Audition Requirements: School of Music: University of Minnesota

Audition Dates and Information

Pre-Screening Requirements

The School of Music will require a pre-screening recording for candidates in the areas of piano, strings, and voice. For more
pre-screening information, click here.

Graduate Audition Requirements

Voice Performance (M.M. and D.M.A.)

Prepare to perform from memory three art songs and one oratorio or opera aria demonstrating your ability in the following languages: English, French, German and Italian. The audition committee will choose from among your prepared selections those compositions that they wish to hear. An accompanist will be provided if needed, and you will be given a brief rehearsal time with the pianist before your audition time.

Copies of musical scores must be sent with your application to the School of Music Graduate Studies Office no later than three weeks prior to the audition date if you intend to use a School of Music pianist for your audition. Send copies to:

Voice Audition Music
School of Music
100 Ferguson Hall
2106 Fourth Street South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Please notify the School of Music if you intend to provide your own accompanist.

Low Brass

All audition repertoire must be confirmed via email by the appropriate UM Low Brass faculty member at least one month before the audition:

Trombone (Tenor and Bass)
Tom Ashworth (ashwo001@umn.edu)
Euphonium
David Werden (dave@dwerden.com)
John Tranter (johntranter@yahoo.com)
Tuba
Steven Campbell (stvcampbell@msn.com)

Note: All prospective Low Brass students are encouraged to contact the appropriate UM Low Brass faculty member to arrange a lesson in the months prior to the audition. There is no charge for the lesson.

Audition repertoire must adhere to the following guidelines:
MM-Performance (Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba)
DMA-Performance(Trombone only)

Movements or sections from two significant solo works, with at least one composed after 1940. Accompaniment is not required.

AND

Three to four standard orchestral excerpts

Woodwind and High Brass Performance

Prepare two major works of a contrasting nature from the standard repertoire. Standard orchestral excerpts will be expected and sight-reading may be included. An accompanist is not required, nor provided.

String Performance

Prepare three works.

a first or last movement of a major Romantic or contemporary concerto
a movement of an unaccompanied composition
a work of your choice from a musical period not represented by the other two selections. These works must be memorized. An accompanist is not required, nor provided.

Percussion Performance

Graduate applicants in percussion should be prepared to perform on Snare Drum (both rudimental and concert styles), Mallets (2 and 4-mallet techniques) and Timpani. Audition on other instruments such as drum-set, hand-drums, ethnic or other orchestral instruments is encouraged but not required.

There is a great deal of latitude in what students may perform at their audition, given the amount of repertoire available. Download a list of suggested repertoire (PDF).

Piano Performance (M.M.)

Prepare the following repertoire to be performed from memory:

a Bach prelude and fugue from The Well-Tempered Clavier or several substantial movements from a Bach suite or partita
a complete major sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven
a representative work from the 19th century and one from the 20th century; at least one of these should be technically and interpretively demanding and at least ten minutes in length

Piano Performance (D.M.A.)

Prepare a full recital from which the audition committee may select works to be performed. All works must be memorized. Sight-reading may be requested. The repertoire must include:

a complete major work by Bach or a prelude and fugue from The Well-Tempered Clavier
a complete major sonata or set of variations by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
a major work from the 19th or 20th century
one or more technically and interpretively demanding selections complementing the immediately preceding category, e.g., if a 19th-century sonata is performed, the remainder of the program should represent the 20th century (impressionist/contemporary styles)

Collaborative Piano and Coaching

Live auditions for the M.M. and D.M.A. in Collaborative Piano and Coaching are by invitation only. If you wish to be considered for a live audition, send a complete resume and preliminary audition DVD to the School of Music Graduate Studies Office no later than December 20.

Some applicants will be invited to perform a live audition in early February based on evaluation of the resume and preliminary DVD audition. Applicants selected will be notified in early January and invited to campus for an early February live audition. You will be assigned partners and rehearsal times as part of the live audition process. In mid-January, you will be contacted regarding rehearsal and audition times. You must use the partners assigned for at least a portion of the auditions. The remainder may be done with assigned partners or with partners of your own choosing. All vocal repertoire should be performed in the original keys when using assigned partners. A personal interview may be conducted by the faculty as part of the audition. All applicants must bring a copy of their complete collaborative piano repertoire (vocal and instrumental) to the audition. For further information contact Timothy Lovelace (612/624-0560 or lovelace@umn.edu).

M.M. in Collaborative Piano and Coaching Repertoire

The repertoire for the preliminary DVD audition is as follows:
1. Franck Violin Sonata, second movement
2. Schubert: "Ganymed"

The live audition repertoire is as follows:
1. Any Beethoven Violin or Cello Sonata, first movement
2. Franck Violin Sonata, first and second movements
3. Schubert (both): “Erstarrung,” “Ganymed”
4. Debussy: “Ariettes oubliées”

Sight reading from instrumental and/or vocal repertoire is also required.

D.M.A. in Collaborative Piano and Coaching Repertoire

The repertoire for the preliminary DVD audition is as follows:
1. Franck Violin Sonata, second movement; or Debussy "Green" from "Ariettes oubliées"
2. Any other movement or song from the audition repertoire listed below

For the live audition, candidates may focus on either instrumental or vocal repertoires, or may elect to focus equally on both areas. The repertoire for the audition, chosen from the list that follows, should reflect the desired focus:
1. a) Any Beethoven Violin or Cello Sonata, first movement; or
b) Schubert (both): “Erstarrung,” “Ganymed”
2. a) Franck Violin Sonata, first and second movements; or
b) Debussy “Ariettes oubliées”
3. a) Any string or wind sonata or comparable large-scale work
written after 1890; or
b) Any song cycle of Schumann, Strauss “Brentano” Lieder, or Brahms “Four Serious Songs”
4. A short (5-8 min.) solo piano work of your choice
5. Sight-reading of repertoire suitable to desired area of focus

Organ Performance (M.M.)

Prepare a 30-minute program consisting of at least three compositions for organ of contrasting styles and from different historical periods and/or national schools. One of these should be a major work of J.S. Bach, and at least one from the 19th- or 20th-century repertoire. It is recommended that the prepared compositions be of a level of difficulty commensurate with the applicant’s own level of ability and experience. Memorization is recommended but not required. In addition, applicants may be asked to play stanzas of a hymn in a style suitable for congregational singing, harmonize on a given hymn tune, improvise, and sight-read a choral score or other open score using one or more C clefs. A repertoire list must be submitted to the committee at the time of the audition.

Download a list of suggested repertoire (PDF).

Organ Performance (D.M.A.)

The applicant should prepare a program of 45-minutes’ duration consisting of compositions for organ of contrasting styles and from different historical periods and/or national schools. One work must be a major work of J.S. Bach, and the audition program must include works representing the 17th-century, as well as the 19th- and 20th-century repertoires. In addition, the audition repertoire should illustrate the applicant’s ability to perform music that interpretively as well as technically demanding. Memorization is recommended but not required. A repertoire list must be submitted to the committee at the time of the audition. Applicants must also submit a sample of their written work (e.g., a research or term paper written for a history or theory course) at the time of their audition.

Harp Performance (M.M.)

Prepare from memory the following:

Two contrasting sonatas: i.e., Krumpholz, Dussek, Parry, C.P.E. Bach, Hindemith, Houdy, Tailleferre, Glanville-Hicks, etc.
One etude by Bach/Grandjany, Bochsa, Pozzoli or Lariviere
One work from the 19th or 20th centuries: i.e., by Faure, Andres, Salzedo, Flagello, etc.

Download a list of suggested repertoire (PDF).

Guitar Performance (M.M. and D.M.A.)

Prepare three major contrasting pieces or movements from the following materials or from similar works of comparable level:

John Dowland: Fantasies, Dances
J.S. Bach: Lute and Cello Suites, Violin Sonatas and Partitas
Fernando Sor: Advanced Studies, Variations, Sonatas
Francisco Tarrega: Capricho Arabe or Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Manuel Ponce: Sonatas
Leo Brouwer: Elogio de la Danza, Sonata, El Decameron Negro
Works by: Turina, Torroba, Rodrigo, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Barrios, Jose, Albeniz, Granados, Villa-Lobos, Martin, Berkeley, Britten, Takemitsu

Sight-reading and scales will be included in the audition. Audition length is 30 minutes.

Choral Conducting (M.M.)

Individually scheduled auditions and interviews are conducted by Professor Kathy Romey, Professor of Choral Music. For more information, contact Professor Romey at (612) 624-9557; fax: (612) 624-8001; email: romey001@umn.edu

Orchestral Conducting (M.M.)

A video tape (minimum of 30 minutes) of your conducting and a complete resume will be required for review. The video tape deadline is January 1.

Wind Ensemble/Band Conducting (M.M.)

The M.M. in wind ensemble/band conducting provides advanced conducting study with an emphasis on conducting gesture, development of unique artistic identity, wind repertoire, and understanding the diverse roles of the conductor. Live auditions are by invitation only. If you wish to be considered for a live audition, send a complete resume and preliminary audition video tapes of a performance and rehearsal to the School of Music Graduate Studies Office no later than January 1. Applicants will be invited to perform a live audition based on evaluation of the resume and the preliminary video tape submissions. Applicants selected for a live audition will be notified by February 10, and invited to campus in March.

Conducting (D.M.A.)

Conducting Applicants: the School of Music is not accepting applications for the DMA in Choral Conducting for fall 2009. We encourage applicants to begin planning for fall 2010.

A conducting audition and interview with the Directors of Orchestral, Wind, and Choral Studies is required. Live auditions are by invitation only. If you wish to be considered for a live audition, send a complete resume and preliminary audition video tapes of a performance and rehearsal to the School of Music Graduate Studies Office. Applicants will be invited to perform a live audition based on evaluation of the resume and the preliminary video tape submissions.

Recorded Auditions

Recorded auditions will be accepted if you live more than 200 miles from the Twin Cities; however, it is to your advantage to audition in person if at all possible. Please refer to the specific audition requirements above. Application materials submitted to the School of Music older than one year are not considered valid and will not be used as part of the application. The guidelines for recorded auditions are below.

1. Complete the online School of Music application.
2. Submit a CD or DVD recorded on professional quality equipment. Strings: DVD is encouraged.
3. Follow the audition requirements described above.
4. Include your name, instrument, musical selections and composers with the CD or DVD.
5. Recordings are reviewed when received and must be received by December 15 for fall admission.