Audition Requirements

Woodwinds and Brass:

  • 2 octave chromatic scale – ascending and descending – beginning on low Bb
  • Woodwinds: Two octave major and minor scales up to four flats and sharps, three octaves where possible
    Brass: Two octave major and scales up to four flats and sharps, where possible, one octave when not
  • One solo piece chosen by the student. See below for suggestions.
  • Short sight-reading excerpt.
  • Prepared orchestral excerpt. See below to download.

Percussion:

  • One piece from the standard repertoire for the Timpani. Bring a copy for the adjudicator.
  • One piece from the standard repertoire for the Snare Drum (etudes acceptable). Bring a copy.
  • Be prepared to play a closed and/or open roll on the snare drum at various dynamics.
  • Sight reading
  • Prepared orchestral excerpt. See below to download.

Harp:

  • Two contrasting works chosen by the candidate. See below for suggestions.
  • Prepared orchestral excerpt. See below to download.

Suggestions for the solo audition piece:

The piece should demonstrate your best ability at the moment. Preferably, it should show good fingering technique, control over the sound, the ability to play different dynamics, and using a wider range of your instruments. Consult with your private instructor in January,  to ensure that you have enough time to learn the entire piece, both technically and musically. Advanced repertoire needs more than a few weeks of practice to learn proficiently.

Audition Excerpts can be accessed in this folder. Please find the excerpt for your instrument and scroll through the document to the marked section.