Audition Requirements

Faculty Contact: To be announced

Prescreening Note: Accompaniment (either live or track) is required for vocal videos. For optimal scholarship consideration, submit a performance that demonstrates a classical singing style. Modern musical theatre belting, worship, or contemporary commercial music (CCM) styles are not recommended. Scholarships are available in the Jazz Voice area by separate submission and audition.

Applicants may wish to select prescreening repertoire from the following sources:

• 24 Italian Songs and Arias (G. Schirmer)
• Joan Boytim song anthologies, such as The First Book of Soprano Solos, The First Book of Mezzo-Soprano Solos, The First Book of Tenor Solos, or The First Book of Baritone/Bass Solos
• American Folksongs: The Vocal Library (G. Schirmer)
• A musical theater selection from the Golden Age (pre-1965), such as Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, etc.

Formal Audition: Two contrasting selections that demonstrate ability to sing in a classical style.

• Selections in foreign languages are encouraged but not required. English language selections should demonstrate your classical style singing at its best.
• One musical theatre selection may be included; however, the selection should demonstrate a classical musical theatre style rather than contemporary belting.
• Memorization of songs is required.
• Accompaniment is required and provided for all live auditions. Applicants must bring an additional copy of the sheet music for the pianist.

Assessment: As part of the audition process, applicants will complete brief sight-singing exercises and a vocal range assessment to help determine their current vocal range and appropriate voice classification.

Remember to show us how much you love to sing. We are looking not only for vocal potential, but also for musicality, artistry, and a genuine passion for making music.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in the College Choir, Chamber Choir, or Choral Scholars as assigned by audition. Enrollment in private lessons as recommended by department/faculty. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates participating in Opera Workshop.

Faculty Contact: To be announced

Prescreening Note: Please perform your selection with a backing track or live accompaniment.

Formal Audition: One song representing your ability to sing in a Jazz style.

One song of a contrasting style representing your interests or range (ballad, contemporary/singer-songwriter, Latin, waltz, etc.).

• Demonstration of improvisation is preferred for at least one piece.
• Accompaniment is required. Please bring a pre-recorded backing track and lead sheet in your key.
• Memorization is preferred.

Scholarship responsibilities: Perform in a Jazz ensemble. Enrollment in Jazz voice lessons.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Melissa Knecht, [email protected]

Formal Audition: One work or movement of a larger work from the Baroque or Classical period.

One contrasting work of the applicant’s choice.

One 3-octave scale.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for applicants auditioning into the Joy String Quartet.

Faculty Contact: David Peshlakai, [email protected]

Formal Audition: One work or movement of a larger work from the Baroque or Classical period.

One contrasting work of the applicant’s choice.

One 3-octave scale.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for applicants auditioning into the Joy String Quartet.

Faculty Contact: Aaron Johnson, [email protected]

Prescreening Note: Dual participation in both classical and Jazz areas is by special permission of the Department of Music.

Classical Bass: One work or movement of a larger work.

Prepare all major and natural minor scales — one octave. Perform G Major, E Major, and D Major in 2 octaves.

Jazz Bass: Upright or bass guitar accepted.

One standard chart of the applicant’s choosing: include at least one chorus of walking and soloing.

And/or: 2-minute excerpt from a written big band chart.

C major scale in 2 octaves pizzicato. D dominant scale in 2 octaves pizzicato.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Dual participation in the Jazz program is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.

Faculty Contact: Brittany DeYoung, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Two solos or movements of a larger work of contrasting style.

One etude or orchestral excerpt.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing.

Faculty Contact: Jaimie Wagner, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Two contrasting works or movements of a larger work from standard flute repertoire.

Perform two major scales — two octaves or extended range, one slurred and one tongued.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range, slurred.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates placed into a Woodwind Quintet.

Faculty Contact: Chris Wheeler, [email protected]

Formal Audition: One work or movement of a larger work from standard oboe repertoire.

One Barret or Ferling etude.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates placed into a Woodwind Quintet.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Andrew Sprung, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Two contrasting etudes, works, or movements of a larger work from standard clarinet repertoire.

Major scales: E, F, F♯/G♭, and G — three octaves; all others two octaves; all tongued & all slurred.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates placed into a Woodwind Quintet.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Cynthia Duda, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Two pieces or movements of a larger work of contrasting style, with suggestions including:

• Etude from the Weissenborn Fifty Advanced Studies
• Etude from the Milde Concert Studies
• A single work or movement(s) of a larger work from standard bassoon repertoire

Major scales prepared up to 4 flats and 4 sharps: 2 octaves (or 3 octaves for B♭ and C if possible), all slurred and all tongued.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates placed into a Woodwind Quintet.

Faculty Contact: Jonathon Gewirtz, [email protected]

Prescreening Note: If possible, perform demonstrations in both classical and Jazz. Indicate all classical and Jazz experience in your application materials. Dual participation in both classical and Jazz areas is by special permission of the Department of Music.

Classical Saxophone: One written work or movement of a larger work in a classical or Jazz style.

Prepare all major scales: full range preferred, or F♯, G, A♭, and A one octave, and all others two octaves, all slurred.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range (low B♭ to high F or F♯).

Jazz Saxophone: One written work in a Jazz style.

Perform the melody of any Jazz tune ranging from a blues, standard, ballad, or bebop, and at least 2 choruses of improvisation. Please bring a pre-recorded backing track for live auditions.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in a Jazz ensemble. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Classical participation is not required unless needed for specialized symphonic repertoire (e.g. Pictures at an Exhibition).

Faculty Contact: To be announced

Formal Audition: Two contrasting etudes, solos, or movements of a larger work.

Perform major scales: F and G, two octaves; all tongued & all slurred.

Chromatic scale: applicant’s full range.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates placed into a Woodwind Quintet.

Faculty Contact: Chris McCourry, [email protected]

Prescreening Note: Dual participation in both classical and Jazz areas is by special permission of the Department of Music.

Classical Trumpet: One standard classical trumpet etude, solo, or movement of a larger work.

Optional: one or more standard orchestral excerpts.

1 major and 1 minor scale of the applicant’s choice — two octaves.

Jazz Trumpet: One composition by Charlie Parker: perform the melody and at least 2 choruses of improvisation. Please bring a pre-recorded backing track for live auditions.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Dual participation in both classical and Jazz programs is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.

Faculty Contact: Stefan Stolachuk, [email protected]

Prescreening Note: Dual participation in both classical and Jazz areas is by special permission of the Department of Music.

Classical Trombone: One standard classical trombone work, transcription, or movement of a larger work.

Or: two contrasting etudes demonstrating ability to perform both legato and staccato articulations.

Optional: include one or more standard orchestral excerpts (Damnation of Faust — Berlioz, La Gazza Ladra — Rossini, Tuba Mirum — Mozart, Organ Symphony — Saint-Saëns).

1 major and 1 minor scale of the applicant’s choice, two octaves.

Jazz Trombone: One composition by Charlie Parker: perform the melody for one chorus and demonstrate improvisation for at least 2 choruses. Please bring a pre-recorded backing track for live auditions.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Dual participation in both classical and Jazz programs is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.

Faculty Contact: To be announced

Prescreening Note regarding Euphonium: Euphonium scholarships are not available. Euphonium auditionees can participate in Wind Symphony and Pep Band. To qualify for scholarship, euphonium players are asked to switch to tuba and perform in the College Symphony Orchestra.

Formal Audition: 2 etudes, solos, or movements of a larger work of contrasting style or tempo.

2 scales of the applicant’s choice demonstrating applicant’s full range.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing.

Faculty Contact: To be announced

Prescreening Note: Applicants seeking serious scholarship consideration should submit a full solo work or movement of a larger work, with the option of including an additional contrasting work of a comparable level to the formal audition requirements. Applicants submitting as a supplement for private lesson placement should submit a full solo work representing their highest ability level. Scholarships are available in the Jazz Piano area by separate submission and audition.

Formal Audition:

• A Bach Prelude & Fugue, or a movement from one of the Partitas, English Suites, French Suites, or the Italian Concerto.
• A first movement of a Classical sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (excluding Beethoven Op. 49).
• One piece no longer than 12 minutes from the Romantic, Impressionistic, or Contemporary eras (anything from 1900 to present).
• 1 major and 1 minor scale of the applicant’s choice, 4 octaves, hands together, sixteenth notes no slower than ♩ = 88.
• Sight-reading / accompanying assessment.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform approximately 2 hours of accompanying activities per week.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Derek Stauff, [email protected]

Formal Audition: One work by J.S. Bach, preferably a prelude and fugue.

One contrasting work, preferably from the 19th or 20th centuries.

Hymn: perform at least three stanzas of a hymn played as if leading a congregation, with registration changes to suit the text. Alternate harmonizations are allowed.

Sight-reading (typically a hymn).

Candidates can schedule up to 60 minutes of access to the Christ Chapel organ prior to audition.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Participate in organ accompanying activities or sacred services. Additional funds may be available for qualified candidates participating in the Choral Scholars Program.

Faculty Contact: Duncan McMillan, [email protected]

Formal Audition: One Jazz standard, either solo piano or with a rhythm section: perform the melody, accompaniment, and improvisation for at least one chorus each.

And one of the following:

• One Jazz piano solo transcription, with engraved notation (PDF).
• Or: one short classical piece or excerpt, no more than 3–4 minutes in length.

Performing accompanied is preferable: please provide your own track (e.g., iReal Pro, “Quartet,” or “Feel Book”) and lead sheet in your key.

Memorization is preferred but not required.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in a Jazz ensemble.

Faculty Contact: Stacey Jones-Garrison, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Select two of the following areas to perform an etude, solo, or selection of two orchestral excerpts:

• Marimba or other keyboard percussion instrument
• Orchestral snare or rudimental snare
• Timpani
• Multi-percussion
• Drum set may be demonstrated for supplemental consideration for the Jazz area as a third option

Depending upon areas chosen, applicant will be asked to perform either:

• Keyboard Percussion: 1 major scale and 1 natural minor scale of the applicant’s choice, 2 octaves.
• Snare / Timpani / Multi-Percussion: Prepare these standard rudiments, accelerating to applicant’s fastest tempo: single stroke roll, paradiddle, 9-stroke rolls (alternating), flam accent, and buzz roll for at least 30 seconds (p – f – p).

All auditionees: demonstrate vocal pitch-matching ability.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Dual participation in the Jazz program is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.

Faculty Contact: Larry Ochiltree, [email protected]

Formal Audition: Perform 3 contrasting styles (rock, swing, bossa, samba, funk, shuffle, etc.):

• Perform each style at 2–3 contrasting tempos.
• For each style chosen, demonstrate at least 16 bars of time and 2 cycles of “trading 4’s”: 4 measures of time and 4 measures of improvisation.

Perform 3 standard rudiments of choice, accelerating to applicant’s fastest tempo.

Perform a long buzz roll for at least 30 seconds: begin at p, crescendo to applicant’s loudest dynamic, decrescendo back to applicant’s softest dynamic (p – f – p).

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Dual participation in the classical percussion program is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.

Faculty Contact: Daniel Palmer, [email protected]

Prescreening Note: Dual participation in both classical and Jazz areas is by special permission of the Department of Music.

Jazz Guitar: One Jazz standard in the swing style: perform the melody for one chorus, comp chords for one chorus, and (optional) improvise for at least one chorus.

And either:

• One Jazz standard of a contrasting style (ballad, bossa, waltz, funk, fusion, etc.), or
• One written chord/melody arrangement.

Optional: perform one original composition. Any demonstration of compositional experience is encouraged.

Fretboard Awareness:

• Perform two major and two minor scales, one with root on the sixth string and one with root on the fifth string, demonstrating musicality and technical proficiency. 2 octaves, up and down.
• Perform two major scale 7th arpeggios and two minor scale 7th arpeggios, one with root on the sixth string and one with root on the fifth string. 2 octaves, up and down.

Classical Guitar: Two contrasting solos selected from the following composers: Bach, Carcassi, Segovia, Sor, Tarréga, or another equivalent composer.

• Perform two major and two minor scales, one with root on the sixth string and one with root on the fifth string. 2 octaves, up and down.
• Perform two major scale triad arpeggios and two minor scale triad arpeggios, one with root on the sixth string and one with root on the fifth string. 2 octaves, up and down.

Scholarship Responsibilities: Perform in major ensemble as assigned. Enrollment in private lessons. Maintain acceptable academic standing. Classical ensemble participation is not required unless needed for specialized symphonic repertoire. Classical guitar study is available through private lessons and chamber ensembles. Dual participation in both classical and Jazz programs is by special permission of the Department of Music. Scholarship applicants should indicate their primary commitment to either classical or Jazz.