Audition Information
Brass Requirements
Audition / Interview Information
by Department
Undergraduate Degrees
Graduate Degrees
*Auditions are available on the Saturday of audition weekends only.
Bachelor of Music (B.M.)
Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.)
Bachelor of Science in Music and an Outside Field (B.S.O.F.)
Trumpet
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate major scales up to 4 sharps and flats, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading abilities.
Horn
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate major scales up to 4 sharps and flats, covering two or more octaves as possible.
Exposition of a Mozart or Strauss concerto or equivalent solo from the candidate's current repertoire. BM degree candidates should prepare 4 contrasting orchestral excerpts. BME degree candidates should prepare an etude.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading abilities.
Tenor Trombone
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate major scales up to 4 sharps and flats, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading abilities.
Bass Trombone
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate major scales up to 4 sharps and flats, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading abilities.
Euphonium
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
- A melodious etude (to demonstrate good sound, solid intonation, and musicianship);
- A study (to demonstrate technical facility);
- All major scales; and
- Any solo of your choice. Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability. Recommended etudes: Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for trumpet or trombone; Blazevich, 70 Studies; Bordogni/Rochut, Melodious Etudes for the Trombone, vol. 1; Kopprasch, 60 Selected Studies; and Tyrell, Advanced Etudes for Trombone. Recommended solos: Capuzzi, Andante and Rondo; Clarke, The Bride of the Waves; Guilmant, Morceau symphonique for trombone; Handel, Aria con variazioni for trumpet; Philip Sparke, Pantomime; and Donald White, Lyric Suite.
Tuba
All undergraduate applicants should prepare:
- A melodious etude (to demonstrate good sound, solid intonation, and musicianship);
- A study (to demonstrate technical facility);
- A solo and two orchestral excerpts of your choice
- All major scales; and
- Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability.
Recommended freshman etudes: Arban, Complete Method for the Tuba, ed. Young; Blazevich, 70 Studies; Bordogni/Jacobs, Complete Vocalises for Tuba; Kopprasch/Young, 60 Studies for tuba; Phil Snedecor, Low Etudes;Tyrell Advanced Etudes for BB Flat bass.
Recommended freshman solos: Bruce Broughton, Sonata; Jean-Michel Defaye, Suite; Hindemith, Sonata; Paul Holmes, Lento; Jan Koetsier, Sonatina; Vincent Persichetti, Serenade No. 12 for Unaccompanied Tuba; Halsey Stevens, Sonatina; Alec Wilder, Effie Suite; Gregson Concerto; Vaughan Williams, Concerto.
Recommended Orchestra Excerpts: Prelude to DIe Meistersinger von Nurnberg by Richard Wagner; The Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner; The Damnation of faust by Hector Berlioz; Symphony No. 5 by Serge Prokofiev; Symphony No. 1 by Gustav Mahler
All transfer applicants: Should be able to demonstrate at the advanced level. Prepare a melodious etude (to demonstrate good sound, solid intonation, and musicianship), a study (to demonstrate your technical facility), several of the major orchestral excerpts and a solo of your choice.
Master of Music (M.M.)
Doctor of Music (D.M.) in Music Literature and Performance
Trumpet
All graduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate all major and minor scales, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading abilities.
Doctoral applicants should expect a 20-25 minute audition/interview.
Horn
All graduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate all major and minor scales, covering two or more octaves as possible.
Exposition of a Mozart or Strauss concerto or equivalent solo from the candidate's current repertoire, and six contrasting orchestral excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability.
Doctoral applicants should expect a 20-25 minute audition/interview with a wider range of solo pieces and orchestral excerpts.
Tenor Trombone
All graduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate all major and minor scales, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability.
Doctoral applicants should expect a 20-25 minute audition/interview.
DM candidates are required to submit with their application a prescreening recording (CD or DVD) a maximum of 20 minutes in length, containing repertoire of the candidate's choice, demonstrating current performance achievement in solo repertoire and common ensemble excerpts. Applicants are encouraged to use the highest quality equipment practically available to most accurately demonstrate current playing level. The recording must be accompanied by a detailed CV and Statement of Intent.
Bass Trombone
All graduate applicants should prepare:
Candidates should be able to demonstrate all major and minor scales, covering two or more octaves as possible.
5-8 minutes of contrasting selections from the candidate's current repertoire of solos, etudes and/or excerpts.
Candidates may also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability.
Doctoral applicants should expect a 20-25 minute audition/interview.
DM candidates are required to submit with their application a prescreening recording (CD or DVD) a maximum of 20 minutes in length, containing repertoire of the candidate's choice, demonstrating current performance achievement in solo repertoire and common ensemble excerpts. Applicants are encouraged to use the highest quality equipment practically available to most accurately demonstrate current playing level. The recording must be accompanied by a detailed CV and Statement of Intent.
Euphonium
All graduate applicants should prepare:
- A melodious etude (to demonstrate good sound, solid intonation, and musicianship) and a study (to demonstrate technical facility), selected from such collections as Arban's Conservatory Method; Marcel Bitsch, 20 études pour trompette; Bordogni/Rochut, Melodious Etudes for the Trombone (down an octave); Charlier, 36 études transcendantes pour trompette; and Clarke's Technical Studies for the Cornet;
- All scales;
- Several of the major band excerpts; and
- A solo of your choice, such as Jan Bach, Concert Variations; James Curnow, Symphonic Variants; Joseph Horovitz, Concerto; Simone Mantia, All Those Endearing Young Charms; Ponchielli, Concerto; Walter Ross, Capriccio furioso; and Alec Wilder, Sonata.
Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability.
Tuba
All graduate applicants should be able to demonstrate both the CC and F (or Eb) tubas at the advanced level. DM applicants should be able to perform at the professional level.
Prepare: Two contrasting solos and several of the major orchestral excerpts;
Recommended Solo List:
Sonata (Concerto) by Bruce Broughton (Masters Music Publications)
Sonatine by Jacques Casterede (Alphonse Leduc)
Sonate fur Tuba & Klavier by Zoltan Gardonyi (Edition Walahll)
Sonata by Paul Hindemith (European American-Schott)
Sonata for (F) Tuba and Piano, Op. 34 by Trygve Madsen (Musikk-Huset A/S)
Sonata for Tuba and Piano by Alec Wilder (Mentor Music)
Concertino by Eugene Bozza (Alphonse Leduc)
Three Miniatures by Anthony Plog (Editions BIM)
Tuba Concerto by Martin Ellerby (Maecenas Music, Ltd.)
Concerto for Tuba or Bass Trombone by Eric Ewazen (Southern Music Company)
Concerto for Tuba and Strings by Arild Plau (Ovation)
Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra by John Williams (Hal Leonard Corporation)
Three Furies by James Grant (Grantwood Music Press)
Alarum by Edward Gregson (Intrada Music Publishing)
Encounters II by William Kraft (MCA Music/Editions BIM)
Midnight Realities by Morgan Powell (Brass Music, Ltd)
Salve Venere, Salve Marte by John Stevens (Editions BIM)
Recommended Orchestral Excerpt List:
Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg by Richard Wagner
The Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner
Benvenuto Cellini by Hector Berlioz
- Rehearsal #15 through the third measure of rehearsal #17
Rehearsal #18 through the fifth measure of rehearsal #19
The Damnation of Faust by Hector Berlioz
Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz
Symphony No. 2 by Johannes Brahms
- Mvt. IV: Rehearsal "O" to the end
Symphony No. 7 by Anton Bruckner
- Mvt. IV: Rehearsal "P" to rehearsal "S"
Symphonic Metamorphoses by Paul Hindemith
- Mvt. II: Turandot, Scherzo: complete
Symphony No. 1 by Gustav Mahler
- Mvt. III: complete
Symphony No. 2 by Gustav Mahler
- Mvt. V: Chorale, From the second measure of rehearsal #10 through rehearsal #11
Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler
- Part II. Mvt. 3: Scherzo, from the sixteenth measure of rehearsal #15 through rehearsal #17
Symphony No. 5 by Serge Prokofiev
- Mvt. I: complete
Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 by Serge Prokofiev
- Mvt. V: From the fourth measure of rehearsal #49 through rehearsal #51
Fountains of Rome by O. Respighi
Sensamaya by Silvestre Revueltas
- Rehearsal #2 to rehearsal #11
Rehearsal #33 to rehearsal #41
Symphony No. 8 by Dimitri Shostakovich
- Scherzo
Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss
Till Eulenspiegel by Richard Strauss
- From rehearsal #13 to two measures before rehearsal #14
From rehearsal #25 to seven measures before rehearsal #26
From three measures before rehearsal #37 to four measures before
Petrouchka by Igor Stravinsky
- Peasant with Bear: From rehearsal #189 through rehearsal #191
Masqueraders: From rehearsal #240 through three measure before rehearsal #242
