, EUPHONIUM & TUBA
  • Candidates are required to perform two pieces of varied styles and periods.
  • 2-5 standard orchestral excerpts are also required for trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba. 2-5 standard band excerpts are required for euphonium.
  • Sight-reading

VIOLIN
  • An outer movement from a major concerto written after 1775, preferably from the Romantic, Modern, or Contemporary Periods.
  • A movement of an unaccompanied sonata or partita by J.S. Bach.
  • A contrasting work of choice. This selection must be either a sonata, showpiece, or caprice. An additional movement from a major concerto or solo Bach will not fulfill this requirement. Applicants may only perform caprices by Fiorillo, Rode, Dont, or Paganini.
  • Sight-reading

VIOLA
  • A movement from a major concerto.
  • A movement from the Bach Cello Suites (transcribed for viola).
  • A movement from a major sonata.
  • 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.
  • Sight-reading

Memorization is encouraged except for sonatas.


CELLO
  • The exposition of a standard concerto
  • Two movements from a Bach suite
  • An additional contrasting work such as: a virtuosic étude by Popper, Grützmacher, Servais or a caprice by Piatti or Franchomme, a work or movement of a work from the 20th or 21st century, a movement from a major sonata, a showpiece, or a lyrical piece
  • Sight-reading

DOUBLE BASS
  • Complete first movement of a concerto, including cadenza
  • One movement of a Bach Cello Suite (any transcription or key is acceptable) or any unaccompanied piece under 5 minutes
  • Two Orchestral Excerpts, or an additional solo work

HARP
  • One solo work from the Baroque or Classical period
  • 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

SOLO LITERATURE
  • Snare Drum: One etude by Delecluse, Tompkins, Pratt, or Cirone
  • Marimba (Two Mallets): One solo demonstrating two mallet ability.
    • Examples: J.S. Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, Bach’s Cello Suites, Gene Koshinski’s “Two” solos, George Hamilton Green’s Xylophone Rags, or something similar
  • Marimba (Four Mallets): One substantial four-mallet solo.
    • Examples: Druckman, Vinao, Sammut, Abe, Stout, Burritt, or something similar
  • Timpani: One Solo or Etude
    • Examples: Delecluse, Carter, Hochrainer, Beck, Goodman, Lepak, or something similar
ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS
  • Snare Drum: Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (Scheherazade, Lieutenant Kijé, etc.)
  • Timpani: Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, etc.)
  • Xylophone: Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (Porgy and Bess, Polka, Exotic Birds, etc.)
  • Glockenspiel: Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (Magic Flute, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, etc.)
OPTIONAL (but encouraged)
  • 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.
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)

  • Candidates are required to perform a thirty-minute program representing important works from at least three of the following historical styles:
    • Baroque period (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Handel, Rameau, Couperin)
    • Classical period (e.g., Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart)
    • Romantic period (e.g., Chopin, Schubert, Liszt, Brahms, Schumann)
    • 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.

  • A thirty-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.

  • The graduate guitar audition consists of at least 30 minutes of music 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.
  • Please provide a resume listing music-related accomplishments and provide links to completed creative projects. (Spotify, podcasts, websites, etc.)
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