Audition - Curtis Institute

Woodwinds Audition Information

Applicants will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios, and will be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Bassoon (BM)

Applicants must submit a screening video with the application to be considered for the live auditions. Applicants will be notified in January of their live audition status.

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Screening Repertoire

• - The first movement of one of the following concertos: Mozart, Weber or Hummel
• - One etude of the applicant's choice
• - One orchestral excerpt of the applicant's choice

Live Audition Repertoire

Applicants will play from memory:

The first two movements of any one of the following concertos:

•   Mozart, Concerto in B-flat major, K. 191
•   Weber, Concerto in F major, Op. 75
•   Hummel, Concerto in F major
• All major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves where possible
• An étude of the applicant’s choice (music may be used for this portion)
• At least two orchestral excerpts of contrasting style (music may be used for this portion)

Clarinet (BM)

Applicants must submit a screening video with the application to be considered for the live auditions. Applicants will be notified in January of their live audition status.   

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Screening Repertoire

• - The exposition of the first movement of the Mozart concerto (with piano accompaniment)
• - The following orchestral excerpts:
•     Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night's Dream (beginning to letter A, 6th bar of letter D to 19 bars after letter E)
•     Rimsky-Korsakov, Capriccio Espagnol, movement 1 (letter A to letter B, letter C for 21 bars)
•     Brahms, Symphony No. 3, movement 1 (bars 26-46), movement 2 (beginning for 22 bars) 

Live Audition Repertoire

Applicants will play:

• - The Mozart clarinet concerto
• - Two contrasting pieces from the Rose Thirty-two Études
• - A prepared piece of the applicant’s choice
• - A 20th-century piece of the applicant's choice

Flute (BM)

Applicants must submit a screening video with the application to be considered for the live auditions. Applicants will be notified in January of their live audition status.

*Curtis no longer accepts flute applicants for the Post Baccalaureate program.

Screening Repertoire

Applicants should prepare a video recording of (at least) one movement from each of three contrasting pieces. Works with piano (or other instrumental) accompaniment should be performed with piano accompaniment.

Live Audition Repertoire

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor. Applicants will play:

- Three complete prepared pieces (all movements) in contrasting tempo and style

• - Two orchestral excerpts
• - Applicants should perform from memory if possible

Oboe (BM)

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor. Applicants will play:

• - One movement of a concerto or sonata
• - A fast étude by Ferling
• - The third movement of the Mozart oboe quartet
• - A slow aria of J. S. Bach
•  

Applicants must also be able to read an orchestral excerpt, and they may be given a written examination concerning their general knowledge of music. In honor of the seventh director of the Curtis Institute of Music, each year one new or current oboe student will be named the John de Lancie Scholar.

                                                                                                                                                        Updated 0n 04/11/2019