Audition Requirements & Repertoire

Specific repertoire for required application recordings, possible prescreening requirements, and in person auditions is listed under each instrument.

Bassoon

Application Recording: Please upload a brief video recording demonstrating your playing abilities, ideally around five (5) minutes in length with repertoire of your choice. This recording should be recent (within the past year) and display your playing in a solo environment.

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting movements from concertos, sonatas or solo works for bassoon (may be from the same work or from different works)
- It is strongly recommended that at least one (1) movement be from a piece written since 1950, from a composer who is traditionally underrepresented in the field, either because of gender, identity, race, or ethnicity, or who was for other reasons previously excluded from the traditional canon. There are numerous resources with examples of these works, but for suggestions of pieces at different difficulty levels, please contact Dr. Patterson.
One (1) étude that showcases the technical and lyrical ability (from Weissenborn 50 Advanced Studies, Milde Op. 26 or similar book)
Be prepared to play all major & minor scales
Be prepared to sight-read a portion of a piece or an étude

Piano accompaniment is not required.

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact bassoon professor Stephanie Patterson at pattersons@uncsa.edu.

Cello

Audition Repertoire:

One (1) fast movement of a standard concerto
A Prelude and one contrasting dance movement from solo Bach
One Popper or Piatti étude

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact cello professor Brooks Whitehouse at whitehouseb@uncsa.edu.

Clarinet

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) or three (3) selections (including movements from sonatas and concertos)
Excerpt from "Quintet for Clarinet & String Quartet" by James Lee III : pg. 1, mm. 6-30 (Email Dr. Espina-Ruiz for the excerpt.)
Major and minor scales
Compositions should demonstrate your ability in phrasing, sustained playing and facility

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact clarinet professor Oskar Espina-Ruiz at espina-ruizo@uncsa.edu.

Composition

The Composition program provides training in the craft and art of music composition, with special emphasis on form, harmony, counterpoint, scoring, technology, innovation and genre crossing.

Prescreening:

Submit three (3) to four (4) representative scores, with recordings when possible, with your application.
Scores should be submitted through your Admissions Portal as part of your overall portfolio.

Applicants whose submitted scores demonstrate readiness to audition for the Composition program will be invited for an interview with the Composition faculty on scheduled audition dates.

You should be prepared to discuss your musical background and training, influences, and compositional interests and goals.
You will not need to audition on an instrument to be considered for the composition program.

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact composition professor Jared Miller at millerja@uncsa.edu.

Double Bass

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting works: one (1) demonstrating lyricism, and another demonstrating more virtuosic technique
Examples of suitable repertoire for the audition would be the fast and slow movements from a standard concerto (Cimador, Dragonetti, Dittersdorf, Bottesini, Vanhal, Hoffmeister, etc.); unaccompanied Bach; and/or movements from a Baroque sonata by Marcello, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Handel, Pergolesi, or Corelli.
Not required, but preferred: two (2) or three (3) standard orchestral excerpts.
A minimum of ten minutes of music should be prepared for the audition.

If you have questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact double bass professor Paul Sharpe at sharpep@uncsa.edu.

Euphonium

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting sections from a standard solo (Curnow, DeLuca, etc.)
One (1) étude from Rochut Melodious etudes
Two (2) standard band excerpts of your choice
All major scales

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact tuba/euphonium professor Brent Harvey at harveyb@uncsa.edu.

Flute

Audition Repertoire:

One (1) movements of a J.S. Bach Sonata or Exposition of the First movement of a Mozart Concerto (G or D)
A piece representative of the student's ability by a BIPOC composer
Two (2) Standard Orchestral Excerpts (as from the Baxtresser book)

Substitutions to the listed repertoire are okay. If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact flute professor Dr. Tadeu Coelho at coelhot@uncsa.edu.

Guitar

Audition Repertoire:

Three (3) or more contrasting selections, ideally performed from memory, which demonstrate the range of your artistic ability*
Several open or movable position scales (two or three octaves)
Your ability to sight-read standard notation and lead sheets will also be evaluated

*We accept guitar applicants with a variety of backgrounds and training experiences. Auditions can show the full range of playing abilities in the applicant’s skill set. These can include performances on Nylon, Steel String and Electric guitars. In addition to at least two (2) selections performed as instrumental solos, repertoire can include performing improvised melodic and chordal material (including with a backing track) as well as accompanying the players own voice.

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact guitar professor Joseph Pecoraro at pecorj@uncsa.edu.

Harp

Application Recording: Please upload a brief video recording demonstrating your playing abilities, ideally a minimum of ten minutes in length with repertoire of your choice. This recording should be recent (within the past year) and display your playing in a solo environment.

Audition Repertoire:

From memory, three (3) solos of contrasting nature. These must demonstrate the technical and musical level attained thus far.

One (1) from the Baroque period
One (1) from the Romantic period
One (1) from the 20^th century

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact harp professor Jacquelyn Bartlett at bartlettj@uncsa.edu.

Horn

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting works or movements from standard repertoire (Mozart, Strauss, etc.)
Two (2) standard orchestral excerpts of your choice
Major and minor scales
Sight-reading

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact horn professor Dr. Maria Serkin at serkinm@uncsa.edu.

Oboe

Application Recording: Please upload a brief video recording demonstrating your playing abilities, ideally around five (5) minutes in length. This recording should be recent (within the past year) and display your playing in a solo environment.

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting movements from a concertos, sonatas, or solo works for oboe (not necessarily from the same work).
One (1) Barret or Ferling étude.
Major and minor scales.

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact oboe professor Rachel Messing, at messingr@uncsa.edu.

Organ

Application Recording: Please upload a brief video recording demonstrating your playing abilities, ideally around five (5) minutes in length. We recommend a selection from the list of audition repertoire requirements below. This recording should be recent (within the past year) and display your playing in a solo environment.

Audition Repertoire:

Three (3) contrasting works/movements from different stylistic periods
A hymn played as if leading a congregation
Sight-reading

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact organ professor Timothy Olsen at olsent@uncsa.edu.

Percussion

Application Recording: Please upload video demonstrating playing abilities. Video must meet the following criteria:

3–5 minutes total and comprised of 30–60 second performances highlighting your best skills.
Only solo repertoire and concerto performances (when applicable) may be included.
Short performances on each of the following:
- Snare drum (concert and rudimentary playing)
- Timpani
- A keyboard instrument (2 or 4 mallets)
- Optional: multi-percussion, drum set, theatrical percussion, or accessory instruments
All performance recordings must be less than one (1) year old.
Thoughtfully recorded smartphone videos or professional recordings are both acceptable.

Audition Repertoire:

Applicants are required to contact Dr. Komljenović no less than two (2) weeks prior to a scheduled audition to confirm the instrument needs for their audition.

Applicants are required to prepare audition material consisting of:

Etudes or solos on the following instruments:
- Snare drum (rudimentary and orchestral)
- Timpani (2, 3, or 4 drums)
- Keyboard percussion:
  - Either a 2-mallet or a 4-mallet solo (marimba, vibes, or xylophone)
  - If 2-mallet solo performed, demonstration of 4-mallet technique through scales, chords, and arpeggios will be required at the audition.
- Optional: a multiple percussion solo and/or drum set solo.

Auditions also include:

Sight-reading
Timpani tuning
Scales and rudiments

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to Percussion Studio Director Dr. Ksenija Komljenovic at komljenovick@uncsa.edu with questions regarding repertoire or the audition process.

Piano

Audition Repertoire:

One Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach
One Complete Classical Sonata
One 19^th Century piece

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact piano professor Dmitri Shteinberg at shteinbergd@uncsa.edu.

Saxophone

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) or three (3) selections (including movements from sonatas and concertos)
Major and minor scales
Compositions should demonstrate your ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and facility

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact saxophone professor Robert Young at youngr@uncsa.edu.

Trombone

Audition Repertoire:

Tenor Trombone

- One (1) complete movement from a standard concerto for trombone (e.g., Grondahl, Hindemith)
- Two (2) études of contrasting style (i.e., technical and lyrical)
- Major and minor scales
- Sight-reading

Bass Trombone

- One (1) complete movement from a standard concerto for bass trombone (e.g., Ewazen, Lebedev)
- Two (2) études of contrasting style (i.e., technical and lyrical)
- Major and minor scales
- Sight-reading

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact trombone professor John Ilika at ilikaj@uncsa.edu.

Trumpet

Audition Repertoire:

Suggested repertoire: one (1) complete solo trumpet work from standard literature (ex. Arutunian) or one (1) movement from a sonata or concerto, and one contrasting étude of choice.
Audition repertoire is flexible
Display proficiency in all major and minor scales
Demonstrate the ability to sight-read

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact trumpet professor David Dash at dashd@uncsa.edu.

Tuba

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting sections from a standard solo (Hindemith, Lebedev, Broughton, etc.)
One (1) étude from a standard method for tuba (Blazhevich, Rochut, Vasiliev, etc.)
Two (2) standard orchestral excerpts of your choice
All major scales
Demonstrate the ability to sight-read

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact tuba/euphonium professor Brent Harvey at harveyb@uncsa.edu.

Viola

Audition Repertoire:

Two (2) contrasting movements from Bach Cello Suites, Violin Sonatas, or Partitas, preferably from memory
One (1) major movement of a concerto from the standard repertoire
An additional work of your choice
You may be asked to demonstrate ability to sight-read

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact viola professor Jordan Bak at bakj@uncsa.edu.

Violin

Application Recording: Please upload a brief video recording demonstrating your playing abilities. This recording can be as short as five (5) minutes in length with repertoire of your choice, should be recent (within the past year), and display your playing in a solo environment.

Audition Repertoire:

One (1) movement of a Bach solo sonata or partita, preferably from memory
One (1) major movement of a concerto from the standard repertoire
An additional work of your choice
You may be asked to demonstrate ability to sight-read

If you have any questions about the audition process or requirements, please contact violin faculty members Kevin Lawrence (lawrencek@uncsa.edu), Ida Bieler (bieleri@uncsa.edu) or Janet Orenstein (orensteinj@uncsa.edu) about their respective studios.

Voice

Application Recording:

Please upload videos of "live" singing. Selections must meet the styles specified in the required Audition Repertoire (below). Live piano accompaniment is preferred but prerecorded accompaniment can be acceptable. Videos should be unedited, without use of reverb, mic or audio enhancements. Video should be recent and not have been recorded more than one year ago.

Audition Repertoire:

Prepare three (3) selections contrasting in style, language and tempo. It is not necessary to have an example from each category below, but two (2) selections must be classical. Please note that "classical" does not refer to classic rock, classic musical theatre, popular songs or folk styles on YouTube, etc. "Caro mio ben" is an example of a classical song.

Classical Art Song from Baroque, Classical, Romantic or Contemporary period in any language. Example: a selection from "26 Italian Songs and Arias"
Published folksong or spiritual for solo voice arranged by a classical composer such as John Jacob Niles, Kenneth Frazelle, Aaron Copland, Ben Moore, Harry T. Burleigh, etc.
A lyric, non-belt Musical Theatre selection. Suggested composers include Jason Robert Brown, Andrew Lippa, Adam Guettel, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Jeanine Tesori, etc.
Arias approved in advance by a member of the UNCSA Voice Department (contact information included below)

Required criteria for song selections:

Three (3) classical selections or two (2) classical selections and a non-belt musical theatre selection
At least one (1) selection must be in English
At least one (1) classical selection must be in a foreign language
Must be published
Must be memorized
Sheet music
- Applicants must bring the sheet music for each of their selections to their audition
- Sheet music for all selections must be in a binder to be provided to the accompanying pianist
- Originals or copies are acceptable

Do not submit:

Pop, R&B, Rock, Contemporary Gospel, or other style normally sung with amplification are not acceptable audition selections
A cappella pieces are not acceptable audition selections
- Exception: a published unaccompanied piece such as “The Singer” by Michael Head)
Your voice part from a 4-part choral arrangement is not an acceptable audition selections
- Exception: an aria or solo song from a larger choral work such as "Pie Jusu" from Fauré's Requiem
The use of pre-recorded accompaniment is not allowed. (Pre-recorded accompaniment is only allowed if auditioning online.)

In addition to singing prepared selections, you may be asked to sight-read at your audition.

Any of the following Voice Faculty may be contacted for approval of aria selection or with questions about the program or audition process:

Dr. Marilyn Taylor (Department Chair) at taylorm@uncsa.edu
Glenn Siebert at siebertg@uncsa.edu
Phyllis Pancella at pancellap@uncsa.edu