Audition Information - MSU College of Music - Michigan State University

Strings Audition Information

Violin (MM)

Prescreening recording by December 1 (video required). The recording quality and literature must be sufficient to make a reasonable judgment of ability. Recordings will be reviewed by a committee from the string area beginning the week following the December 1 deadline. You will be notified via email as to whether or not you have been invited for a live audition. Recordings received after December 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Live Audition:

• Two movements from Bach solo sonatas in G minor, A minor, or C major. Fuga is required.
• One of the 24 Paganini caprices.
• The first movement of a major concerto such as Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Brahms, Prokofiev, Beethoven, Schostakovich, Paganini, Mendelssohn.

Violin (DMA)

Prescreening recording by December 1 (video required). The recording quality and literature must be sufficient to make a reasonable judgment of ability. Recordings will be reviewed by a committee from the string area beginning the week following the December 1 deadline. You will be notified via email as to whether or not you have been invited for a live audition. Recordings received after December 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Live Audition:

• A complete solo sonata or partita by Bach.
• A Paganini caprice.
• A major concerto.
• A virtuoso piece.
• A twenty-minute performance from the recital program above.
• A ten-minute lecture on the music performed.
• Click here for general information about the DMA audition format.

Violin (Performance Diploma)

Prescreening recording by December 1 (video required). The recording quality and literature must be sufficient to make a reasonable judgment of ability. Recordings will be reviewed by a committee from the string area beginning the week following the December 1 deadline. You will be notified via email as to whether or not you have been invited for a live audition. Recordings received after December 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Live Audition:

• A complete solo sonata or partita by Bach.
• A complete concerto from the following: Brahms; Glazunov; Lalo, Symphony Espagnole; Paganini, No. 1 or No. 2; Saint-Saëns, B minor; Sibelius; Tchaikovsky; Vieuxtemps, No. 5.
• Two virtuoso pieces from the following: Chausson, Poème; Kreisler, Recitativo and Scherzo; Ravel, Tzigane; Saint-Saëns, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Havanaise; Sarasate, Carmen Fantasy, Habanera, Zapateado; Tchaikovsky, Waltz, Scherzo; Wieniawski, Polonaise (D or A), Scherzo Tarantella, Variations on an Original Theme.

Viola (MM)

• Two movements of Bach cello suites or Reger solo suites
• One movement of a concerto or sonata (Brahms, Hindemith, Hummel, or Glinka) or two contrasting works at a similar level

Viola (DMA)

• Two movements of Bach cello suites or Reger solo suites;
• One movement of a concerto or sonata (Brahms, Hindemith, Hummel, or Glinka) or two contrasting works at a similar level
• A twenty-minute performance from the recital program above
• A ten-minute lecture on the music performed
• Click here for general information about the DMA audition format.

Viola (Performance Diploma)

Please contact Professor Gandelsman at gandelsm@msu.edu.

Cello (MM)

• An etude from Popper, “High School of Cello Playing” or Piatti, “Twelve Caprices"
• A Bach prelude and one movement from Suites 4, 5, or 6
• A movement of a concerto by Haydn (D major, 1st or 3rd mvt.) or Dvorak, Schumann, Shostakovich (No. 1 or 2), or Prokofiev (Symphony Concerto)
• Scales and arpeggios

Cello (DMA)

• Be prepared to perform a full recital program featuring pieces from different stylistic periods
• Candidates will be expected to talk briefly about each piece of their program
• Click here for general information about the DMA audition format.

Cello (Performance Diploma)

• Bach, complete Suite 4, 5, or 6
• A complete concerto from the following list: Bloch, Schelomo; Dvořak, B minor; Haydn, D major; Prokofiev, Symphony Concerto; Schumann; Shostakovich, No. 1 or 2; Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations
• Two virtuoso pieces from the following list: Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Figaro; Chopin, Polonaise Brillante (ed. Feuermann-Rose); Ginastera, Pampeana #2; Klengel, Scherzo; Popper, Dance of Elves or Spinning Wheel; Tchaikovsky, Pezzo Capriccioso; Weber, Adagio and Rondo

Double Bass (MM)

• Two movements from any bass concerto or one movement from two different concertos
• One movement from any Bach Suite
• Three orchestral excerpts

Double Bass (DMA)

• Two movements from two different Bass Concertos
• Two movements from any Bach Suite
• Two orchestral excerpts

Double Bass (Performance Diploma)

Please contact Professor Brown for details.

Harp (MM)

• Perform two contrasting works of contrasting styles and periods from memory to be chosen from the below pieces or of equivalent or higher difficulty
  
  

·         Grandjany Rhapsodie

·         Ravel introduction et Allegro

·         Debussy Danses sacrée et profane

·         Spohr Fantasie

                  Two orchestral excerpts of your choice; one must be a cadenza

                  Sight reading

Harp (DMA)

• Performance of at least 20 minutes of music in contrasting styles and periods from memory
• Two orchestral excerpts of your choice; one must be a cadenza
• Sight reading

Harp (Performance Diploma)

Please contact Professor Chen-Yu Huang.

Updated on 10/03/2018