Jacobs School of Music

Strings Audition Information

Violin

Repertoire for the screening recording:

For ALL programs and degrees, the screening recording must include AT LEAST the following selections:

• A movement from a major concerto
• Two contrasting movements from one of Bach's Sonatas or Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006)

Applicants for graduate degrees are encouraged to include further repertoire in their screening recordings so as to provide the most complete demonstration of their artistry. This is at the discretion of the applicant. (Examples of this could be a virtuoso piece or additional concerto or Bach movements).

The repertoire for the screening recording should be chosen so as best to represent the applicant's abilities and level of accomplishment. The repertoire for the screening recording may be the same as the repertoire for the actual audition, but is not required to be the same. The applicant has the option of including recordings of recent performances.

Memorization:

All materials for violin auditions must be presented from memory. The only exceptions to this are Sonatas with Piano (in the case of DM applicants) and orchestral excerpts (in the case of PDOS applicants).

Repertoire for recorded auditions:

If you choose to audition by recording rather than in person, the repertoire requirements for the recorded auditions are exactly the same as for on-campus auditions. An audition by recording is not the same as a screening recording. However, if you know that you plan to audition by recording, you may submit your complete audition recording online prior to December 1 via Decision Desk and specify that it is intended to serve both as the screening recording and the audition recording.

Audition repertoire for BM, BME, and BSOF

Applicants for the BM, BME, and BSOF programs should prepare all of the following:

• The first movement of a standard major concerto with cadenza (if it has one), OR second and third movements of a standard major concerto.
• Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied partita or sonata by J.S. Bach.

Viola

Audition / Interview Information

BM, BME, BSOF

Applicants should prepare the following, either for the final audition recording, or on-campus audition:

Two contrasting pieces

• Transfer students should prepare two movements of a solo Bach work and a solo of their choice.

Cello

Audition / Interview Information

BM, BME, BSOF

Applicants should prepare the following, either for the final audition recording, or on-campus audition:

Two contrasting movements from two different pieces

• Transfer students should prepare two movements of a solo Bach work and a solo of their choice

Double Bass

Audition / Interview Information

BM, BME, BSOF

Applicants should prepare the following, either for the final audition recording, or on-campus audition:

• Two works from the standard solo literature contrasting in both tempo and style.
• Two standard excerpts representing two 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

Harp

BM, BME, BSOF

Undergraduate applicants should prepare any two of the following works, choosing contrasting styles: Bach-Grandjany, any etude; Bochsa Advanced Etudes #1 or 10, Handel, Concerto in B flat, first movement, Lariviere Etude #1 (scales), Pierne Impromptu-Caprice, or  Handel Tema con variazioni; Naderman, any sonata; Saint-Saëns, Fantaisie; Salzedo, Chanson dans la nuit (Song in the Night); Tournier, Etude de concert: Au matin or Vers la source dans le bois. Sight-reading is required.  Accompaniment is not required.

Updated on 09/12/2018