APPENDIX A: REPERTOIRE AND OTHER PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRANCE TO A DEGREE PROGRAM

PIANO

B.A Music Major

Candidates will prepare a varied program of at least two pieces that display contrasting characters and that demonstrate technical facility (approximately 10 minutes total). Candidates may also be asked to play a short example at sight and/or play a familiar tune by ear.

B.M. Performance Major

Candidate will prepare a varied program of at least four pieces that display contrasting characters and demonstrate advanced technical facility. The repertoire is to be played by memory and should include:

  • One contrapuntal piece in three or more voices, preferably by J.S. Bach
  • One work by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart or Schubert, such as the first or last movement of a sonata or a set of variations
  • One composition from the Romantic era
  • One composition written since 1900

Candidates may also be asked to play a short example at sight and/or play a familiar tune by ear.

The candidate will perform 15 minutes of repertoire excerpted from the pieces submitted for the audition. The jury will inform the candidate which portions of the program are to be performed.

In addition to the playing requirement, the candidate will supply a list of solo piano repertoire s/he has studied, including information about which pieces have been memorized and which ones have been performed publicly.

ORGAN - ALL APPLICANTS

  • One prelude and fugue by J.S. Bach
  • One composition from the Romantic or contemporary period
  • One hymn – intro and two stanzas
  • At the piano: a two-part invention by J.S. Bach

VOICE

B.A. Music Major or Church Music Major with Choral Emphasis

Candidate will prepare two songs or arias in contrasting styles (approximately 6-8 minutes total). It is preferred that one song be in a foreign language. Both must be memorized.

B.M. Performance

Candidate will prepare three songs, one from each of the following time periods. At least one must be in a foreign language; all must be memorized.

  • One song or aria composed before 1800
  • One song from the standard foreign-language art song repertoire
  • One song from the 19-21st C. British or American art song repertoire

(A song from musical theatre repertoire may be substituted for one of the above requirements.)

PERCUSSION - ALL APPLICANTS

Candidate will prepare a solo on snare drum, timpani and mallet percussion instruments (all three are required).  

HARP – ALL APPLICANTS

  • Two pieces or movements in contrasting styles that demonstrate technical ability (scales, rolled chords, arpeggios, etc.) and musicality (balance, phrasing, dynamic range). Approximately 10 min. total
  • One orchestral cadenza
  • Knowledge of all key signatures

VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO

B.A. Music Major

Two compositions in contrasting styles, approx. 10 min. total. Repertoire should include a movement from a standard concerto.

B.M. Performance Major

  • The first or third movement from a standard concerto
  • Two contrasting movements of unaccompanied J.S. Bach

DOUBLE BASS – ALL APPLICANTS

  • Two contrasting compositions or movements
  • Two major scales (at least two octaves) with different bowings

TRUMPET

B.A. Music Major

  • A solo excerpt chosen from the following pieces or sets of pieces:
    1. Arutunian Trumpet Concerto, beginning through m. 70 or
    2. Kent Kennan Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, 3rd movement, beginning through letter D; and Haydn Trumpet Concerto, 2nd movement, beginning through m. 26 or
    3. Halsey Stevens Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, beginning through m. 165
  • Two major scales of your choice, two octaves, ascending and descending

B.M. Performance Major

All the B.A. trumpet requirements plus:

  • Orchestral excerpts, including two or more of the following:
  • Stravinski Petrushka: Ballerina’s Dance and Waltz
  • Schumann Symphony No. 2, first movement, opening
  • Mahler Symphony No. 5, opening call
  • Jazz improvisation, as you are able

HORN

B.A. Music Major

  • First movement of any Mozart horn concerto
  • Any contrasting work

B.M. Performance Major

  • First movement of (choose one) Mozart No. 2, Mozart No. 4 or R. Strauss No. 1
  • Any contrasting work
  • Excerpts. Two or more of the following: These can be found at no charge, along with sample recordings, at hornexcerpts.org
    1. Strauss Till Eulenspiegel, horn 1, beginning to rehearsal 1
    2. Brahms Symphony No. 1, horn 1, movement 2, mm. 90-105
    3. Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, horn 1, movement 2, mm. 8-28
    4. Beethoven Symphony No. 3, horn 2, movement 3, mm.163-2


TROMBONE, EUPHONIUM, TUBA – ALL APPLICANTS

  • Two or three contrasting selections from movments of sonatas, concertos, solo pieces or etudes (approx. 10 minutes total)
  • Two major scales of your choice – two octaves, ascending and descending

Audition selections should demonstrate the applicants’ abilities in phrasing, sustained playing, articulation, range and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied speeds.

FLUTE

B.A. Music Major

  • Two contrasting pieces selected from the following different categories. One movement from each of the two pieces is sufficient, approximately 10 minutes total. Choose repertoire to emphasize both tone and technique.
    1. Baroque period (e.g. Bach, Telemann, Handel)
    2. French conservatory repertoire (e.g. Fauré, Gaubert, Taffanel)
    3. Classical period (e.g. Quantz, Mozart, Haydn)
    4. 20th-century literature (e.g. Hindemith, Poulenc, Copland, Hoover)
  • Scales - ascending and descending the full range of the instrument
  • B major – three octaves
  • Chromatic – three octaves, to high D if possible

B.M. Performance Major

  • First or third movement of Mozart G or D major Concerto
  • Two contrasting pieces selected from the following different categories. One movement from each of the two pieces is sufficient, approximately 10 minutes total. Choose repertoire to emphasize both tone and technique.
    1. Baroque period (e.g. Bach, Telemann, Handel)
    2. French conservatory repertoire (e.g. Fauré, Hüe, Enesco)
    3. Classical period (e.g. Quantz, Mozart, Haydn)
    4. 20th-century literature (e.g. Hindemith, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Burton)
  • Scales - ascending and descending the full range of the instrument
  • B major – three octaves
  • Chromatic – three octaves, to high D if possible
  • C harmonic minor – three octaves

CLARINET

B.A. Music Major

  • The first or third movement from a standard concerto/solo piece
  • One slow étude, from Rose 32 Etudes for Clarinet preferred
  • Scales – Ascending and descending, slurred and tongued in 16th-note format with quarter note = 96
    1. Chromatic scale to high F
    2. Two of the following: E major, F major, G major (three octaves)

B.M. Performance Major

  • The first or third movement from any concerto by Weber, Mozart or Spohr
  • One slow étude, from Rose 32 Etudes for Clarinet preferred
  • Scales – Ascending and descending, slurred and tongued in 16th-note format with quarter note = 118
    1. Chromatic scale to high G
    2. Two of the following: E major, F major, G major (three octaves)
  • Excerts:
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 6: 1st movement, 2 bars before K to end and 2nd movement, rehearsal D to rehearsal E
  • Brahms Symphony No. 3: 2nd movement, opening through m. 22
  • Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol: 1st movement, all solo passages

OBOE

B.A. Music Major

  • Two compositions in contrasting styles (approximately 10 minutes total)
  • Scales - ascending and descending the full range of the instrument
    1. Chromatic
    2. Two major scales of your choice

B.M. Performance Majors

  • One fast movement from a concerto or sonata by one of the following: Cimarosa, Marcello, Handel, Telemann, Haydn, or Mozart
  • One movement from a piece of contrasting period or style
  • One étude from Forty Progressive Melodies (Barret Oboe Method)
  • Scales – ascending and descending, full range of instrument

Chromatic

D major, E flat major, C harmonic minor

BASSOON

B.A. Major

  • Two compositions in contrasting styles (approximately 10 minutes total)
  • Scales - ascending and descending the full range of the instrument
    1. Chromatic
    2. Two major scales of your choice

B.M. Performance Major

  • Two contrasting movements from either the Mozart or Weber bassoon concertos
  • One étude of your choice
  • Scales - ascending and descending the full range of the instrument
    1. Chromatic
    2. Two major scales of your choice

 

SAXOPHONE

B.A. Music Major

  • Two contrasting movements (approximately 10 minutes total) from standard solo repertoire. Selections should demonstrate lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency and should be by different composers. Suggested works include sonatas by Creston, Heiden, Eccles/Rascher or Handel/Mule; concertos by Glazounov or Ibert; Maurice Tableaux de Provençe; Villa-Lobos Fantasia or comparable works. As a solo movement, substitute one étude from Voxman Selected Studies, Ferling 48 Etudes, Karg-Elert 25 Caprices or other of comparable difficulty
  • Scales – ascending and descending, full range of instrument
    1. Chromatic
    2. E major, F major
  • Jazz improvisation (optional) – improvise on a blues or standard jazz tune. Jamey Aebersold CD or similar accompaniment may be used

B.M. Performance Major

  • Candidate will prepare two or three contrasting movements (approximately 10 minutes total) from standard solo repertoire. Selections should demonstrate lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency and should be by different composers. Suggested works include sonatas by Creston, Heiden or Hindemith; concertos by Dubois, Glazounov or Ibert; Bozza Improvisation et Caprice; Maurice Tableaux de Provençe; Milhaud Scaramouche; Noda Improvisation I; Villa-Lobos Fantasia or comparable works
  • One étude from any of the following books: Voxman Selected Studies, Ferling 48 Etudes, Mule 18 Exercises d’apres Berbiguier or Karg-Elert 25 Caprices
  • Scales – ascending and descending, full range of instrument
    1. Chromatic
    2. E major, F major, and G harmonic minor
  • Jazz improvisation (optional) – improvise on a blues or standard jazz tune. Jamey Aebersold CD or similar accompaniment may be used