Jacobs School of Music

Jacobs School of Music

Strings Audition Information

 

Violin

MM, PDSP

Applicants for the MM and PDSP programs should prepare all of the following:

  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita. One of the movements should be the Ciaccona or a fugue. If the Ciaccona is chosen, an additional movement is not required.
  • An entire major concerto.
  • A Paganini caprice or some other type of virtuoso display piece.  

 

Performer Diploma-Orchestral Studies (PDOS)

 Applicants for the PDOS program should prepare all of the following:

 The first movement exposition of one of the selected violin concerti:

  • Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Bartok No. 2
  • The first movement exposition of one of the Mozart Violin Concerti
  • Orchestral excerpts (these excerpts may be performed with or without music, at the discretion of the applicant):

Strauss: Don Juan: Beginning to 3 bars before letter D

Mendelssohn: Mid-Summer Night's Dream Scherzo: Beginning to 15 bars after letter F

Brahms: Fourth Symphony, 4th movement Allegro energico e passionato: From 9 bars after letter A until letter D

 

Doctor of Music (DM)

     Applicants for the DM program in violin should prepare all of the following:

  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita. One of the movements should be the Ciaccona or a fugue. If the Ciaccona is chosen, an additional movement is not required.
  • An entire major concerto.
  • A Paganini caprice or some other type of virtuoso display piece.
  • A sonata with piano (the sonata may be performed with or without music, at the discretion of the applicant).

The Jacobs School of Music does supply a pianist for doctoral entrance auditions; however, you must contact the chair of the string department as soon as your screening recording has been passed to submit repertoire and arrange a meeting with a pianist.

 

Viola

MM, PDOS, PDSP

M.M. and P.D.S.P. applicants should prepare the following, either for a recording, or on-campus audition:

  • Excerpts from a recital program, including no fewer than three works.  (A recital program is 3 substantial contrasting works.)

P.D.O.S. applicants should prepare the following, either for a recording, or on-campus audition:

First movement of one of the following concertos:

Walton

Bartok

Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher

AND

First Movement of a classical concerto

AND

Three contrasting standard orchestral excerpts of your choice

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music (D.M.) applicants for the D.M. degree in violin, viola, violoncello and double bass must submit a preliminary screening recording online for consideration for a live department audition. This audition will be by invitation only and only after a review of the screening recording.  Auditions take place during the regular JSOM Audition/Interview weekends. Screening recordings must be received no later than December 1, 2018. Please click here for detailed instructions. The Jacobs School of Music does supply a pianist for doctoral entrance auditions; however, you must contact the chair of the string department as soon as your screening recording has been passed to submit repertoire and arrange a meeting with a pianist.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

D.M. applicants should prepare the following, either for a preliminary screening recording, or on-campus department audition: 

  • Excerpts from a recital program, including no fewer than three works.

 

Cello

MM, PDOS, PDSP

M.M. and P.D.S.P. applicants should prepare the following, either for a recording or on-campus audition:

  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo suite
  • A major concerto
  • A solo piece of the applicant's choice

P.D.O.S. applicants should prepare the following, either for a recording, or on-campus audition:

First Movement of either the Schumann or Dvorak Concerto

AND

First Movement of the Haydn D Major Concerto

AND

Three of the following contrasting excerpts from this list, one of which must be the first page of Don Juan:

Beethoven-Symphony No. 5, 2nd and 3rd Movements

Beethoven-Symphony No. 8, 3rd Mov. (Trio)

Mendelssohn-A Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo

Brahms-Symphony No. 2, 2nd Mov.

Verdi-Requim, No. 3 Offertorium

Strauss-Don Juan 

 

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music (D.M.) applicants for the D.M. degree in violin, viola, violoncello and double bass must submit a preliminary screening recording online for consideration for a live department audition. This audition will be by invitation only and only after a review of the screening recording.  Auditions take place during the regular JSOM Audition/Interview weekends. Screening recordings must be received no later than December 1, 2018. Please click here for detailed instructions. The Jacobs School of Music does supply a pianist for doctoral entrance auditions; however, you must contact the chair of the string department as soon as your screening recording has been passed to submit repertoire and arrange a meeting with a pianist.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

D.M. applicants should prepare the following, either for a preliminary screening recording or on-campus department audition:

  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo suite
  • A major concerto
  • A solo piece of the applicant's choice

 

Double Bass

MM, PDOS, PDSP

M.M. and P.D.S.P. applicants should prepare, either for the final audition recording or on-campus audition:

  • Two works from the standard solo literature that is contrasting in tempo and style. 
  • A movement from a major concerto.
  • Three standard excerpts representing three different composers selected from the following list:

Mozart: Symphony No. 35, 1st or 4th movements; Symphony No. 39, 1st or 4th movements; Symphony No. 40, 1st or 4th movements.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, 3rd movement (Scherzo); Symphony No. 5, 3rd movement, Scherzo and Trio; Symphony No. 9, 4th movement, letter K (431-525) and/or letter M (541-594).

Brahms: Symphony No. 1, 1st or 4th movements; Symphony No. 2, 1st or 4th movements.

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Don Juan

P.D.O.S. applicants should prepare the following, either for a recording, or on-campus audition:

A Movement from the Bach Cello Suites and a work from the standard solo literature that is contrasting in tempo and style

AND

One orchestral solo chosen from the following:

Stravinsky: Pulcinella Suite

Ginastera: Variations Concertantes

Verdi: Otello, Act III solo

Haydn: Sym. No. 31 solo

AND

Four standard excerpts representing four different composers selected from the following list:

Mozart: Symphony No. 35, 1st of 4th movements; Symphony No. 39, 1st or 4th movements; Symphony No. 40, 1st or 4th movements.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, 3rd movement (Scherzo); Symphony No. 5, 3rd movement, Scherzo and Trio; Symphony No. 9, 4th movement, 431-525 and 541-594.

Brahms: Symphony No. 1, 1st or 4th movements; Symphony No. 2, 1st or 4th movements.

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Don Juan

 

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music (D.M.) applicants for the D.M. degree in violin, viola, violoncello and double bass must submit a preliminary screening recording online for consideration for a live department audition. This audition will be by invitation only and only after a review of the screening recording.  Auditions take place during the regular JSOM Audition/Interview weekends. Screening recordings must be received no later than December 1, 2018. Please click here for detailed instructions. The Jacobs School of Music does supply a pianist for doctoral entrance auditions; however, you must contact the chair of the string department as soon as your screening recording has been passed to submit repertoire and arrange a meeting with a pianist.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

D.M. applicants should prepare, either for a preliminary screening recording or on-campus department audition:

  • One complete sonata.
  • One complete standard concerto.
  • Two works from the standard solo literature. At least one work should be performed from memory.

 

Harp

MM and DM

Graduate applicants should prepare any two of the following:

B.Britten-Suite for harp; Debussy, Danse sacrée et danse profane; Fauré, Impromptu; Ginastera-Concerto for harp and orchestra; Grandjany, Fantaisie sur un thème de J. Haydn, Rhapsodie; Hindemith, Sonata; Ravel, Introduction et Allegro; Roussel, Impromptu; Salzedo, Variations sur un thème dans le style ancien; Spohr, Fantasie. Sonatas by Tailleferre, Houdy or Flagello.

 

Updated on 09/12/2018