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College of Fine and Performing Arts
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Entrance & Scholarship Auditions

Entrance and scholarship auditions are required for students who intend to major or minor in music and for those who want to audition for music scholarships, including non-majors and minors. Graduate students should see the information on our Master of Music page.

Audition Dates

Priority consideration deadline: March 1, 2021

Submissions accepted starting November 1, 2020

Audition Checklist

 

  • Read General Audition Information and FAQs

Audition Format

Online/Remote

Online video submission only. Submit videos in the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form. We encourage you to submit an audition even if you missed the priority deadline.

On-Campus Experience

Due to COVID-19 restrictions we are unable to offer on-campus auditions. Should conditions with the virus improve we may be able to offer an on-campus experience for prospective students after video auditions are reviewed. 

General Audition Information

Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form

Audition videos will be submitted through the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form. This form is the music program and/or scholarship application. Students will answer questions about their musical background and education.


Audition Video

Video submissions are accepted as links, rather than direct uploads, from video sharing sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. Videos from smartphones are acceptable along with all dedicated recording devices. Each selection/requirement may be recorded separately. Please begin each selection by stating your full name, and repertoire that will be performed. Accompaniment is not required for video auditions.


Deadlines and Timeline of Results

Acceptance decisions to the music program are made on a rolling basis beginning November 1, 2020. All students will receive their music acceptance decision via email by March 12, 2021. Scholarship award emails will follow on a rolling basis after the priority deadline and all students will receive their award decision by March 19, 2021. All music emails will be sent to the email provided in the audition form.


Music Acceptance and Enrollment

To enroll in any sequential core music class students must be accepted via an Entrance & Scholarship Audition. See our music advising page for more details. Students will submit audition materials in the Entrance & Scholarship audition form as an application to our program. Acceptance to the Music Department does not guarantee admission to the university. Students may submit or request an audition before completing their admissions application. Recommendation letters and transcripts are not required for the music application.


Composition Major – Additional Requirements

Students who wish to major in composition must submit, in addition to their video entrance audition submission, a portfolio of original compositions for faculty review in the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form. The portfolio should consist of:

  • 2-3 original compositions, with at least one notated (PDF format preferred).
  • Audio recordings of the above compositions are welcome and often helpful, but are required only for those compositions not already notated.

Files (PDF) and audio recordings (downloadable files or streaming) are accepted as links rather than direct uploads. If submitting a link to a shared folder, please make sure the share settings are set to "anyone with the link can view" to ensure its accessibility. Applicants should make sure all links are active/available until they are notified of their acceptance. Students will be notified of their acceptance into the composition program once they are accepted into the Department of Music, based on their instrumental or vocal audition. Students who feel they are not prepared to submit a portfolio should still indicate this degree choice through the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form. The composition area will reach out to prospective students who did not submit a portfolio for options moving forward. Students who didn't submit a portfolio may be able to begin composition lessons to work on their portfolio, contingent on studio availability. Please contact Dr. Charlie Halka with any questions or concerns.

Audition Requirements

 

After reviewing the general audition information, look at the detailed audition requirements for your area of interest.

Brass Requirements

 

Email Gustavo Camacho with any questions or concerns. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.

Horn

  1. First or Third movement from any Mozart or Strauss Horn Concerto OR one recital solo such as

    • Dukas "Villanelle"

    • Hindemith "Sonata"

    • Saint-Saens "Morceau de Concert"

    • Beethoven "Sonata for Horn"

  2. One technical etude from Kopprasch "60 Selected Studies" (or the equivalent)

  3. Major and minor scales and arpeggios through four sharps and four flats (two octaves when possible)

  4. Sight-reading may be requested at the on-campus audition only

Trumpet

  1. Two contrasting selections from standard solo repertoire or etudes, one lyric and one technical - please feel free to contact the professor if you are unsure if a selection is appropriate
  2. Major and minor scales and arpeggios through four sharps and four flats (two octaves when possible)
  3. Sight-reading may be requested at the on-campus audition only

Tenor/Bass Trombone & Euphonium

  1. Two or three studies from “Melodious Études” by Rochut, Book I (bass trombone should play one octave lower where feasible)
  2. One etude from Studies 1 - 10 of the Blazhevich Clef Studies, in either C, F or G Major
  3. Five selected studies from the Arban Method, Book 1
  4. Major and minor scales and arpeggios through four sharps and four flats (two octaves when possible)
  5. Sight-reading may be requested at the on-campus audition only

Tuba

  1. Any two of the first four solos in “Solos for the Tuba Player” by Wekselblatt
  2. First movement of Haddad “Suite for Tuba”
  3. First ten studies from the “Studies for BB♭ Tuba” by Tyrell
  4. Major and minor scales through four sharps and four flats (two octaves when possible)
  5. Sight-reading may be requested at the on-campus audition only

Guitar Requirements

 

Guitar Auditions

All auditions are on classical nylon-string guitar only. If you are not currently playing classical guitar, but wish to audition, please email Professor David Feingold who will be happy to assist you in finding a classical guitar instructor to help you meet the qualifications of the audition below. Guitar students must study classical guitar in private "applied" lessons which are a requirement of the music majors.  In your audition video(s) please make sure your hands can be seen clearly and your body is within the frame. 

Guitar Audition Requirements

  1. Scales: Prepare two, two-octave scales, one major and one minor (alternate i and m).
  2. Prepare two contrasting pieces:
    • A study from Sor, Carcassi, Giuliani.
    • A piece from an anthology,  Renaissance to Modern. 
  3. Ear and Pitch Test: Play an open A string clearly on the guitar. Then, placing the instrument down away from the body, sing the pitch at unison or in a comfortable octave.  Next, play an open D string, place the instrument away from the body and sing a fifth higher than the D note played.

Jazz Guitar

Those interested in jazz guitar are only eligible for a major or minor following successful completion of a classical guitar audition. The Jazz Studies Minor is only available to those who are accepted as a major through a classical audition. Jazz ensembles, however, are available to all and any student who completes a jazz ensemble audition. Those who are interested in Jazz guitar should email Professor Kevin Woods.

Percussion Requirements

 

Email Patrick Roulet with any questions or concerns. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview. Prospective students may choose to audition for percussion and/or drumset as their primary instrument.

Percussion Concentration

Snare Drum (Required)

  1. Snare drum etude or solo 
  2. Closed buzz roll performed soft-loud-soft – 30 seconds 
  3. Double-stroke open roll performed slow-fast-slow – 30 seconds 

Mallet Percussion vibraphone, marimba or xylophone (Required)

Solo or etude using two or four mallets

Timpani (optional)

Timpani solo or etude

Multi-percussion (optional)

Solo or etude
 

Drumset Concentration

Snare Drum (Required)

  1. Closed buzz roll performed soft-loud-soft
  2. Double-stroke open roll performed slow-fast-slow
  3. Snare drum etude or solo

Drumset (Required)

  1. Demonstrate the following styles at various tempos: swing, mambo, bossa nova, samba, rock/funk
  2.  Trade four bars of solo with four bars of swing time at a medium tempo (32 bars)
  3. Drumset solo, etude, or transcription of a recorded drum solo
  4. You may also submit a video recording of a live performance with a school jazz ensemble

Mallet percussion (optional)

Solo or etude

Piano Requirements

 

Email Milica Jelača Jovanović with any questions or concerns. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.

All students should prepare the following:

Three contrasting works from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary style periods. Sight reading will also be evaluated at on-campus auditions, but does not weigh into the decision of admission.

  • All pieces should be memorized.

  • At least one work should be from the Baroque or Classical Period

  • Minimum level of difficulty: Bach, “Short Preludes” & “Inventions”; Clementi, Haydn, Mozart & Beethoven “Sonatinas”; Bartok “Mikrokosmos” Books 3 & 4.

  • Contemporary classical pieces only. No pop, rock, new wave or personal compositions, etc.

Strings Requirements

 

Email Grant Donnellan  with any questions or concerns. Accompaniment is not required. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.

Cello

  1. 3 or 4 octave scale of your choice. 
  2. Etude by Popper or similar. 
  3. Two contrasting works from different stylistic periods. 
    • Eg. Bach Solo Suite and Sonata (by Brahms/Grieg/Shostakovich etc.) or Concerto (by Saint-Saens, Lalo, Dvorak, Haydn, etc.) or shorter concert work is also acceptable.
       

Violin

  1. One movement of a Solo Sonata or Partita by J.S. Bach. 
  2.  One movement of a Major Concerto OR a Virtuoso Work. 
    • Concerto Examples: Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Saint-Saens, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Bruch, Barber, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, et al, 
    • Virtuoso Examples: Saint-Saens Havanaise or Introduction and Rondo Capriciosso, Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante, Sarasate Zapateado, Ravel Tzigane, Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro, et al. 
  3. One Etude: any of the etudes/caprices of Kreutzer, Rode, Fiorillo, Dont (op. 35) Gavinies, Paganini, Wieniawski (opus 10) or Ernst. 
  4. One scale of your choice, three or four octaves at a moderate tempo, six to eight notes per bow. 
  5. One major and relative minor arpeggio of your choice, three or four octaves. 
     

Double Bass

  1. 1 etude from Nanny’s “Complete Methods” book 1 OR solo of candidate’s choice. 
  2. Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (one by Mozart). 
  3. Scales through half, 1st & 2nd positions. 
     

Harp

  1. Two pieces of different style, memorized. 
    • Examples; Handel Concerto in B-flat, Haydn Theme & Variations, Pescetti C Major Sonata, Pierne Impromptu Caprice, Debussy First Arabesque, selections from Suite of Eight Dances by Salzedo. 
  2. Major and melodic minor scales. 
  3. Sight reading at on-campus auditions only. 

Viola

  1. 3 octave scale of your choice. 
     
  2. 1 movement of Bach Solo Suite. 
  3. 1 movement of a Sonata (by Brahms, Clarke, Schubert, etc.) or Concerto (by Walton, Bartok, Hindemith, Stamitz, etc.) demonstrating your current level of musicianship and technique. 

Voice Requirements

 

All students should prepare the following:

Two memorized pieces of contrasting style from the classical or classical folk song repertoire. The classical style may be an art song or aria. We encourage one piece in a language other than English.

Email Tim Fitzpatrick with any questions or concerns. Accompaniment is not required. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.

Woodwind Requirements

 

Email Lisa McCarthy with any questions or concerns. Accompaniment is not required. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.

Flute

  1. Two contrasting etudes from "Melodious and Progressive Studies", Book one, revised by Robert Cavally
  2. Flute solo of choice (e.g., Telemann Sonata, Faure Fantaisie, Mozart Concerto in D, Hindemith Sonata, etc.)   

Oboe

  1. Any study from the Barret Oboe Method or the 48 Ferling Studies
  2. Oboe solo of choice (e.g., Albinoni Concerto in d minor, Britten Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Cimarosa Concerto in C, Nielsen Two Fantasy Pieces, Saint-Saens Sonata, Vaughan Williams Concerto, etc.)

Clarinet

  1. Two contrasting etudes from “32 Studies” by Cyrille Rose
  2. Clarinet solo of choice (e.g., Hindemith Sonata, Saint-Saens Sonata, Poulenc Sonata, Osborne Rhapsody, Stravinsky 3 Pieces, etc.

Bassoon

  1. Two Weissenborn or Advanced Rubank études
  2. Bassoon solo of choice (e.g., Galliard Sonata, Telemann Sonata in f minor, Hindemith Sonata, Weber Concerto, etc)

Saxophone

  1. Two studies from Ferling 48 Famous Studies, Rubank Selected Studies, Klose 25 Exercises or Niehaus Jazz Studies
  2. Saxophone solo of choice (e.g., Glazounov Concerto, Ibert Concertino de Camera, Villa-Lobos Fantasia, Bozza Aria, Ibert Aria, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Recommendation letters are not necessary to audition for our program. If students wish to provide recommendation letters, they made provide links to the letters within the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form.

No accompaniment is needed for video submissions, including voice auditions. Voice students may sing along with a backing track or pre-recorded accompaniment if they wish.

There is no official application for the music program. Audition materials and information submitted through the Entrance & Scholarship audition form act as an application for our degrees and/or scholarships.

Students who choose not to audition for our program have many opportunities to participate in our department. Students can enroll in ensembles, music GURs, MUS 101, and applied/composition lessons. While students can enroll in University Choirs without an audition, all other ensembles will require an audition to enroll. Some studios may require a studio audition or instructor permission to join an applied area or to enroll in composition lessons. Our core courses such as music theory, aural skills, keyboarding skills, music history, conducting, and music education courses are restricted to those who have been accepted via an entrance audition.

Yes! Students must complete the general admissions application for Western Washington University. Acceptance to the music major or minor does not guarantee admission to the general university. Students must be accepted through the admissions office in order to join us in the fall. 

Looking for more information?

If you have any questions, we're happy to find you an answer. Call the Music Department Office 360-650-3130, or view the directory of faculty and staff.