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School of Music

Audition Guidelines

Students have the option of auditioning live on campus or submitting a recording in lieu of a live audition. Live auditions are preferred. All students who submit a recorded audition will have a virtual interview with faculty.

Recorded Audition Instructions

Students should submit the repertoire requested of their instrument in the menu below.

Students should upload their complete audition video to YouTube as an unlisted link, or a file-sharing service such as Google Drive. Ensure that permissions allow for "anyone with the link" to view the video.

Please direct any questions regarding recorded auditions to music@wiu.edu .

BRASS

Students should prepare repertoire which represents their best performance ability.

Choose two contrasting movements or pieces that demonstrate:

  1. a slow, sustained, lyrical style, and
  2. a technically challenging, faster paced passage.

Audition music may come from standard solo literature or from etudes. ILMEA etudes are acceptable. The suggested total length of repertoire is approximately 10 minutes.

Scale requirements include:

  1. All major scales, 2-3 octaves when possible (2 scales will be selected for your live audition)
  2. A chromatic scale showing your range on the instrument

Sight-reading will be assessed.


Trumpet

Etude Examples

  • Arban - Characteristic Studies
  • Bordogni - 36 Celebrated Studies
  • Voxman - Selected Studies

Solo Examples

  • Balay - Prelude et Ballade
  • Goedicke - Concert Etude
  • Handel - Aria con Variazioni

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard concerto or sonata (Haydn, Hummel, Hindemith, Kennan).

Horn

Etude Examples

Solo Examples

  • Mozart, Horn Concerto No 1 in D or No 3 in Eb
  • Saint-Saens, Morceau de Concert
  • Abbott, Alla Caccia
  • Cherubini, Sonata No. 1
  • Glazunov, Reverie
  • Krol, Laudatio

Comparable etude or solo selections.

For Performance majors: the above PLUS two of the following standard orchestral excerpts:

  • Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 III. Allegro (Horn 1)
  • Brahms, Symphony No. 1 II. Andante Sostenuto (Horn 1, pickups to E)
  • Mussorgsky/Ravel, Pictures at an Exhibition, I. Moderato (Horn 1)
  • Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel, Opening (Horn 1)
  • Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 II. Andante canticle (Horn 1)

Tenor Trombone

Etude Examples

  • Rochut - Melodious Etudes
  • Kopprasch - 60 Selected Studies

For Performance majors: the above PLUS the Concertino by David, Grand Concerto by Friedebald, or similar AND minor scales.

Bass Trombone

Etude Examples

  • Fink - Studies in Legato for Bass Trombone
  • Kopprasch - 60 Selected Studies

For Performance majors: the above PLUS the Concerto in 1 Movement by Lebedev, Sonata for Bass Trombone by McCarty, or similar AND minor scales.

Euphonium

Etude Examples

  • Rochut - Melodious Etudes
  • Kopprasch - 60 Selected Studies

Solo Examples

  • Barat - Andante et Allegro
  • Telemann - Sonata

For Performance majors: the above PLUS the Concertino by David, Grand Concerto by Friedebald, or similar AND minor scales.

Tuba

Etude Examples

  • Blazevich - Studies for B Flat Tuba, Vol. 1 or 2
  • Tyrell - Advanced Studies for B Flat Bass
  • Getchell - 40 Etudes for Tuba
  • Rochut - Melodious Etudes for Trombone
  • Arban - Characteristic Studies
  • Kopprasch - 60 Studies

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard concerto or sonata (Vaughan Williams, Telemann, Hindemith).

WOODWINDS

Students should prepare repertoire which represents their best performance ability.

Choose two contrasting movements or pieces that demonstrate:

  1. a slow, sustained, lyrical style, and
  2. a technically challenging, faster paced passage.

Audition music may come from standard solo literature or from etudes. ILMEA etudes are acceptable. The suggested total length of repertoire is approximately 10 minutes.

Scale requirements include:

  1. All major scales, 2-3 octaves when possible (2 scales will be selected for your live audition)
  2. A chromatic scale showing your range on the instrument

Sight-reading will be assessed.

Flute

Etude Examples

  • Cavally - Melodious and Progressive Studies, Book II
  • Voxman - Selected Studies: for Flute (Rubank Educational Library)

Solo Examples

  • Fauré - Fantasie Op. 79
  • Mozart - Concerto No.1 in G Major, 1st movement

For Performance majors: the above PLUS harmonic minor scales.

Oboe

Etude Examples

  • Barret - Oboe Method
  • Ferling - 48 Famous Studies

Solo Examples

  • Handel - Concerto in G Minor

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard oboe concerto (Haydn, Marcello) or a standard oboe sonata (Telemann, Hindemith).

Bassoon

Etude Examples

  • Weissenborn's Fifty Advanced studies, included in his Practical Method for Bassoon

Solo Examples

  • Telemann - Sonata in F Minor

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard bassoon work such as the Mozart and Weber concerti or a standard bassoon sonata (Besozzi, Hindemith).

Clarinet

Etude Examples

  • Rose - 32 Studies
  • Rose - 40 Studies
  • Voxman - Selected Studies

Solo Examples

  • Voxman - Concert and Contest Collection
  • Armato - Recital Clarinetist
  • Weber - Concertino
  • Movement of a concerto (Mozart, Stamitz 3, Tartini-Jacob)
  • Movement of a sonata (Brahms, Saint-Saens, Poulenc)

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard clarinet concerto (Mozart) or similar AND one standard orchestral excerpt (Capriccio Espagnol, Polovetsian Dances, or similar).

Saxophone

Etude Examples

  • Bassi - 27 Virtuoso Studies
  • Ferling - 48 Famous Studies

Solo Examples

  • Maurice - Tableaux de Provence

For Performance majors: the above PLUS a movement from a standard saxophone concerto (Glazunov, Ibert, Dubois, Tomasi) or similar or a standard saxophone sonata (Creston, Heiden, Tcherepnine).

PERCUSSION

Percussionists must audition on snare drum (one concert and one rudimental etude), keyboard (marimba/vibraphone; four mallets preferred), and timpani. Drumset and multiple percussion are not required, but strongly encouraged. Sight reading will be assessed on snare drum, timpani, and marimba.

Snare Drum: Rudimental Examples

  • Wilcoxon, Charles. All-American Drummer 150 Rudimental Solos
  • Wilcoxon, Charles. Modern Rudimental Solos for Snare Drum
  • Pratt. John S. 14 Modern Contest Solo for Snare Drum

Snare Drum: Concert Examples

  • Cirone, Anthony. Portraits in Rhythm
  • Delécluse, Jacques. Douze Études pour Caisse-Claire

Keyboard Percussion: Marimba Examples

  • Abe, Keiko. Frogs
  • Abe, Keiko. Prism (2 mallets)
  • Bach, J.S. Concerto in A minor (2 mallets)
  • Gomez, Alice. Rain Dance
  • Hopper, Adam. Ghost Garden
  • Muramatsu, Takatsugu. Land
  • Papador, Nicholas. Autumn Portrait
  • Peters, Mitchell. Yellow After the Rain
  • Rosauro, Ney. Seven Brazilian Children Songs
  • Tyson, Blake. A Cricket Sang and Set the Sun

Keyboard Percussion: Vibraphone Examples

  • Finkel, Ian. Solos for the Vibraphone Player
  • Friedman, David. Mirror from Another
  • Molenoff, Bill. Music of the Day

Timpani Examples

  • Aiello, Joseph. Classic African
  • Beck, John. Sonata for Timpani (movement II or III)
  • Goodman, Saul. Ballad for the Dance
  • Whaley, Garwood. Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist

Multiple-Percussion Examples

  • Campbell, James. Engine Room
  • Kraft, William. French Suite
  • Kraft, William. Morris Dance

Drumset Examples

  • Medium Swing
  • Up Tempo Swing
  • Ballad with brushes
  • World Styles (Choose two)
    • Samba
    • Bossa Nova
    • Afro-Cuban 12/8
    • Cha Cha
    • Mozambique
  • Trading Fours in Medium Swing (4 bars time/4 bars solo)

STRINGS

Students should prepare repertoire which represents their best performance ability.

Audition music may come from standard solo literature or from etudes. ILMEA etudes are acceptable. The suggested total length of repertoire is approximately 10 minutes.

Violin

  • A movement of a concerto
  • A movement from an unaccompanied Bach sonata or partita
  • An etude or caprice
  • Any other solo selections of your choice

Viola

  • Three octave major scales and arpeggios
  • A movement of a Bach Suite
  • A movement of a concerto by composers such as Telemann, Stamitz, Accolay, and Seitz
  • Any other work of your choice

Cello

  • A movement of a concerto
  • A movement of a Bach Cello Suite
  • An etude by Popper or Piatti
  • Any other work of your choice

Bass

  • Prepare two contrasting movements from a standard sonata, such as Eccles, Marcello, and Vivaldi
  • Major and minor scales

Classical Guitar

  • Major and minor scales
  • A solo classical piece of your choice
  • Sight reading

VOICE

Audition admission requirements for all music majors excluding vocal performance

  • Two art songs from the standard vocal repertoire (classical), 16th - 20th century (English or Foreign Language) performed with piano accompaniment.

    Some examples include:

    • Renaissance/Baroque period: Amarilli, mia bella by Giulio Caccini
    • Romantic period (Schubert, Schumann, or Faure): Widmung by Robert Schumann
    • Modern period: Deep River by Harry T. Burleigh

    Additional examples can be found here:

  • OR

  • One classical song from above and one Musical Theatre song.

Pitch matching and sight reading will be assessed.

For Performance majors: the same as above but requiring a higher level of performance and a more developed voice.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECORDING AN AUDITION

  • Start your video recording by stating your name and voice part (e.g., "Hello, my name is Jon Smith, and I will be auditioning on Soprano 1").
  • Two-octave Scale: On the vowel "ee" or "ah," perform a two-octave major scale starting on the pitch E, F, F#, G, Ab, or A. Please choose a note that showcases your singable and sustainable range. You can begin on the starting pitch and descend an octave first and then ascend an octave from the same starting pitch. Please record at the tempo marking quarter note = 70. This scale should display your vocal range, vocal technique, vocal quality consistency, and expressive ability.
  • Solo Selections: Your 2 solo selections should be performed with accompaniment. When ready to record, be sure to have the accompaniment playing so that we can hear you singing with the recording. Do not use headphones while recording. You should play the recording from a different device than the one you are recording on.
  • Sight-Reading and Pitch Matching: If you are submitting a pre-recorded audition, you will be asked to sing a short sight-reading example and/or sing pitch matching exercises live via Zoom during a mutually-arranged virtual interview with the faculty.

JAZZ

THEORY ELEMENTS

  1. Major Scales in all 12 keys
  2. Chord Arpeggios
    1. Major 9
    2. Dominant 9
    3. Minor 9
    4. Minor 9 (flat-5)
    5. Diminished
    6. Augmented
  3. Students may be asked to perform modes and minor scales

TRANSCRIPTION

  1. Students may perform a transcription from an artist in the jazz tradition. Students should bring a recording of the transcription with them and be able to perform the transcription with the recording.

LITERATURE

  1. Students should prepare a standard tune from the following list and be able to play the melody in a jazz style as well as improvise over the harmony for the selection.
    1. Billy's Bounce
    2. Now's The Time
    3. Autumn Leaves
    4. Blue Bossa
    5. All The Things You Are
  2. Students may prepare an etude from the following collections:

    1. Jim Snidero - Jazz Conception
    2. Greg Fishman - Jazz Saxophone Etudes: Volumes 1, 2 or 3.

RHYTHM SECTION

  1. Drums
    1. Medium Swing Feel
    2. Fast Swing Feel
    3. Trading Fours
    4. Bossa Nova
    5. Samba
    6. Afro Cuban
    7. Funk
  2. Bass

    1. Students should be prepared to walk bass lines in a swing style
    2. Improvisation
  3. Guitar

    1. Students should be able to play the melody for their literature choice
    2. Students should be able to comp the changes for the harmony
    3. Students should be able to improvise on their selection
  4. Piano

    1. Students should be able to play the melody for their literature choice
    2. Students should be able to comp the changes for the harmony
    3. Students should be able to improvise on their selection

SIGHT READING

All students will be asked to sight-read a selection. Rhythm section instruments may be asked to comp and/or walk changes as well.

KEYBOARD

Piano

Students should prepare at least two contrasting pieces from the following categories:

  • Baroque: an invention, sonata, or suite movement by Bach, Scarlatti, or Handel
  • Classical: a movement of a sonata or sonatina by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi, or Kuhlau
  • Romantic: a work by Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Mendelssohn, or other 19th-century composer
  • 20th/21st Century: a work by Debussy, Ravel, Bartók, Prokofiev, or other 20th/21st-century composer