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Musical Audition Requirements and Criteria

Included in This Document:

What to Submit: Music Audition Requirement Overview (p. 1)

Audition Assessment Criteria (p. 1)

How to Record and Submit Your Videos (p. 2, 3)

Instrument-Specific Musical Audition Requirements: Scales, Excerpts, Links to Parts (p.4-9)

What to Submit: Music Audition Requirement Overview

The musical audition is comprised of three sections:

1. 3 assigned scales

2. Assigned instrument-specific excerpts

3. A piece (or portion of a piece) of your choosing that demonstrates the best of your ability on your instrument in pitch, intonation, rhythm, phrasing, and technique. It may also be your own composition if the piece demonstrates your highest level of playing. This selection should be no more than 90 seconds in length.

4. Percussionists are required to submit 1 excerpt per instrument, and no solo.

Please see the chart on pages 4-9 to learn more about the specific requirements for your instrument.

Audition Assessment Criteria

All audition materials will be evaluated by an independent advisory panel according to the following criteria:

1. Pitch: how accurately the student plays the notes of each section

2. Intonation: how consistent the tonal center is on each pitch

3. Rhythm: how steady a pulse the student is able to maintain

4. Tone quality: how supported and resonant the sound is that the student creates on the instrument

5. Musicianship: how well the student demonstrates articulation, dynamics, and phrasing

6. Musicality: how expressively the student plays the music

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How to Record and Submit Your Videos

1. Take your videos with a camera phone or computer camera without sound production or editing.

2. You will submit 4 videos total (percussionists will submit 6 videos – see chart):

a. 1 video for all scales

b. A video for each of the 2 excerpts

c. 1 video for your piece of choice

3. Announce what you’re playing before you play it. (Example: “I’m going to play a D Major scale slurred.” Or, “I’m going to play the excerpt from Brahms’ 3rd Symphony.”)

4. Upload your video to your program’s or your personal YouTube account, and select “Unlisted” from the drop-down menu on the right.

5. How to label your scales video in YouTube:

a. In the subject heading during your YouTube upload, write: Your full name, your instrument, and the word “scales.” Leave the description box blank. See screenshot below as an example.

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6. How to label your 2 excerpt videos in YouTube:

a. In the Subject, write: Your full name, your instrument, and the word “Excerpt.” In the Description Box, write what you’re playing in the video. See screenshot below as an example.

7. How to label your piece of choice: Repeat step 6, but include the word “Solo” instead of “Excerpt” in the subject line. Write the name of the piece in the Description Box.

8. Save and enter the URLs for each video into your online application when prompted.

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Instrument-Specific Musical Audition Requirements

Click the blue links below the required excerpts to open the parts.

Instrument Required Scales Required Excerpts

Violin

Bb Major

2 octaves in first position

Eighth notes, 4 notes slurred per bow

Quarter note = 60

J. Brahms, Hungarian Dance No. 1 Beginning to Letter B

C Major

2 octaves in third position

Quarter notes, 2 notes slurred per bow

Quarter note = 60

P. Tchaikovsky (arr. Carter), 1812 Overture Letters I-K

Quarter note = 112-125

Download All Violin Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

G Major

3 octaves

Triplets on each note

Quarter note = 60

Viola

C Major

2 octaves, legato

Eighth notes, 4 notes slurred per bow

Quarter note = 60

J.S. Bach, Brandenburg No. 3, 1st movement

Viola 1 part mm. 1 - end of 16

G Major

2 octaves – detaché

Triplets on each note

Quarter note = 60

C. Saint Saens, Danse Bacchanale from

"Samson and Delilah" mm. 349 - downbeat of 372

Download All Viola Audition Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

F Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes, 2 notes per bow, hooked (or "slurred") staccato

Quarter note= 72

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Cello

D Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes, slurred by 4

Quarter note = 60

P. Tchaikovsky (arr. Carter), 1812 Overture Letters D-F

G Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes, slurred by 2

Quarter note = 60

P. Tchaikovsky (arr. Tomlinson), Marche Slave 3 before letters H – J

Download All Cello Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

C Major

3 octaves

Triplets on each note

Quarter note = 60

Bass

Eb Major

1 octave

Whole notes

Quarter note = 80

C. Saint-Saëns, The Elephant

G Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes

Quarter note = 80

N. Paganini (arr. G. Vance), Moto Perpetuo

Download All Bass Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

F Major

2 octaves

Slurred by 4

Quarter note = 80

Flute

D Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

R. Wagner (arr. Merle Isaac), Tannhäuser mm. 17 – 33

G Major

1 octave

Eighth notes, slur 2, tongue 2

Quarter note = 70

J. Brahms (arr. R. Bauernschmidt), Hungarian

Dance. No. 5 mm. 9 – 40

Download Flute Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

Chromatic

Middle C to High C

Quarter notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

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Oboe

D Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

P. Tschaikovsky , Swan Lake, Scene 1 mm. 2 - downbeat of No.1

Eb Major

1 octave

Eighth notes, slur 2, tongue 2

Quarter note = 70 E. Satie/C. Debussy, Gymnopedies No. 1

Download All Oboe Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

Chromatic scale

2 octaves, C-C

Eighth notes, slurred

Quarter note = 70

Clarinet

D Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

G. Bizet (arr. Merle Isaac), Farandole

mm. 1 – 17; mm. 117 – 132

G Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, slur 2, tongue 2

Quarter note = 70

R. Wagner (arr. Merle Isaac), Tannhäuser mm. 1- 16

Download Clarinet Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

Chromatic

Low C to Middle C

Quarter notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

Bassoon

Bb Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, slurred

Quarter note = 70

P. Dukas, Sorcerer's Apprentice

Bassoon 2 Part Excerpt A #7 to #8

D Major

2 octaves

Eighth notes, slur 2, tongue 2

Quarter note = 70

G. Mahler, Symphony No. 1, Mvt 3

Bassoon 1 Part No. 2 to No. 3

Download All Bassoon Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

Chromatic

2 octaves, Bb-Bb

Quarter notes, all tongued

Quarter note = 70

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Trumpet

F Major (concert)

2 octaves

Quarter notes, slurred

Quarter note = 70

L.v. Beethoven, Leonore Overture No. 3

Excerpt marked on the PDF

Bb Major (concert)

1 octave

Triplets on each note

Quarter note = 70

“Andantino” from Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet

Download All Trumpet Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

G Major (concert)

1 octave

Whole notes

Quarter note = 70

French horn

Bb Major (concert)

2 octaves

Quarter notes, slurred

Quarter note = 70

F. Schubert, Symphony No. 9

Opening 8 bars

G Major (concert)

1 octave

Triplets on each note

Quarter note = 70

No. 2 “Marciale” from Max Pottag’s

Preparatory Melodies

Download All Horn Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

D Major (concert)

1 octave

Whole notes

Quarter note = 70

Trombone

B flat Major

1 octave

Eighth notes

Quarter note = 100

F. Harris, The Young Prince

Pick up to mm. 5-21

F Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes

Quarter note = 120

W.A. Mozart (arr. Michael Rondeau), Sonata

No. 6 in C Pick up to mm. 5-37

Download All Trombone Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

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Tuba

B flat Major

2 octaves

Sixteenth notes

Quarter note = 60

J.S. Bach, Air and Bourrée

Air: Entire movement Bourrée: Beginning to 7

Download Tuba Excerpt Sheet Music (PDF)

F Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes

Quarter note = 120

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Percussion

All percussion applicants are required to submit scales on mallets, 1 excerpt for each instrument, and no solo, for a total of 6 videos.

Download excerpts for all percussion instruments here. Bass Drum &

Cymbals (SUBMIT IN THE SAME

VIDEO)

No scales are required for these instruments

J.P. Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever

All

Tambourine

No scales are required for these instruments

P. Tschaikovsky – Nutcracker Suite, Trepak

All

Mallets

B flat Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes

Quarter note = 120

C. Saint-Saëns, Carnival of the Animals, Fossils All

On Xylophone

F Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes

Quarter note = 120

D Major

2 octaves

Quarter notes

Quarter note = 120

Timpani No scales are required for this

instrument

E. Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Mov. IV All

Snare

No scales are required for this instrument

R. Korsakov, Capriccio Español, III. Alborada

All

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Requisitos y Criteria de la Audición Musical

Incluído en este documento:

Qué Debo Entregar: Repaso de los Requisitos de la Audición Musical (pga. 10) Criteria de Selección de la Audición (pgs. 10) Cómo Grabar y Entregar Sus Videos (pga. 11,12) Escalas para Instrumentos Específicos y Lista de Fragmentos con Enlaces a las Partes (pga. 4-9)

Qué Debo Entregar: Repaso de los Requisitos de la Audición Musical

La audición musical se compone de tres secciones:

1. Tres escalas asignadas.

2. Fragmentos asignados para instrumentos específicos

3. Una pieza musical (o fragmento de una pieza musical) de su elección que demuestra lo mejor de su capacidad en su instrumento en cuanto al tono, la entonación, el ritmo, el fraseo y la técnica. También puede ser su propia composición si la pieza demuestra su nivel más alto de técnica y musicalidad. Esta selección no debe ser más de 90 segundos en su totalidad.

Por favor, revise la lista en las páginas 4 – 6 para saber más acerca de los requisitos específicos para su instrumento.

Criteria de selección

Todos los materiales serán evaluados a través de un panel de asesores independientes conforme a la

siguiente criteria de selección:

1. Tono: qué tan preciso toca el estudiante las notas de cada sección

2. Entonación: qué tan constante es el centro tonal de cada tono

3. Ritmo: qué tan firme pulso el estudiante puede mantener

4. Calidad de tono: qué tan sostenido y resonante es el sonido que el estudiante crea en el instrumento

5. Habilidad para la música: qué tan bien demuestra el estudiante la articulación, la dinámica y el fraseo

6. Musicalidad: qué tan emotivo toca el estudiante la música

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Cómo Grabar y Entregar Sus Videos

1. Tome sus videos con un teléfono con cámara o una cámara de ordenador sin producción o edición de sonido.

2. Entregará un total de 4 videos:

a. 1 video con todas las escalas

b. 1 video con cada uno de los 2 fragmentos

c. 1 video con la pieza de su selección

3. ¡Anuncie la pieza musical que tocará antes de tocarla! (Ejemplos: “Tocaré una escala ligada en Re,” O “ Tocaré un fragmento de la 3ra Sinfonía de Brahms.”).

4. Suba su video a YouTube a la cuenta de su programa o el suyo y escoja “Unlisted” de la lista de opciones que verá a la derecha en el menú.

5. Cómo marcar su video de escalas YouTube:

a. En el lugar para el título de su video de YouTube, escriba: su nombre completo, su instumento y la palabra “scales.”. Deje la descripción en blanco. Por favor, vea el ejemplo abajo:

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6. Cómo marcar su video de fragmentos en YouTube:

a. En el lugar para el título escriba: su nombre completo, su instumento y la palabra

“Excerpt.”. Deje la descripción en blanco. Por favor, vea el ejemplo abajo:

7. Cómo marcar su video de la pieza musical de su selección: Repita el paso número 6, pero incluya la palabra “Solo” en vez de “Excerpt” en el lugar para el título.

8. Guarde y copiar el URL en la solicitud.