Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art

Benjamin T. Rome School of Music - Catholic University

Composition Audition Information

 

Undergraduate Audition Requirements

All applicants to the Bachelor of Music program in Composition are required to pass an audition in their principal performance area (instrument or voice) in order to be admitted to the School of Music. Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition of three contrasting pieces of standard classical repertoire on their principal instrument. Please call the Departments of Music if you need a clarification. Audition committees reserve the right to select audition pieces.

  • Piano Principal: Applicants should prepare a 10-15 minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is not required.

Portfolio and interview (required)
Applicants to the Bachelor of Music program in Composition must also submit a portfolio of original compositions for review by the composition faculty. This portfolio should consist of two-to-three scores and recordings (if available). Applicants are welcome to submit materials online. Applicants must also take an interview with the composition faculty. This interview is usually done in person on one of the live audition days. If a student is submitting a video audition, they should contact Dr. Stephen Gorbos, the head of composition-theory, to set up an interview on one of the School of Music's audition days via video chat.

All applicants, regardless of degree program, who audition in person are considered for performance-based music scholarship.

 

Graduate Audition Requirements

For graduate audition requirements please visit the Composition Division Page.

Further information:
The division of composition and theory website has extensive information on our degree programs, faculty, students, and alumni. Please visit our 
webpage if you are curious about studying composition at Catholic University.

Dr. Stephen Gorbos, the head of composition-theory at Catholic University, is happy to answer questions from prospective students. Prospective applicants may email him at 
gorbos@cua.edu.  

Helpful links for prospective applicants from the composition website include: 

Being a composition student
Current students and alumni profiles
The theory and composition faculty
Information specific to each degree program
The composition calendar (come to one of our concerts!)
Composition and the church
Additional FAQ's

 

Updated on 08/30/2018