Music Admissions & Scholarship Auditions
Auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Welcome!
Music Admission Auditions are required to begin an undergraduate music major or minor and for those applying for new music scholarships. Even if you are not planning to major or minor in music, you are still welcome to audition for scholarships! Interested students must complete an audition on their primary instrument or voice, regardless of their program of interest.
We encourage students to review our available programs of study and introductory information about the Department of Music before moving forward.
Graduate students should review the information on our Master of Music page for a separate audition process.
Audition Checklist
- Read General Audition Info
- Prepare Audition Requirements
- Review Frequently Asked Questions
- Submit Audition Form
- Apply to WWU, if not already completed
Current WWU student looking for Ensemble Auditions?
Current Audition Information
Auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Live auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Video auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Audition results for the 2024-25 academic year have been sent to the email provided in the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form.
Scholarship Offer Results
Scholarship award decisions for students who auditioned for the 2024-25 academic year will be emailed starting March 22, 2024. Emails will be sent to the email provided in the Entrance & Scholarship Audition Form.
Auditions for the 2024-25 academic year are closed.
Auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Prepare the audition requirements listed below according to your primary instrument/voice area. Students may choose to audition on more than one instrument/voice. Please contact the corresponding area coordinator with questions or concerns. Prospective composition majors must complete an audition on their primary instrument/voice and submit a portfolio of work.
Email Gustavo Camacho with any questions you may have.
Instrument | Requirements | Instructor |
---|---|---|
Horn |
|
Gustavo Camacho |
Trumpet |
|
Vincent Green |
Tuba |
|
Peder McClellan |
Trombone |
Tenor/Bass Trombone
|
Greg Cox |
Euphonium |
|
Peder McClellan |
Guitar Area Checklist
- Review audition requirements
- Review audition details
- Review audition resources
Email Eli Schille-Hudson with any questions or concerns.
Audition Requirements
- Any Major scale and any natural-minor scale, each spanning two octaves, played apoyando.
- Any exercise from Mauro Giuliani’s Centoventi Arpeggi, 1-10.
- One of the following:
- Any study by Fernando Sor OR
- Any study from Leo Brouwer’s Estudios Sencillos
- A selection the applicant chooses to reflect their strengths as a musician. Any style is welcome; improvisations and original compositions also welcome.
Audition Details
- Items 1-3 must be performed finger-style in a classical playing position (with a footstool or support) on a nylon string classical guitar.
- Item 4 may be performed on any guitar in a sitting position of the applicant’s choice.
- Scale notation, tablature, and fingering resources are available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Giuliani resources are available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Fernando Sor (opp. 6, 29, 31, 35, 44, 60) are available for purchase via Telca Editions, and for available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Leo Brouwer's Estudio Sencillos is available via Sheet Music Plus.
Audition Resources
- Scale notation, tablature, and fingering resources are available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Giuliani resources are available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Fernando Sor (opp. 6, 29, 31, 35, 44, 60) are available for purchase via Telca Editions, and for available for free through our Google Drive folder.
- Leo Brouwer's Estudio Sencillos is available via Sheet Music Plus.
For the 2024 Music Department Entrance and Scholarship Auditions, prospective percussion and drumset students should sign up for one of the Percussion Days for Prospective Students. There are no required solos, scales or etudes for the audition. Students will participate in world drumming ensembles percussion duets and large percussion ensemble rehearsals. Drumset concentration students will need to sign up for a Jazz Audition in addition. For more information, email Dr. Patrick Roulet, the percussion area coordinator.
Email Milica Jelača Jovanović with any questions or concerns. Students auditioning for scholarships only are encouraged to prepare for the music major requirements.
Important Details
- Repertoire Restrictions: At this time, students cannot present pop, rock, new age, or personal compositions at auditions. See other specific repertoire requirements below according to major/minor status.
- Repertoire Difficulty: The minimum level of difficulty should be like the following: Bach, “Short Preludes” & “Inventions;” Clementi; Haydn; Mozart & Beethoven “Sonatinas;" Bartok “Mikrokosmos” Books 3 & 4.
- Memorized Pieces: All pieces must be memorized. At this time, prospective music minors cannot present personal compositions, pop, rock, or new-age piano music at auditions.
- Sight Reading Assessment: Sight reading will be evaluated for academic purposes at on-campus auditions but does not weigh into admission decisions.
Interest | Requirements |
---|---|
Non-Major/Minor |
|
Music Minor |
If also auditioning for a music major, please prepare the major requirements only. |
Music Major |
|
Email the Strings Area Coordinator, Grant Donnellan, with any questions or concerns. Accompaniment is not required.
Instrument | Requirements | Instructor |
---|---|---|
Violin |
|
Grant Donnellan, Laura Camacho |
Viola |
|
Joseph Gottesman |
Cello |
|
Janet Steinberg |
Double Bass |
|
Dylan Palmer |
Harp |
|
Jill Whitman |
Voice Area Checklist
- Review video or live audition details
- Review audition requirements
- Review audition resources
Email Directory of Voice Studies, Dr. Richard Hodges, with any questions or concerns.
Audition Modality
Accompaniment is not required for live auditions or video auditions. A pianist will be available for live auditions and will sight-read pieces during the audition slot.
-
Video Auditions: Any student may submit a video audition, regardless of location. Video auditions are accepted as shared links only to Youtube or Vimeo. Please note, students may be contacted by the voice area to schedule a Zoom meeting for an interview, pitch matching, and sight reading. See the resources for pitch matching and sight reading below.
-
Live Auditions: Students should be prepared to sing their piece(s), along with pitch matching, sight reading, and engage in a short interview. Students are not required to have sight-reading experience, this is used as a tool to get a full picture of each auditioning student. Due to the 10-minute time slot, students may be stopped mid-way through their piece(s). If we stop you mid-way through any part of the audition, please know it does not reflect on the quality of what was offered.
Audition Requirements
Please prepare the following requirements based on your degree and/or scholarship interest. All students will be automatically considered for scholarships.
Interest | Audition Requirement |
---|---|
Scholarship Only, Non-Music Major/Minor | Prepare one piece of your choosing, any genre or style. |
Music Minor |
Prepare one piece of your choosing, any genre or style. If auditioning for a music major and/or performance major, please prepare those requirements only. |
Music Major: General Music Studies (BA), Composition (BMus), Musicology (BMus), Music Education P-12 (BMus) |
Prepare one piece of your choosing, any genre or style. If also auditioning for the performance major, please prepare only the performance major requirements. |
Music Major: Performance (BMus) |
Prepare two pieces of contrasting styles from the following options: We encourage your pieces to be from two different language traditions, but this is not required. |
Audition Resources
Audition Requirements
Sight Reading and Pitch Matching
It is okay for students to not have experience with sight reading. Sight-reading and pitch matching are used as a tool for assessment to get a full picture of each student.
Email the Woodwind Area Coordinator, Mehrdad Gholami, with any questions or concerns. Accompaniment is not required. Students may be contacted for a zoom interview.
Instrument | Requirements | Instructor |
---|---|---|
Flute |
| Mehrdad Gholami |
Clarinet |
| Rachel Yoder |
Bassoon |
| Pat Nelson |
Saxophone |
| Fred Winkler |
Oboe | Prepare and perform two pieces of your choice that demonstrate:
Oboe Required Statement and Guidelines Submit a statement about what it is you love about playing music, and the oboe in particular. We are interested in who you are, what music means to you, how long you’ve been playing, what kinds of musical experiences you’ve had, and how you envision music being part of your life at WWU and beyond. Students are encouraged to review the following links for standard training methods and repertoire examples.
| Jennifer Weeks |
Acceptance to the composition major has two parts: an audition on a primary instrument or voice and the submission of a composition portfolio. If you have not reviewed your primary instrument/voice audition requirements, please do so now.
Prospective composition majors must submit a successful portfolio of original compositions to be accepted to and begin the Bachelor of Music Composition major. Students who are not ready to submit a portfolio may audition for another other major or minor through Entrance & Scholarship Auditions! Please review the portfolio requirements and/or "Not Ready to Submit a Portfolio" sections below.
Portfolio Requirements
Prepare the following materials for your composition portfolio. Submit your portfolio items as shared links (or a single link to a shared folder with all files) in the Entrance & Scholarship Audition form. Ensure the sharing settings are set to "anyone with the link can view," and that all links remain active/available until notified of the acceptance decision.
- 2-3 original compositions. There is no requirement in terms of musical style, but the compositions should be the best representation of the applicant's current interests and abilities.
- At least one composition should be notated (PDF format preferred). Audio recordings are required if a composition is not notated. Audio recordings for notated works are not required but are helpful.
Not Ready to Submit a Portfolio
Students who are not prepared to submit a portfolio can still audition for another music major or minor! Students are encouraged to audition for at least the Bachelor of Arts major to get started in core major coursework if accepted to a studio on their primary instrument or voice.
Students can submit a portfolio to apply to the composition major after beginning at WWU. However, please be advised that space in the composition program is limited in such cases and students are therefore not guaranteed acceptance. Please contact Dr. Charles Halka with any questions or concerns.
Yes. Students must apply to WWU through the Admissions Office. Students can audition for our program at any time before or after submitting an admissions application. Students do not need to wait for WWU acceptance to audition. Please note, acceptance to the music major or minor does not guarantee admission to the general university. Students must eventually be accepted through the WWU Admissions Office to enroll as a music major or minor and it is possible for a student to be accepted to our major or minor and not be admitted through the WWU Admissions Office.
No accompaniment is required to audition for our program. Instrumentalists will play without accompaniment. We will provide an accompanist for voice auditions, but this is optional. Students auditioning for the voice area may sing acapella, with the provided accompanist, or with a backing track/pre-recorded accompaniment.
Yes! Students can audition on more than one instrument for scholarships and major/minor consideration.
An entrance audition is required to start the music major and minor core classes. These classes include music theory, aural skills, and keyboarding skills, music education courses, composition courses, and music history courses.
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 Choir without an audition, all other ensembles will require a fall quarter Ensemble Audition to enroll. Some studios may require a studio audition or instructor permission to join an applied area or to enroll in composition lessons.
No, you do not need to submit recommendation letters to audition.
The Entrance & Scholarship Application form acts as an application for the music program.
This audition process does not place students into ensembles. All students will complete ensemble auditions each year before the start of the academic year. Please visit the Ensemble and Ensemble Auditions page for more details.
Competency on the piano is not required for major or minor admission to the brass, percussion, string & guitar, voice, or woodwind area. Students in these programs build basic and intermediate skills on the piano through keyboarding skills courses.
Piano majors and those with extensive piano lesson experience will take an advanced and accelerated set of keyboarding skills courses.
Auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Music Admissions and Scholarship Form
Auditions are closed for the 2024-25 academic year.
Before you go on...
Please make sure you have reviewed the audition information and prepared your audition requirements. Those submitting video audition should be prepared to submit shared links to YouTube or Vimeo.
Webform
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.