Undergraduate Auditions

• two pieces from the standard repertoire; prepare multiple movements or contrasting works to demonstrate both technical (fast tempo) and lyrical (slow tempo) passages
• all major scales (two octaves) and chromatic scale (three octaves from low C to high C), all slurred; scales must be memorized
• sight-reading (provided at the audition)

We strongly recommend that all flute applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private teacher. Flute applicants audition on flute only (not piccolo), although the study of piccolo is encouraged.

• an etude from Barret, A Complete Method for the Oboe, or Ferling, 48 Famous Studies
• a contrasting movement from the standard oboe repertoire
• chromatic scale (memorized): lowest note on your instrument to high F and back
• major scales (memorized): all two octaves except G, A-flat, and A
• sight-reading provided at the audition

We strongly recommend that all oboe applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

• two works of contrasting styles and tempos to demonstrate technical and musical ability
• all major scales and arpeggios (a minimum of two octaves) and the chromatic scale (low E to high G); scales and arpeggios are to be played from memory
• sight-reading provided at the audition

We strongly recommend that all clarinet applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. While it is acceptable to audition on bass clarinet, all clarinet majors must take lessons and juries on a B-flat clarinet.

*Please note, recorded auditions are preferred for all bassoon applicants.

For Bassoon Performance Majors

• solo from the standard repertoire; in multiple-movement works, a single movement or multiple movements may be presented in order to demonstrate both technical and lyrical passages
• one etude to be selected from Weissenborn, 50 Advanced Studies, or Milde, 25 Studies in All Keys (or similar)
• two orchestral excerpts to be selected from the following: Dukas, “Sorcerer's Apprentice,” second solo section in B-flat minor; Mozart, overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” opening seven measures; Ravel, “Bolero,” solo; Ravel, Piano Concerto in G Major, third movement soli section; Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade, second movement opening solo and cadenza; Stravinsky, “Firebird,” Berceuse solo; Stravinsky, “Rite of Spring,” opening solo; Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4, second movement solo
• all major scales and chromatic scale over the practical range of the bassoon
• sight-reading provided at the audition

For all Other Majors and Minor

Music Education, Music Media Production, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Music, and Music Minor

• solo from the standard repertoire; in multiple-movement works, a single movement or multiple movements may be presented in order to demonstrate both technical and lyrical passages
• one etude to be selected from Weissenborn, 50 Advanced Studies, or Milde, 25 Studies in All Keys (or similar)
• all major scales and chromatic scale over the practical range of the bassoon
• sight-reading provided at the audition

We strongly recommend that all bassoon applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

For all Majors and Minor

Music Performance, Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), Minor in Symphonic Instruments

• Scales: major, minor, and chromatic (all scales full range: low B-flat to high F/F-sharp)
• Selection of two contrasting pieces, or movements of larger pieces of concert saxophone repertoire that demonstrate both technical and lyrical ability. It is recommended that the repertoire be originally written for saxophone.
  
  Repertoire suggestions include:
  
  • Amy Quate “Light of Sothis”
  • Jeanine Rueff “Chanson et Passepied”
  • Andre Jolivet “Fantasie Impromptu”
  • Pierre-Max Dubois “Pieces Characteristiques”
  • Paule Maurice “Tableaux de Provence”
  • Fernande Decruck “Danses autour du Monde”
  • Paul Creston “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone”
  • Bernhard Heiden “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone”
  • Ida Gotkovsky “Brillance”
  • Jennifer Higdon “Sonata”
  • Ned Rorem “Picnic on the Marne”

We strongly recommend that all saxophone applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

For Violin Performance Majors

• two contrasting movements of a unaccompanied partita or sonata of J.S. Bach
• etude or study (i.e. Kreutzer, Dont, Rode, or Gavinies, or a caprice by Wieniawski or Paganini)
• one movement of a concerto from the standard repertory with cadenza, if applicable (i.e. Mozart, Kabalevsky, Bruch, Lalo, Saint-Saëns, Mendelssohn, Dvorak)
• three-octave scale in various bowings and arpeggios; one major and one minor of choice

For all Other Majors

Music Education, Music Media Production, and Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Music

• etude or study best displaying applicant’s technical abilities
• one movement from a work of choice (i.e. movement from the standard concerto or showpiece)
• three-octave scale and arpeggio of choice

For Music Minors

• two contrasting works of choice

We strongly recommend that all violin applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

For Viola Performance Majors

• two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach
• one study/etude (any composer such as Kreutzer, Palashko, Wohlfahrt, etc.)
• one movement of a standard viola work such as a concerto or sonata
• two three-octave scales and arpeggios, one major, one minor

For all Other Majors

Music Education, Music Media Production, and Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Music

• two three-octave scales and arpeggios, one major, one minor
• one study/etude (any composer such as Kreutzer, Palashko, Wohlfahrt, etc.)
• one movement from a work of choice that best represents technical and musical abilities (i.e. movement from a standard concerto or sonata, unaccompanied Bach, etc.)

For Music Minors

• two contrasting works of choice

We strongly recommended that all viola applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

For Cello Performance Majors

• two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach
• one study/etude (any composer such as Duport, Popper, Piatti, Grützmacher, etc.)
• one movement of a standard cello work such as a concerto or sonata
• three or four-octave scale and arpeggio of choice

For all Other Majors

Music Education, Music Media Production, and Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science in Music

• three or four-octave scale and arpeggio of choice
• one study/etude (any composer such as Duport, Popper, Piatti, Grützmacher, etc.)
• one movement from a work of choice that best represents technical and musical abilities (i.e. movement from a standard concerto or sonata, unaccompanied Bach, etc.) 

For Music Minors

• two contrasting works of choice

We strongly recommend that all cello applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

For Double Bass Performance Majors

• two contrasting works from the standard solo literature or two contrasting movements of a baroque sonata 
• one study/etude (any composer such as Simandl, Storch-Hrabe, Kayser, Kreutzer, Findeisen, etc.)
• one major or minor scale and arpeggio in three octaves
• one orchestral excerpt of the applicant’s choice

For all Other Majors

Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science)

• one work from the standard solo literature
• one study/etude (any composer such as Simandl, Storch-Hrabe, Kayser, Kreutzer, Findeisen, etc.)
• one major or minor scale and arpeggio in three octaves
• one orchestral excerpt of the applicant’s choice

For Music Minors

• two contrasting works of the applicant’s choice
• one scale and arpeggio in two octaves 

We strongly recommend that all double bass applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

• any movement from a Mozart or Strauss horn concerto
• another contrasting solo or etude
• one orchestral excerpt
• all major scales
• sight-reading

We strongly recommend that all horn applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

For all majors and minor

Music Performance, Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), Minor in Symphonic Instruments

• Two solos or etudes of contrasting styles which demonstrate the applicant's highest proficiency (10-15 minutes). You may perform:

1. Two etudes
2. A movement from a solo piece and an etude
3. Two contrasting movements from a solo piece

If your solo selection is a single movement, multi-section work, which features contrasting styles, this would satisfy the requirement. For example, Alexander Arutunian's Concerto (with cuts) and J. Guy Ropartz's Andante and Allegro are both examples of compositions which would satisfy this requirement.

Solo literature may be performed with or without piano accompaniment. Applicants who wish to perform with an accompanist must provide their own.

You may NOT perform your trumpet part to a piece from your high school band.

• Standard orchestra excerpts (2 or 3) may be performed in addition to the solo/etude requirement to demonstrate the applicant's ability on the instrument as well as their knowledge of symphonic repertoire.
• All major scales and chromatic scales.
• Sight-reading. The sight-reading will come from some of the more moderate, published etudes.

We strongly recommend that all trumpet applicants prepare for their audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

Please contact Dr. Campbell if you have questions regarding your upcoming trumpet audition.

Please take a moment to watch this video in which Dr. Van Hof and Dr. Campbell discuss elements of a successful audition.

Tenor Trombone

Music Performance

• all 12 major scales from memory
• choose one ONLY from the following solo options:
  • "A Caged Bird" by Barbara York (entire piece)
  • "Concertino for Tenor Trombone with F-Attachment" by David Wilborn (2 movements only)
  • "Concertino" by Ferdinand David (2 movements only)
• sight-reading provided at the audition

Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), and Minor in Symphonic Instruments

• all 12 major scales from memory
• choose two of the following options:
  • Bordogni-Rochut Melodious Etudes
  • Arban's Characteristic Studies
  • Voxman Selected Studies
  • "Concertino for Tenor Trombone with F-Attachment" by David Wilborn (either movement 1 or 3 only)
  • "Concertino" by Ferdinand David (movement 1 only)
• sight-reading provided at the audition

Bass Trombone

Music Performance

• all 12 major scales from memory
• choose one ONLY from the following solo options:
  • "Concerto" by Elizabeth Raum (2 movements)
  • "Concerto in one Movement" by Alexy Lebedev (entire piece)
  • "Concertino" by Ernst Sachse (entire piece)
• sight-reading provided at the audition

Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), and Minor in Symphonic Instruments

• all 12 major scales from memory
• choose two of the following options:
  • Bordogni-Rochut Melodious Etudes
  • Any page-length etude from Brad Edwards' Bass Trombone Craft
  • "Concertino" by Ernst Sachse (entire piece)
• sight-reading provided at the audition

All Trombone Auditions

If you have an extenuating circumstance that prevents you from performing any of the above assigned selections, please email Dr. Van Hof no later than one month before your audition.

It is highly advised that you connect with Dr. Van Hof for a lesson a couple months in advance of your audition. This can be remote online, or (preferably) at Ball State. Please set this up via email directly with Dr. Van Hof.

We strongly recommend that all trombone applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

*For music media production applicants wishing to audition on the jazz/commercial track, please visit the audition requirements from the jazz faculty.

• two solos or etudes of contrasting style that demonstrate the applicant's highest proficiency (10-15 minutes)
• two octave major, minor, and chromatic scales from memory (tongued or slurred)
• possible sight-reading (provided at the audition)
• optional: orchestral or band excerpts from standard repertoire

We strongly recommend that all tuba/euphonium applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

Music Performance, Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), Minor in Symphonic Instruments

The following three things are required of all percussion applicants. Applicants need to show sufficient proficiency in each of these areas to be accepted to the School of Music.

Mallets

Marimba, Xylophone, or Vibraphone

• all major and minor scales (2 octaves)
• solo by Stout, Abe, J.S. Bach, Creston, Musser, Rosauro, or equivalent (a four-mallet solo is preferred)
• sight reading

Snare Drum

• all snare drum rudiments (PDF)
• ability to play triple or multiple bounce rolls at all dynamic levels
• one solo or etude from Delecluse, Albright, Cirone, Peters, Goldenberg, or equivalent
• sight reading

Timpani

• match pitch and sing intervals (3rds, 4ths, and 5ths) from an A
• a short solo or etude (Carter, Goodman, Vic Firth, Peters, Delecluse, or equivalent)

We strongly recommend that all percussion applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor.

• a work by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Dussek, or other 18th- or 19th-century composer
• a work by a 19th- or 20th-century composer such as Salzedo, Grandjany, Hindemith, Debussy, Ravel, or Britten
• a standard orchestra cadenza such as “Waltz of the Flowers,” “Swan Lake,” or “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”
• sight-reading
• solos must be performed by memory

We strongly recommend that all harp applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

For all majors and minor

Music Performance, Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science), Minor in Guitar

• A chord study etude or chord melody (Excerpt from Mel Bay’s “Chords Galore”, Joe Pass chord solos, “Arrangements for Guitar” by Jon Herrington, or something else comparable to these)
• Major scales in one octave (starting on both the E and A strings)
• A solo work such as Bach, Carcassi Op. 60, Sor Studies, etc.
• A jazz standard and/or a Bb blues (melody and improvisation over chord changes)
• A sight-reading test will also be given.  

We strongly recommend that all guitar applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

For Piano Performance Majors

• a solo program (memorized) with at least three contrasting styles represented; styles can include baroque, classical, romantic, impressionism, 20th or 21st century art music; jazz literature is not acceptable for a piano audition
• sight-reading

For all Other Majors

Music Education, Music Media Production*, Music (Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science)

• a solo program (memorized) with at least two contrasting styles represented; styles can include baroque, classical, romantic, impressionism, 20th or 21st century art music; jazz literature is not acceptable for a piano audition
• sight-reading

*For music media production applicants wishing to audition on the jazz/commercial track, please visit the audition requirements from the jazz faculty.

For Piano Minor Study

• a solo program (memorized) with at least two contrasting styles represented; styles can include baroque, classical, romantic, impressionism, 20th or 21st century art music; jazz literature is not acceptable for a piano audition
• sight-reading

We strongly recommend that all piano applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

• prospective organ students should be prepared to play an organ piece from the baroque period (such as a prelude and fugue by J.S. Bach) and a second contrasting piece from the 19th or 20th centuries
• sight-reading and playing a hymn

Students without Pipe Organ Training

Students without prior pipe organ training may study organ at the college level if piano skills are sufficiently strong. In this case, the student auditions on the piano playing music at the level of the Bach two-part inventions or selected movements of sonatas by Haydn or Mozart.

We strongly recommend that all organ applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. 

Saxophone

• Prepare one selection that you have been working on or have performed in the past. It could be a tune, a transcribed solo, or a piece of music in a jazz setting.
• All major scales
• Improvise over a B-flat blues
• Sight-reading

Trumpet

• Prepare one selection that you have been working on or have performed in the past. It could be a tune, a transcribed solo, or a piece of music in a jazz setting.
• All major scales
• Improvise over a B-flat blues
• Sight-reading

Trombone

• Prepare one selection that you have been working on or have performed in the past. It could be a tune, a transcribed solo, or a piece of music in a jazz setting.
• All major scales
• Improvise over a B-flat blues
• Sight-reading

Bass

• Read written music
• Improvise bass lines based on a chord chart
• Understand the role of the bass in commercial music
• Major, minor, pentatonic scales
• Play a transcription of a classic bass line: Motown, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, etc.
• Sight read a written bass line

Drums

• Play in basic styles: Jazz/Swing, swing w/sticks and brushes, ballad, waltz, bossa, samba, afro-Cuban, funk/rock)
• Perform a transcribed solo
• Jazz etude
• Sight reading a big band drum set part
• Play along to a blues

Guitar

• A chord study etude or chord melody (excerpt from Mel Bay’s “Chords Galore”, Joe Pass chord solos, “Arrangements for Guitar” by Jon Herrington, or something else comparable to these)
• Major scales in one octave (starting on both the E and A strings)
• The guitar part of pop/funk song from the list below:
  • Shining Star
  • Cissy Strut
  • Jungle Boogie
  • I Wish
  • Uptown Funk
• 12 bar blues (melody and improvisation over chord changes)
• A short sight-reading test will also be given.

Keyboard

• Fundamental piano skills
• Fundamental Sight reading
• Major scales, two octaves, two hands ascending and descending
• Play dorian and mixolydian modes in various keys
• Perform a tune of your choice with a backing track (can be blues)
• Sight read a lead sheet from the Real Book

We strongly recommend that all jazz studies applicants prepare for the audition under the guidance of a private instructor. For questions, contact the director of jazz studies Mark Buselli.