The Hartt School - University of Hartford

Guitar Audition Information

UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS

Three pieces are to be played on classical guitar (nylon strings) for your audition. These pieces should show your technical and musical abilities to perform with a good hand position and sitting position as well as the ability to produce a good focused fingernail sound. Selections should include one technical study showing your ability to play arpeggios and two pieces from contrasting musical periods. The following are pieces commonly played at auditions. These are only suggestions. Please show this list to your teacher(s) and, based on these suggestions, he/she/they will be able to suggest appropriate pieces you may currently be studying. All but the technical work should be played from memory:

SUGGESTED STUDIES

• Carcassi, 25 Melodious Studies: Nos. 2, 3, 7, 13, 15
• Sor, Twenty Studies, edited by Segovia
• Giulliani, Any studies one page or longer in length.

SUGGESTED REPERTOIRE

• Six Lute Pieces From the Renaissance, Columbia Music
• Villa-Lobos: Any preludes or études, Max Eschig
• J.S. Bach: Bourrée or Allemande from the 1st Lute Suite, Sarabande from the 3rd Cello Suite, or any movement from the 1st Cello Suite
• Tárrega: Adelita Lagrima
• Brouwer: Selected works from Simple Studies, Vol. 1 & 2, Max Eschig

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Graduate Program at The Hartt School is a highly-developed performance-based program. We look for and accept students with well-developed technical, musical, interpretative, and practice skills, who show a commitment to high performance standards and a desire to pursue either a college teaching/performing career or a solo/chamber music career. The following requirements are offered as a guide to preparing for the audition.

MASTER OF MUSIC 

Thirty minutes of solo repertoire played from memory is required. While we occasionally accept students who do not possess the following repertoire, it is more an exception than the norm.

• A major Baroque Suite. J.S. Bach and S.L. Weiss are the most frequently performed composers.
• A major 20th-century work. Composers frequently represented include: Brouwer, Martin, Britten, Dodgson, etc.
• A major work by one of the following: Sor, Giulliani, Coste, Mertz, Regondi or any Spanish or Latin American composer.

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS & ARTIST DIPLOMA 

The DMA and AD programs are The Hartt School's highest levels of musical training. As such, the Guitar Department requires not only well-developed technical and interpretative skills but also a high level of musicianship and artistic ability. 

Audition: The audition is based upon a recital program, (approximately sixty minutes in length), submitted by the candidate with the doctoral application. During that time the committee will ask the candidate to play selections from the submitted program. The submitted program should contain:

• A major Bach suite, preferably one of the lute suites; Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro; or Chaconne.
• A major 20th-century work
• Works from the Classical, Romantic, and 20th-century Segovia repertoire are encouraged. 

Please contact Guitar and Harp Program Chair, Christopher Ladd, with any questions regarding the guitar audition.

Updated on 08/28/2018