Music at The Juilliard School

Vocal Arts audition information

Vocal Arts (BM)

Prescreen repertoire

The quality of your pre-screening recording may significantly affect the determination of the pre-screening jury. Avoid distortion of the voice, excessive “buzz,” and lack of balance between the piano accompaniment and the voice. Review your pre-screening recordings before uploading to ensure that they are of good quality and represent your best work to date.

• Pre-screening repertoire selections must include accompa­niment and must show contrast in musical styles, tempos, and languages.

- An Italian art song or aria from 18th century or before.

1. - An art song in English (not a translation).
2. - A third selection in any language. Please note: An aria from an opera or oratorio is welcome, though not required.
3. - If English is not your native speaking language, please prepare an additional song in your native language.

Live Auditions

- After successfully passing the prescreening portion of the audition process, you will receive an invitation to attend a live audition. 

- Auditions are scheduled based on a combination of the following:

- Your ordered teacher preferences (if applicable)

• - Your audition day request (in cases of multiple audition days)

Important things to know about your audition:

You will receive an email confirming your audition date and time at least one month before your audition

• Auditions take place only at The Juilliard School in New York City. Audition day details, including practice room availability, will be sent prior to your audition
• Video auditions are not accepted 

Live Audition Repertoire

- Faculty may ask applicants to sing several scales to check vocal range.

• - All compositions must be performed from memory.

- An Italian art song or aria from 18th century or before.

1. - An art song in English (not a translation).
2. - A third selection in any language. Please note: An aria from an opera or oratorio is welcome, though not required.
3. - If English is not your native speaking language, please prepare an additional song in your native language.

Callbacks

Callbacks consist of coaching sessions where diction, acting, and movement are evaluated by a panel of Vocal Arts faculty

• There is no specific preparation needed; callback material will be the repertoire prepared for the audition
• Audition dress is not required for the callback; clothing you can comfortable work in may be worn
• Callbacks will be held following the conclusion of the first-round auditions
• Callbacks typically start in the afternoon; you should plan on being available until 10PM on your audition day
• Callbacks will last approximately 20 - 30 minutes

If you are not called back, you may reasonably conclude that you are not under consideration for admission.

Accompanist information

Works with piano accompaniment must be accompanied for the live audition.

• We encourage you to use a Juilliard accompanist for your audition.
• Accompanists will be provided free of charge for the audition; please note that accompanists charge fees for rehearsals.
• A list of accompanists will be provided approximately two weeks before auditions. You must contact an accompanist from the list two weeks prior to your audition and provide him/her with a piano score of the repertoire for the audition.
• If you wish to bring your own accompanist, you may do so. However, Juilliard will not pay him/her, nor can your Juilliard audition be rescheduled around your accompanist's availability.
• If you plan to play with a Juilliard-provided accompanist, please carefully consider general familiarity of your repertoire. Juilliard cannot guarantee accompanists will know unusual or non-standard repertoire. Please be particularly mindful to select contemporary works that have become standard repertoire or have piano parts which are easily sight read. If the Juilliard accompanists hired for your audition day are unable to learn or sight read a non-standard work, you may need to play that work unaccompanied.                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                               Updated 0n 03/14/2019