Audition Requirements

General Requirements (all applicants)

Entering students must demonstrate advanced musical skill and performance experience. All repertoire must be performed at a level equivalent to a graduate program Master’s audition.  Auditions in person are strongly recommended. Programs from two recent performances of recitals, opera roles, chamber music or concertos must be submitted with the application.

Voice

1.       One opera aria and one aria from an oratorio, cantata or motet in the original 
           language.

2.       No fewer than four art songs in a foreign language representing styles of the 17th to 
          20th centuries.

3.       No fewer than two English art songs composed after 1960.

No fewer than four languages should be represented in the audition repertoire.

Piano

1.       A Bach Prelude and Fugue (four or five voice) or comparable Bach work: Suite, Toccata
          or Partita (except Toccata in e minor)

2.       A Sonata by Beethoven, Mozart or Schubert

3.       Any of the larger keyboard works of Brahms, Chopin, Liszt or Schumann

4.       A substantial twentieth century composition.

The submitted program should be at least 50 minutes in duration, representing works from four different periods from baroque to the twentieth century.

Strings

1.       A major work by Bach.

2.       A major classical or romantic sonata

3.       A substantial twentieth century composition. (preferably Canadian after 1960)

4.       One additional work representing the candidate’s area of interest.

The submitted program should be at least 50 minutes in duration, representing works from baroque to the twentieth century.

Brass and Woodwinds

1.       A baroque or classical composition

2.       A major sonata

3.       A substantial twentieth century composition.

4.       One additional work with piano accompaniment or five standard orchestral excerpts 
          representing the applicant’s area of interest.

The submitted program should be at least 50 minutes in duration.

Accordion 

(four works)

1.   A Bach Prelude and Fugue OR comparable Bach work: Suite,
      Toccata or Partita.

2.   A transcription of a work of Haydn or  Mozart, or 
      representative group of shorter keyboard works of D. Scarlatti, Rameau etc.

4.   Any TWO substantial twentieth century compositions.

 
The submitted program should be at least 50 minutes in duration, representing works from the Baroque, PreClassical/Classical and Twentieth/Twenty-first Century.

Percussion

1.      Mallet instruments 

 Choose two of the following:

·         4 mallet contemporary marimba solo

·         2 mallet ragtime xylophone solo or other 2 mallet solo

·         transcription of a Bach sonata or other Bach work

·         Vibraphone solo

·         Orchestral excerpts

 
2.      Snare Drum

 ·         Orchestral style solo or excerpts

·         Rudimental solo

 
3.      Timpani

 ·         Solo work or orchestral excerpts

 
4.      Multi-percussion - optional

 ·         Tape or video of multi-percussion solo

 
5.      Ethnic percussion demonstration – optional

·        Examples of ability on hand drums, frame drums, tabla, mrdangam, steel pan etc.

Audition Requirements - Baroque Option