Undergraduate Auditions

• 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

• 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

Please note that all auditions must be played on a soprano Bb/A clarinet (no bass clarinet/auxiliary instruments).

• 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

• 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)

• One solo from the following:
  • Bach - Prelude in D major, BWV 998
  • Albéniz - Asturias (Leyenda)
  • Tárrega - Capricho Arabe
  • Barrios - La Catedral
  • Tárrega - Recuerdos de la Alhambra
  • Rodrigo - Fandanguillo

  • Leo Brouwer - Etudes Simples

• Scales and arpeggios
• Sight reading

• Two solo works (memorized) of contrasting styles; jazz or popular literature is not accepted for harp auditions
• One prominent orchestra cadenza from either Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker (Waltz of the Flowers) or Swan Lake, or Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

• Any movement from a Mozart or Strauss horn concerto
• Another contrasting solo or etude
• One orchestral excerpt
• All major scales
• Sight-reading

• 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

• 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

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

i. Marimba, Xylophone, or Vibraphone

  ii. All major and minor scales

  iii. Solo by Stout, Abe, J.S. Bach, Creston, Musser, Rosauro, or equivalent (a four-mallet solo is preffered)

  iv. Sight reading

• SNARE DRUM

  i. All snare drum rudiments (PDF)

ii. Ability to play triple or multiple bounce rolls at all dynamic levels

  iii. One solo or etude from Delecluse, Albright, Cirone, Peters, Goldenberg, or equivalent

  iv. Sight reading

• TIMPANI

  i. Match pitch and sing intervals (3rds, 4ths, and 5ths) from an A

  ii. A short solo or etude (Carter, Goodman, Vic Firth, Peters, Delecluse, or equivalent)

• 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

Scales and arpeggios are not required for piano auditions.

• 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:

i. Amy Quate “Light of Sothis” 

ii. Jeanine Rueff “Chanson et Passepied” 

iii. Andre Jolivet “Fantasie Impromptu” 

iv. Pierre-Max Dubois “Pieces Characteristiques” 

v. Paule Maurice “Tableaux de Provence” 

vi. Fernande Decruck “Danses autour du Monde” 

vii. Paul Creston “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

viii. Bernhard Heiden “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

ix. Ida Gotkovsky “Brillance” 

x. Jennifer Higdon “Sonata” 

xi. Ned Rorem “Picnic on the Marne” 

TENOR TROMBONE

• 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

• 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

• Two solos or etudes of contrasting styles which demonstrate the applicant's highest proficiency (10-15 minutes). You may perform:
  • Two etudes
  • A movement from a solo piece and an etude
  • 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.

• 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

• 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.)

• 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 TRADITIONAL FRESHMEN 

• Two contrasting songs or arias (one in English, one in a foreign language, preferred)

FOR TRANSFERRING FRESHMEN STUDENTS

(Freshmen with at least one semester of voice at a different college or university)

• Three contrasting songs or arias (at least one in English, at least one in a foreign language)

FOR TRANSFERRING UPPERCLASSMEN

(Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors)

• Six songs or arias (including English and two foreign languages)

General Guidelines

• Audition repertoire should, at a minimum, be selected from the state solo/ensemble contest list. The list for Indiana can be found on the ISSMA website.
• Audition repertoire should be pieces that best represent the singer's current level of vocal development.
• Languages to select are English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, or Latin.
• All audition repertoire is to be sung from memory with piano accompaniment.
• Recorded accompaniments are permitted for video auditions only. On-campus auditions require a pianist as previously described.

CLASSICAL

• 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

COMMERCIAL

• Major, Minor, and Pentatonic Scales

• Transcription of a classic bass line (such as Motown, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, etc.)

• Improvise a bass line based on a chord chart

• Sight-reading

• 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

• 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.)

• 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

Please note that all auditions must be played on a soprano Bb/A clarinet (no bass clarinet/auxiliary instruments).

• 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)

CLASSICAL

• Students auditioning may pick excerpts from any of these pieces
  • Bach - Prelude in D major, BWV 998
  • Albéniz - Asturias (Leyenda)
  • Tárrega - Capricho Arabe
  • Barrios - La Catedral
  • Tárrega - Recuerdos de la Alhambra
  • Rodrigo - Fandanguillo
  • Leo Brouwer - Etudes Simples
• Scales and arpeggios
• Sight reading

COMMERCIAL

• A chord study etude or chord melody (excerpt from Mel Bay’s “Chords Galore”, “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.

• Two solo works of contrasting styles; jazz or popular literature is not accepted for harp auditions.

• One notable orchestra excerpt or cadenza

• Any movement from a Mozart or Strauss horn concerto

• Another contrasting solo or etude

• One orchestral excerpt

• All major scales

• Sight-reading

**Please note that the laptop interview/audition is available only to students interested in pursuing the concentration in Game and Media Sound Design**

An interview with members of the Music Media Production is offered as an alternative to a performance audition. The interview will consist of two parts:

• Q&A to determine your music and technology background
• Technical presentation (at least one of the following:
  • A production in a DAW
  • An example of sound design for a game or video clip
  • A technical feat such as coding, a blueprint in Unreal, or an electronics project

For more information about the interview process, please email Dr. Christoph Thompson – cnthompson4@bsu.edu

• 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

• 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

CLASSICAL

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

i. Marimba, Xylophone, or Vibraphone

ii. All major and minor scales

iii. Solo by Stout, Abe, J.S. Bach, Creston, Musser, Rosauro, or equivalent (a four-mallet solo is preffered)

iv. Sight reading

• SNARE DRUM

i. All snare drum rudiments (PDF)

ii. Ability to play triple or multiple bounce rolls at all dynamic levels

iii. One solo or etude from Delecluse, Albright, Cirone, Peters, Goldenberg, or equivalent

iv. Sight reading

• TIMPANI

i. Match pitch and sing intervals (3rds, 4ths, and 5ths) from an A

ii. A short solo or etude (Carter, Goodman, Vic Firth, Peters, Delecluse, or equivalent)

COMMERCIAL

• Prepared Piece: demonstrate the drum pattern for two the following tunes

  • Cold Sweat

  • Fool In the Rain

  • 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

  • Superstition

  • What Is Hip

  • Take Me To The Mardi Gras

  • Stratus

• Styles: Rock, Rock Ballad, Funk, Hip Hop, Blues Shuffle, Slow Blues, Purdie Shuffle, Motown, Afro Cuban, Train Beat, Second-Line, Reggae, Calypso

• Improvisation: be prepared to improvise over a Rock or Funk style song form or vamp

• Sight Reading: sight read a Pop/Rock style chart (as in Joe Bergamini’s The Working Drummer’s Chart Book)

CLASSICAL

• 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

COMMERCIAL

• Perform two pieces of contrasting styles that best demonstrate your technical and musical piano skills

• Sight read at the early-intermediate level.

• Sight read a lead sheet

Scales and arpeggios are not required for piano auditions.

CLASSICAL

• 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:

  i. Amy Quate “Light of Sothis” 

  ii. Jeanine Rueff “Chanson et Passepied” 

  iii. Andre Jolivet “Fantasie Impromptu” 

  iv. Pierre-Max Dubois “Pieces Characteristiques” 

  v. Paule Maurice “Tableaux de Provence” 

  vi. Fernande Decruck “Danses autour du Monde” 

  vii. Paul Creston “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

  viii. Bernhard Heiden “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

  ix. Ida Gotkovsky “Brillance” 

  x. Jennifer Higdon “Sonata” 

  xi. Ned Rorem “Picnic on the Marne” 

COMMERCIAL

• 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

CLASSICAL

TENOR TROMBONE 

BASS TROMBONE 

CLASSICAL

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.

• 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

• 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.)

• 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

CLASSICAL

FOR TRADITIONAL FRESHMEN 

• Two contrasting songs or arias (one in English, one in a foreign language, preferred)

FOR TRANSFERRING FRESHMEN STUDENTS

(Freshmen with at least one semester of voice at a different college or university)

• Three contrasting songs or arias (at least one in English, at least one in a foreign language)

FOR TRANSFERRING UPPERCLASSMEN

(Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors)

• Six songs or arias (including English and two foreign languages)

General Guidelines

• Audition repertoire should, at a minimum, be selected from the state solo/ensemble contest list. The list for Indiana can be found on the ISSMA website.
• Audition repertoire should be pieces that best represent the singer's current level of vocal development.
• Languages to select are English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, or Latin.
• All audition repertoire is to be sung from memory with piano accompaniment.
• Recorded accompaniments are permitted for video auditions only. On-campus auditions require a pianist as previously described.

COMMERCIAL

• Three contrasting selections, in the singer's preferred key, must be presented. Original work is encouraged but not required. The applicant must perform:

1. Ballad
2. Up tempo
3. Entrant’s choice (may be original or a cover and should showcase appropriate Tone, Style, and Groove)

• The accepted commercial styles are: RnB/Soul/Neo-Soul; Country; Rock; Pop; Jazz/American Songbook; Contemporary Christian

• The faculty may request a full-length performance or a cut of the piece. The selected material should not exceed 3 minutes in length per piece. All selections must be performed from memory.

• The audition is followed by a brief interview.

ACCOMPANIMENT GUIDELINES

For the accompaniment there are four options:

1. Self-accompany on an instrument of their choice; a piano is on site.

2. Bring your own accompanist.

3. Request a Ball State accompanist (in this case sheet music must be provided as a hardcopy).

4. Entrant will provide an instrumental backing track that must be on file the day of the audition in WAV or MP3 format. We discourage the use of a live-streamed track because of ads or connectivity issues.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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

Scales and arpeggios are not required for piano auditions.

• 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 

• 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 

• 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 

• 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.)

• 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

Please note that all auditions must be played on a soprano Bb/A clarinet (no bass clarinet/auxiliary instruments).

• 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

• 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)

• One solo from the following:

• Bach - Prelude in D major, BWV 998

• Albéniz - Asturias (Leyenda)

• Tárrega - Capricho Arabe

• Barrios - La Catedral

• Tárrega - Recuerdos de la Alhambra

• Rodrigo - Fandanguillo

• Leo Brouwer - Etudes Simples

• Scales and arpeggios

• Sight reading

• Two solo works (memorized) of contrasting styles; jazz or popular literature is not accepted for harp auditions

• One prominent orchestra cadenza from either Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker (Waltz of the Flowers) or Swan Lake, or Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

• Any movement from a Mozart or Strauss horn concerto

• Another contrasting solo or etude

• One orchestral excerpt

• All major scales

• Sight-reading

• 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

• 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

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

  i. Marimba, Xylophone, or Vibraphone

  ii. All major and minor scales

  iii. Solo by Stout, Abe, J.S. Bach, Creston, Musser, Rosauro, or equivalent (a four-mallet solo is preffered)

  iv. Sight reading

• SNARE DRUM

  i. All snare drum rudiments (PDF)

  ii. Ability to play triple or multiple bounce rolls at all dynamic levels

  iii. One solo or etude from Delecluse, Albright, Cirone, Peters, Goldenberg, or equivalent

  iv. Sight reading

• TIMPANI

  i. Match pitch and sing intervals (3rds, 4ths, and 5ths) from an A

  ii. A short solo or etude (Carter, Goodman, Vic Firth, Peters, Delecluse, or equivalent)

• 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

Scales and arpeggios are not required for piano auditions.

• 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:

  i. Amy Quate “Light of Sothis” 

  ii. Jeanine Rueff “Chanson et Passepied” 

  iii. Andre Jolivet “Fantasie Impromptu” 

  iv. Pierre-Max Dubois “Pieces Characteristiques” 

  v. Paule Maurice “Tableaux de Provence” 

  vi. Fernande Decruck “Danses autour du Monde” 

  vii. Paul Creston “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

  viii. Bernhard Heiden “Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone” 

  ix. Ida Gotkovsky “Brillance” 

  x. Jennifer Higdon “Sonata” 

  xi. Ned Rorem “Picnic on the Marne” 

• 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.)

• 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 TRADITIONAL FRESHMEN 

• Two contrasting songs or arias (one in English, one in a foreign language, preferred)

FOR TRANSFERRING FRESHMEN STUDENTS

(Freshmen with at least one semester of voice at a different college or university)

• Three contrasting songs or arias (at least one in English, at least one in a foreign language)

FOR TRANSFERRING UPPERCLASSMEN

(Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors)

• Six songs or arias (including English and two foreign languages)

General Guidelines

• Audition repertoire should, at a minimum, be selected from the state solo/ensemble contest list. The list for Indiana can be found on the ISSMA website.
• Audition repertoire should be pieces that best represent the singer's current level of vocal development.
• Languages to select are English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, or Latin.
• All audition repertoire is to be sung from memory with piano accompaniment.
• Recorded accompaniments are permitted for video auditions only. On-campus auditions require a pianist as previously described.

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.

Piano

• 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

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 

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

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

Bassoon

• 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

Cello

• Two contrasting works of choice

Clarinet

• Two works of contrasting styles and tempos to demonstrate musical and technical ability
• All major scales and arpeggios and the chromatic scale. All scales to be played from memory
• Sight-reading

Double Bass

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

Flute

• Two contrasting pieces from the standard repertoire
• All major scales (two octaves) and chromatic scale (three octaves from low C to high C), all slurred; scales must be memorized
• Sight-reading

Guitar

• 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.

Harp

• Two solo works of contrasting styles
• One notable orchestra excerpt or cadenza

Horn

• Any movement from a Mozart or Strauss concerto
• Another contrasting solo or etude
• One orchestral excerpt
• All 12 major scales
• Sight-reading 

Oboe

• 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

Saxophone

• Scales: Major, Minor, and Chromatic
• Two contrasting pieces that demonstrate both technical and lyrical ability.     

Trombone

Tenor Trombone

• 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

Bass Trombone

• All 12 major scales from memory
• Choose one 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 

Trumpet

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

Tuba/Euphonium

• Two solos or etudes of contrasting styles which demonstrate the applicant's highest proficiency (10-15 minutes)
• Two octave major, minor, and chromatic scales from memory (tongued or slurred)
• Possible sight-reading
• Optional: orchestra or band excerpts from the standard repertoire 

Viola

• Two contrasting works of choice

Violin

• Two contrasting works of choice

• No performance audition required.
• Interview with MMP faculty.
• Please register your interest in requesting an interview by clicking here

• A solo program (memorization optional) 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 

Scales and arpeggios are not required for piano auditions.

• No performance audition required.
• Please contact Dr. Amelia Kaplan for more details about adding this minor. 

• Only available to current music majors.
• Please contact Dr. Heather Platt for further details about adding this minor.