Bard College Conservatory of Music

Strings Audition Information

Prescreening recordings may be submitted online as either audio or video. These are the repertoire requirements for applicants of the Undergraduate Double Degree, US-China Music Institute, and Advanced Performance Studies program.

Please note that piano accompaniment is not provided, and is not required, for final auditions.

Violin (BM)

Prescreening Repertoire:

• - A movement from an unaccompanied Bach partita or sonata
• - A movement of a standard concerto
• - A work of your choice

Final Audition Repertoire:

• - Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach partita or sonata
• - A movement of a standard concerto
• - A work of your choice

Viola (BM)

Prescreening Repertoire:

• - A movement from an unaccompanied Bach suite (originally for cello) or partita or sonata (originally for violin)
• - A sonata or concerto movement 
• - A work of your choice

Final Repertoire:

• - Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach suite (originally for cello) or partita or sonata (originally for violin)
• - A concerto movement or étude
• - A movement of a sonata
• - A work of your choice

Cello (BM)

Prescreening Repertoire:

• - A movement from an unaccompanied Bach suite
• - A movement of a concerto
• - A work of your choice

Final Audition Repertoire:

• - Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach suite
• - A movement of a standard concerto
• - A movement of a sonata
• - A work of your choice

Double Bass (BM)

Undergrad Prescreening Repertoire:

• - An étude
• - A movement from a Bach solo suite
• - A work of your choice

Advanced Performance Studies (APS) Prescreening Repertoire:

• - A movement of solo Bach (6 cello suites) of your choice
• - The exposition from one of the standard double bass concertos
• - Mozart Symphony #39, first movement, Allegro to letter C
• - Brahms Symphony #2, first movement, E to F

Final Audition Repertoire (for both undergraduate and APS applicants):

• - A movement of solo Bach (6 cello suites) of your choice
• - A work of your choice
• - Mozart Symphony #39, first movement, Allegro to letter C
• - Brahms Symphony #2, first movement, E to F

Harp (BM)

Prescreening Repertoire:

       Two pieces of the following level of difficulty:

• - Bach/Grandjany études
• - Marcel Tournier: Feerie
• - Nina Rota: Sarabande and Toccata
• - Handel: Concerto in B-Flat Major

Final Audition Repertoire:

1. Two contrasting solos of the following level of difficulty:

• - Handel: Concerto in B-flat Major
• - Faure:  Impromptu
• - Britten:  Suite for Harp

2. Two orchestral excerpts of student's choice, such as:

• - Wagner: Liebestod
• - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
• - Ravel: Tzigane
• - Britten:  Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
• - Stravinsky: Symphony in 3 Movements, 2nd mvt

3. Sight reading to be provided at audition.

                                                                                                                       Updated on 04/05/2019