What to Prepare for a Music Audition
Strings:
Woodwinds and Brass:
- Bachelor of Arts Applicants: One selection of your choice, showing your current level on your instrument.
- Music Education Applicants: Two contrasting solos or etudes and all major scales
- Performance Applicants: Three contrasting solos or etudes, all major scales, and chromatic scale
- Sight-Reading will be provided for all applicants.
Percussion:
Prospective students may email Prof. Ryan for repertoire suggestions or ideas to play for your audition.
Audition requirements are based upon the degree program of interest. Sightreading will be provided for all applicants.
- Bachelor of Arts Applicants: (pick two from the following)
- One solo for snare drum
- Drum Set (pick two)
- Demonstrate styles (jazz, rock, funk, bossa nova, samba)
- Prepared play-a-long or solo
- One short solo for timpani, keyboard percussion, or multi-percussion
- Music Education Applicants: (pick three from the following)
- One solo for snare drum
- One solo for keyboard percussion (xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, etc.) – 4-mallets optional
- One solo for timpani
- Drum Set: (pick two)
- Demonstrate styles (jazz, rock, funk, bossa nova, samba)
- Prepared play-a-long or solo
- Other options: multi-percussion, non-western percussion
- Performance Applicants:
- Be prepared to audition on any three of the following categories, but greater consideration is given to those students who have more than three categories prepared for the audition process.
- One or two solo(s) for snare drum (concert and/or rudimental)
- One solo for keyboard percussion (xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, etc.) – 4-mallets optional
- One solo for timpani
- Drum Set: (pick two)
- Demonstrate styles (jazz, rock, funk, bossa nova, samba)
- Prepared play-a-long or solo
- Other options: multi-percussion, non-western percussion
Keyboard:
- Bachelor of Arts Applicants: One selection of your choice from the list below, showing your current level on your instrument.
- Music Education Applicants: Two selections from the list below, one of which must be memorized; all major scales (hands together, four octaves).
- Performance Applicants: Four selections from the list below, two of which should be memorized; all major scales and chromatic scale.
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Baroque: a work or a movement from a work by Bach, Scarlatti, or similar
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Classical: a work or sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, or similar
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Romantic: a work or sonata movement by Brahms, Chopin, Grieg, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, or similar
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Twentieth Century: a work or a movement by Bartok, Copland, Debussy, Prokofiev, or similar. A piano piece by a composer that you consider to be not well represented in the current music industry is also acceptable
- During the audition, sight-reading selections in hymn and sonatina styles will be provided to all applicants.
Organ Repertoire: Organ applicants may perform on piano if they have no formal training in organ. They should perform three selections on their chosen instrument. At least one piece should be from the Baroque era.
Voice:
- Bachelor of Arts Applicants: Prepare one art song or musical theatre number. Please see the Voice Audition Resource page for recommendations.
- Music Education and Performance Applicants: Prepare two art songs, or an art song and an aria. Please see the Voice Audition Resource page for recommendations.
- An accompanist will be provided at your audition, although applicants may also choose to bring their own accompanist.
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Sight-reading will be provided from selected hymns and folksongs, etc.
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In order to evaluate aural skills, you will be asked to sing back several short melodies (five or six notes) after one hearing. The use of solfege syllables will not be needed.
Guitar
:
- Prospective jazz guitar students should prepare two standards in contrasting styles. Students will be asked to accompany a soloist and improvise on both selections. In addition, students should be prepared to play major scales and sightread from a lead sheet.
- Classical guitar students should prepare two selections demonstrating their abilities. In addition, students should be prepared to play major scales and sightread a single line.
Composition:
Prospective composition students should provide scores and/or tapes of original compositions prior to auditions. Recorded performances would be helpful, but are not required. Materials can be submitted either through the mail or electronically to:
Dr. Bradley Decker
Department of Music
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Jazz Studies:
Students auditioning to major in Jazz Studies will complete the above requirements according to their instrument. They should also demonstrate their ability to improvise over two contrasting jazz standards. Piano or play-along accompaniment will be available.
For More Information
If you have questions on the audition process or about becoming a music major at Eastern, please contact the Music Department Chairperson Dr. Shellie Gregorich.
