Bienen School of Music - Northwestern University

Percussion Audition Information

Master of Music: Percussion

Prescreening required

For Prescreening and Final Audition:

Both auditions MUST include selections for: snare drum, timpani, and keyboard percussion and MUST include both solo repertoire AND orchestral excerpts. Sight-reading is required at the live audition.

Suggested Solo Repertoire:

Snare Drum

• Three excerpts from the standard repertoire
• One orchestral snare drum étude
• One rudimental snare drum étude

Xylophone

• Three excerpts from the standard repertoire

Timpani

• Two excerpts from the standard repertoire

Keyboard Percussion (2 and 4 mallets)

NOTE: Listed repertoire is not required; pieces of similar difficulty will be accepted.

• 4 mallets: One piece by Bach and one piece in contemporary style
• Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin or Suites for solo cello (2 or 4 mallets)
• Suggested 4 mallet pieces:
• Sueyoshi, Mirage
• Schwantner, Velocities
• Stout, Rumble Strips or Sendimental Structures
• Thomas, Merlin
• Lansky, Three Moves
• Miyoshi, Ripple

Tambourine

• One excerpt from the standard repertoire

Updated on 09/05/2018