Oberlin College and Conservatory

Keyboard Audition Information

Piano (BM)

l  Piano applicants must submit a screening audition for review via the Audition and Screening Dropbox on your Applicant Portal. Students auditioning regionally in Asia are exempt from this requirement, as the regional audition will be considered a screening. 

l  Screening Recordings and Recorded Auditions must be audio/video recordings. Audio only recordings will not be accepted.

Screening Requirements

l  One composition by Bach

l  A sonata-allegro movement from a classical sonata

l  One étude of virtuosity

l  One other piece of the applicant’s choice

Final Audition Requirements

l  One composition by Bach

l  A complete classical sonata (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven)

l  One étude of virtuosity

l  One composition from the romantic period

l  One composition by a 20th or 21st century composer

Final Audition Requirements (Artist Diploma)

Applicants must prepare a program of 50-60 minutes, including the following:

l  A prelude and fugue (4 or 5 voices) from the Well-Tempered Clavier, or another major work of Bach

l  A complete classical sonata of Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven

l  One étude of virtuosity

l  A substantial romantic work

l  Any remaining work(s) to be chosen by the applicant

Notes for Piano Applicants

  l  Applicants submitting a Recorded Audition must satisfy all requirements for a final audition in their desired degree

         (Bachelor  of Music or Artist Diploma), as listed above.

l  The repertoire on the screening need not be identical to that of the campus, regional, or recorded video audition.

l  The audition requirements differ slightly for the screening and the final audition, whether campus, regional, or recorded video audition.

l  All screenings and final auditions must be performed from memory.

l  Applicants auditioning in Asia: Applicants will perform a piano audition for the Director of Conservatory Admissions in Asia.  The Director will record the audition, and the recording will be considered a screening.  Once the recording is evaluated by the piano faculty and if approved, the applicant can audition at Oberlin or submit a final video recording.

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Organ (BM)

Undergraduate Audition Requirements

Three or four contrasting pieces from the standard organ literature that demonstrate the applicant's technical and musical skills. At least one piece should be chosen from the works of J.S. Bach. Sight-reading of a four-part hymn harmonization is expected. Applicants with a strong piano background who wish to major in organ may elect to play their audition on the piano. 

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Artist Diploma Audition Requirements

  l  one work written before 1700 (any style: Italian, Spanish, French

l  Classical, Dutch, etc)

l  one major work prelude (toccata, fantasia) and fugue by J. S. Bach

l  one ornamented chorale prelude by J. S. Bach

l  one major romantic work composed before 1920

l  one major 20th-21st century work, preferably in a modern idiom

All applicants must submit a complete repertoire list and a list of concerts (with venues) performed in at least the last three years.

Historical Performance (MM) Audition Requirements

l  one major work prelude (toccata, fantasia) and fugue by J. S. Bach

l  four additional works written before 1800 of your choice, representing other historic styles (ie: Italian, Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.)

                                                                                                                             Updated on 04/12/2019