Senior Division
AUDITION & JURY REQUIREMENTS
Audition and Jury Requirements below are for those who select to enroll in the Academic and Collegiate-Performance Preparation Programs only.
Chamber Music Program
Major and Minor scale and piece of choice.
No jury required.
Academic & Collegiate - Performance Preparation Program
Keyboard
Piano
Piano age 8-11 (can choose to audition and have juries or choose open enrollment – no audition necessary for academic program)
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios, 2 octaves, in the keys of audition pieces.
- A work of Bach, either a two-part Invention, one dance from a French Suite, or a comparable work.
- The first movement of a classical sonata or sonatina.
- One work from either the Romantic or the 20th century eras.
Piano age 12-15
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios, 4 octaves, in any key.
- A work of Bach: either a two-part Invention or two contrasting dances from a suite, or a comparable Scarlatti sonata.
- The first or last movement of a sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven (excluding Opus 49).
- A Romantic work, including Debussy.
- A 20th century work (excluding Debussy).
Piano age 16-21
- Any Major or Minor scale and arpeggio (including dominant and diminished sevenths) in 4 octaves.
- A work of Bach: either a Prelude and Fugue or three movements from a suite or partita.
- Two movements from a sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven (excluding Opus 49 and 79).
- One substantial Romantic or Impressionistic work, or two contrasting shorter works.
- A work by a 20th century composer, including Ravel.
Harpsichord (All Ages)
- Three short pieces from the works of Frescobaldi, Louis or Francois Couperin or Froberger. A Domenico Scarlatti sonata
may be substituted for one of these pieces.
- A two or three part Invention by J.S. Bach and a piece from the Well-Tempered Clavier or 2 to 3 contrasting movements
from a Suite.
Organ (All Ages)
- One of the Eight Little Preludes and Fugues by Bach, or another work by Bach of comparable difficulty.
- A chorale prelude by Bach, Brahms, Reger, a movement from a sonata by Mendelssohn, or another comparable work. A student who has studied piano and not organ, but wishes to study organ, may play a piano entrance audition equivalent to
the 12-15 age group requirements.
Strings
Violin age 8 – 11 (can choose to audition and have juries or choose open enrollment – no audition necessary for academic program)
- One 3-octave scale, Major and Minor
- One etude on the level of Wohlfahrt, Mazas or Kayser
- A movement of a concerto or a concert piece.
Violin age 12 – 15
- 3-octave scales and arpeggios up to 3 sharps and 3 flats, including diminished and dominant sevenths.
- One etude on the level of Don’t, Op. 37, Kreutzer or Fiorillo.
- A movement of a Bach Concerto or an unaccompanied Partita.
- A movement of a concerto or a concert piece.
Violin age 16 – 21
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios, 3 or 4 octaves, including diminished and dominant sevenths, in any key.
- One study by Kreutzer, Rode, Paganini or a comparable etude chosen by the applicant.
- An unaccompanied movement of a Bach Partita or Sonata.
- Two contrasting movements of a concerto.
Viola age 14 and under
- One Major and Minor 3-octave scale.
- An etude on the level of Mazas or Wohlfahrt.
- Two contrasting movements from a Baroque concerto or sonata by a composer such as Stamitz, Telemann, or a work of comparable study.
Viola age 15 – 21
- All Major and Minor 3-octave scales and arpeggios, in any key.
- An etude of Kreutzer, Rode or Compagnoli.
- One movement of a Bach Suite.
- Two contrasting movements of a concerto.
‘Cello age 8 – 11
Choose to audition and have juries or have open enrollment – no audition necessary for academic program
- One Major and Minor 3-octave scale.
- An etude on the level of Schoeder Foundation Studies, Vol. 1.
- One movement of a concerto of concert piece
‘Cello age 12 – 14
- 3-octave scales and arpeggios up to 3 sharps and 3 flats, including diminished and dominant sevenths.
- One etude chosen by the applicant displaying present technical and musical ability.
- One movement of a Bach Suite.
- One movement of a concerto or concert piece.
‘Cello age 15 – 21
- 3-octave scales and arpeggios, including diminished and dominant sevenths, in any key.
- One etude on the level of Popper displaying present technical and musical ability.
- One movement of a Bach Suite.
- Two contrasting movements of a concerto or sonata.
Double Bass any age
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios, 2-octaves, in the keys of the audition pieces.
- One etude showing the applicant’s present technical and musical ability.
- One movement of a Bach Suite.
- One movement of a concerto or concert piece.
Guitar any age
- Major and Minor scales in the keys of the audition pieces.
- One etude on the level of Carulli, F. Sor, Sagreres, Carcassi.
- One arpeggio piece.
- 3 contrasting movements or pieces from different stylistic periods.
Harp (Any Age)
Note: Applicants must audition on pedal harp and be prepared to play solo works from memory.
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios in the keys of the audition pieces.
- 3 solo works reflecting the applicant’s present technical and musical ability.
Winds
Bassoon age 13 and under
- Major and Minor scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats.
- An etude from Weissenborn Studies, Vol. I
- A piece of the applicant’s choice.
Bassoon age 14 – 21
- All Major and Minor scales
- Two etudes from Weissenborn Studies (advanced section), Gambaro Studies or Milde Scales and Chords.
Clarinet age 13 and under
- Major and Minor scales, 2 octaves, up to 3 sharps and 3 flats.
- One slow and one fast contrasting study, i.e. from Rubank or Klose.
Clarinet age 14 – 21
- Major and Minor scales, 2 to 3 octaves, up to 5 sharps and 5 flats.
- One slow and one fast study from Rose 40 Etudes.
- One movement from a concerto or concert piece displaying present technical and musical ability.
Saxophone age 14 and under
- Major and Minor scales up to F sharp
- A selection from the Paul DeVille Universal Method for Saxophone.
Saxophone age 15 – 21
- Major and Minor scales up to high B-flat.
- A selection from the Paul DeVille Universal Method for Saxophone.
- One movement from a concerto or a piece of the applicant’s choice displaying present technical and musical ability.
Flute age 10
Choose to audition and have juries or choose open enrollment – no audition necessary
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios up to 3 sharps and 3 flats.
- One 1-octave Chromatic scale in a key of choice.
- Two contrasting pieces displaying present technical and musical ability.
Flute age 11
Choose to audition and have juries or choose open enrollment – no audition necessary for academic program)
Flute age 12-13
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios, 2 octaves in any key.
- One 2-octave Chromatic scale in a key of choice.
- Two selections from contrasting periods: baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, contemporary.
Flute age 14 – 21
- All Major and Minor scales and arpeggios (Harmonic and Melodic), full range.
- A 2-octave Chromatic scale in any key.
- Two selections from contrasting periods: baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, contemporary.
- Select two of the following excerpts: Brahms Symphony No. 4, Ravel ‘Daphnis and Chloe’, Mendelssohn ‘Midsummer Nights Dream’, Beethoven ‘Leonora’ Overture.
Oboe age 13 and under
- Major and Minor scales in the keys of the audition pieces.
- An etude showing the applicant’s degree of technical advancement
- One composition displaying present technical and musical ability.
Oboe age 14 – 21
- Major and Minor scales and arpeggios (Harmonic and Melodic) in any key.
- Two contrasting etudes from Ferling Forty-eight Studies or Fifteen Grand Studes from the Barrett Method.
- Two contrasting compositions displaying present technical and musical ability.
Brass
Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn and Tuba
- All Major and Minor scales (slurred).
- One etude displaying present technical ability.
- One concert solo displaying tonal and musical aptitude.
- Prepare six orchestral excerpts of choice. Of the six, two will be chosen by the adjudicator to play.
Percussion
Applicant must demonstrate proficiency in one or more of the following 3 areas of percussion.
Snare Drum
- The 26 standard snare drum rudiments.
- The long roll (soft-loud-soft).
- One etude chosen from or comparable to Modem School for Snare Drum by Morris Goldenberg, Portraits of Rhythm by Anthony Cirone and Recital solos for Snare Drum by Garwood Shaley.
- Sight-reading.
Timpani
- Demonstrate ability to tune various intervals.
- One etude chosen from or comparable to Modem Method for Timpany by Saul Goodman (pp. 46-60), Timpany Method by Friese/Lepak (section 3, no. 5-15), or a solo using 4 drums.
- Sight-reading.
Keyboard Percussion (Marimba, Vibraphone, Xylophone)
- Two octave Major and Minor scales and arpeggios in any key.
- Two mallet etude, comparable to or chosen from Modem School for Marimba by Morris Goldenberg, Fundamental Studies for Mallets by Garwood Whaley or a transcription of a violin, flute, etc. solo i.e., Bach, Handel.
- Four mallet solo (optional)
- Sight-reading.
Voice
- Two octave Major and Minor scales and arpeggios in the key of the pieces selected to sing.
- Sing two songs or arias by memory. This can be a humn, carol, classical art song, etc.
- Sight-read a simple melody.
Composition
Students who can pass the equivalent of a SCM Year II Theory final exam are eligible to apply as a Composition Major. The applicant will be interviewed by composition faculty. If accepted, a conservatory composition faculty member may be selected or will be assigned for the required weekly studies.
- Submit one or more original works for audition. Works will be judged considering musical background and age of composer.
|