Jacobs School of Music

Percussion Audition Information

Master of Music (MM)

ü  A Delecluse snare drum etude or advanced level etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level 4-mallet marimba solo suitable for a senior recital

ü  An advanced-level timpani solo or advanced etude Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches in your selected solo or etude.

*Please note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Orchestral Excerpts

Timpani

Beethoven:  Symphony No.9, Mvmt. IV, 7 measures after letter T to the end

Snare Drum

Prokofiev:  Lt. Kije, Mvmt. I, rehearsal 1-1 to measure before rehearsal 2

Rimsky-Korsakov:  Scheherazade, Mvmt. IV, 4 measure before Letter N to 18 measures after Letter N

Xylophone

Gershwin:  Porgy and Bess (opening measures)

Glockenspiel

Dukas:  Sorcerer's Apprentice, rehearsal 17 to 4 measures after rehearsal 19; rehearsal 22 to rehearsal 24

Drum set/Jazz Vibes*

If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set: A big band chart, transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred).  A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged but not mandatory.

Prospective MM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare one etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php) and 2 other solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, and solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice or include an etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)

Master of Music (M.M.) in Jazz Studies

ü  An advanced level snare drum etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level jazz vibraphone solo (jazz standard, transcription, or solo work), 4 mallets preferred.

ü  Drum Set*

A prepared piece: A big band chart (with play-along track), transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred).

ü  World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice.

 Doctor of Music (DM)

ü  A Delecluse snare drum etude or advanced level etude/solo of your choice

ü  An advanced-level 4-mallet marimba solo suitable for a master's degree recital.

ü  An advanced-level timpani solo suitable for a master's degree recital or advanced etude. Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches in your selected solo or etude.

*Please note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Orchestral Excerpts

Timpani

Beethoven:  Symphony No.9, Mvmt. IV, 7 measure after letter T to the end

Bartok:  Concerto for Orchestra, Mvmt IV, measures 42-50

Snare Drum

Prokofiev:  Lt. Kije, Mvmt. I, rehearsal 1-1 to  measure before rehearsal 2

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Mvmt. IV, 4 measure before Letter N to 18 measures after Letter N

Xylophone

Gershwin:  Porgy and Bess (opening measures)

Glockenspiel

Dukas:  Sorcerer's Apprentice, rehearsal 17 to 4 measures after rehearsal 19; rehearsal 22 to rehearsal 24

Drum Set *

If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set: A big band chart, transcription or published solo. Demonstration of time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred). A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

World Percussion**

If the applicant has any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.) a short performance is encouraged.

Prospective DM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare one etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php) and 2 other solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, and solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

 *For those graduate students seeking Associate Instructor assistantships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice.

Prospective DM Percussion candidates who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare 3 solos in contrasting styles; including a hand drumming solo, a stick drumming solo, and must be able to sing one piece in the language of one of their chosen solo areas. The above solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, solo and orchestral repertoire requirements. General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

*For those DM students seeking Associate Instructor assistantship consideration, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is also encouraged but not mandatory.

**Those candidates seeking an Associate Instructor position in the area of World Percussion should include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice or include an etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music-http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)

Special Note: The percussion faculty encourages all potential DM candidates to review the curriculum requirements for this degree program. Information (including specific proficiency requirements and other important information) can be found online at: http://music.indiana.edu/degrees/graduate-diploma/doctoral/index.shtml

Live Percussion Audition Information

Information for applicants who are invited to a live audition

All applicants shall provide 4 copies of their audition repertoire to the audition committee. Your live audition should include some of the same repertoire as your video screening recording. However, other works not presented on the video screening recording are also acceptable. 

Sight-reading will be requested during the live auditions.

The following instruments will be provided by the percussion department for the live auditions:

Set of five Yamaha Professional Series 7200 timpani

5-octave Marimba (either Yamaha YM5100A or Malletech)

Pearl Philharmonic Snare Drums: 6.5" x 14" wood shell and 5" X 14" aluminum shell

Malletech 4.0 octave rosewood xylophone

Musser M75 Century vibraphone (gold graduated bars), 3 octaves

Drum set: 4 piece (20" bass) with hi hat, crash and ride cymbals

LP Classic congas and LP Galaxy Giovanni bongos

Djembe (if needed)

A sound system (for ipod/CD playback) is also available.

If any additional equipment is needed (multiple percussion, piano, etc.), please notify the chair of the department, John Tafoya, at (812) 855-4839, at least one week prior to the audition date. Candidates must bring their own sticks/mallets and are encouraged to bring their own small instruments.

Please note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Updated on 09/12/2018