Cleveland Institute of Music

 Audition | Cleveland Institute of Music

Strings Audition Information

 

 

VIOLIN AND VIOLIN SUZUKI PEDAGOGY

 

A prescreening video is required. To accommodate prescreening, applicants are strongly urged to submit applications well before the deadline of December 1. Each piece of repertoire must be unedited and recorded separately. 

 

PRESCREEN REQUIREMENTS:

 

One movement of a concerto, one movement of Bach, and one etude

 

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

 

Undergraduate

 

(must be played from memory)

  • All major and minor scales/arpeggios in three octaves (not required on video recording)
  • Two etudes or caprices by Dont, Gavinies, Kreutzer, Paganini, Rode, or the equivalent
  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach sonata or partita (Ciaccona from Bach's Second Partita may be used as the equivalent.)
  • One movement from a standard concerto
  •  

Graduate

 

(must be played from memory)

  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach sonata or partita (Ciaccona from Bach's Second Partita may be used as the equivalent.)
  • An entire standard concerto or concert piece of the applicant's choice
  • Other solo of the applicant's choice
  • Scales, arpeggios, and thirds may be requested (not required on recorded auditions)
  •  

For an Artist Diploma or DMA audition

 

The violin faculty selects from the following requirements:

 

  • An entire sonata or partita for violin solo by Bach
  • A first movement with cadenza of a Mozart violin concerto
  • Two Paganini caprices or a substantial virtuoso piece: Ravel Tzigane, St. Saëns Rondo Capriccioso, Ysaÿe Ballade, Sarasate Carmen Fantasy (or another piece of the candidate's choice as approved by the head of the violin department)
  • A complete Romantic violin concerto with appropriate cadenzas (Beethoven Concerto also acceptable)

 

 

VIOLA

 

A prescreening video is required. To accommodate prescreening, applicants are strongly urged to submit applications well before the deadline of December 1. Each piece of repertoire must be unedited and recorded separately. 

 

PRESCREENING REQUIREMENTS:

 

(must be played from memory)

  • A scale of your choice in three octaves, once slurring six and once with a spiccato stroke
  • One movement of a Bach cello suite or violin sonata/partita
  • First movement from a standard viola concerto
  •  

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

 

Undergraduate

 

(must be played from memory)

  • A scale of your choice in three octaves, once slurring six and once with a spiccato stroke
  • Two contrasting movements from a solo Bach suite, sonata, partita or an equivalent solo work
  • One movement from a standard viola concerto

 

Graduate

 

(must be played from memory)

  • A scale of your choice in three octaves, once slurring six and once with a spiccato stroke
  • Two contrasting movements from a solo Bach suite, sonata, partita or an equivalent solo work
  • One movement from a standard viola concerto

 

 

CELLO AND CELLO SUZUKI PEDAGOGY

 

A prescreening video is required. To accommodate prescreening, applicants are strongly urged to submit applications well before the deadline of December 1. Each piece of repertoire must be unedited and recorded separately. 

 

PRESCREEN REQUIREMENTS:

 

Same as audition requirements (can be a different etude, suite, concerto or concerto movement than what is played for the live audition)

 

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

 

(must be played from memory):

  • Two contrasting etudes of Franchomme, Piatti, or Popper
  • Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite
  • One movement of a standard concerto, or
  • Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme: theme, variations 1, 2, 3
  •  

 

For a DMA or Artist Diploma audition

 

The cello faculty will select from the following requirements:

 

  • An entire Bach Suite
  • Complete standard concerto, or
  • Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme: theme, variations 1, 2, 3, and finale
  • 20th- or 21st-Century composition (memorization not required)

 

 

DOUBLE BASS

 

A prescreening video is required. To accommodate prescreening, applicants are strongly urged to submit applications well before the deadline of December 1. Each piece of repertoire must be unedited and recorded separately. 

 

PRESCREEN REQUIREMENTS:

 

Undergraduate and Graduate

 

  • First movement of a standard concerto (or work of similar scope)
  • One movement from a Bach cello suite*
  • Two orchestral excerpts, by different composers, representing contrasting styles and techniques
  •  

LIVE AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

 

Undergraduate

 

  • First movement of a standard concerto (or work of similar scope)
  • One movement from a Bach cello suite*
  • Two orchestral excerpts, by different composers, representing contrasting styles and techniques
  • A piece of choice**

 

Graduate

 

  • Two movements of a standard concerto (or work of similar scope)
  • One movement from a Bach cello suite*
  • Three orchestral excerpts, by different composers, representing contrasting styles and techniques
  • A piece of choice**
  •  

*For Bach:

  • Any key
  • Please play all repeats, including Da Capo if applicable (no repeats on D.C.)
  • Modern bow or period bow are both acceptable
  • Ornaments on repeats are welcome
  •  

**Piece of Choice:
Something that represents you as a unique musician; can be any time period, style,
genre, etc. Possibilities include:

 

  • Contemporary/Modern
  • Jazz
  • Pop Arrangements
  • Bluegrass
  • Showpiece/transcription
  • Additional movement of Bach, concerto, excerpt, etc.
  •  

DMA Applicants

 

Please contact Scott Dixon, the department head, at scott.dixon@cim.edu to discuss appropriate audition repertoire. 

 

 

HARP

 

A prescreening recording is not required, except for doctor of musical arts applicants. If you wish to upload a video recording to your application, you may do so. The recording should consist of selections from the audition repertoire. Doctor of musical arts applicants should record approximately 30 minutes of the repertoire below.

 

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS:

 

  • Two solo works of contrasting style (preferably memorized)
  • Level III Warm-Up from On Playing the Harp by Yolanda Kondonassis (published by Carl Fischer)
  • One orchestral excerpt of the applicant's choice
  •                                                                                                                           Updated on 04/09/2019