Auditions Carnegie Mellon University School of Music

Strings Audition Information

Violin (MM)

Violin applicants are required to submit a pre-screening video recording. Invited auditioners will be notified in early January and audition confirmations will be sent no less than two weeks before the live audition date.

Pre-screening requirements:

l  Two contrasting movements of any solo sonata or partita by Bach (played from memory) 

l  A Paganini Caprice or a movement from an Ysaye solo sonata 

l  A first movement of a major concerto written after 1830

Live audition requirements

      l  A complete Classical, Romantic, or 20th Century concerto (played from memory) 

l  Two contrasting movements of any solo sonata or partita by Bach (played from memory) 

l  A Paganini Caprice, a movement from an Ysaye solo sonata, or any virtuoso work by Sarasate, Wieniawski, Saint-Saens, or Ravel

If not able to participate in the live auditions, a high quality video-recorded audition should be submitted. Selections should be annotated and separated by track numbers. This will act as both your pre-screening and your final audition.

l  One movement of a concerto 

l  One movement of a solo Bach piece 

l  A Paganini Caprice, one movement from a Ysaye solo sonata, or any virtuoso work by Saint-Saens, Wieniawski, Sarasate, or Ravel

A high quality video recording is the only acceptable medium for an audition by recording.

Viola (MM)

All applicants to the viola studio are expected to prepare the following audition requirements

l  A complete Bach cello suite, violin partita, or sonata 

l  A complete concerto 

l  A complete sonata 

l  A piece of the applicant's choosing

A high quality video recording is the only acceptable medium for an audition by recording

Cello (MM)

All applicants to the cello studio are expected to perform an audition recital of 15-20 minutes, including a minimum of five works showing representative repertoire of various periods. Although there are no set requirements for this audition, you are urged to choose a solo piece, a movement from a concerto, two orchestral excerpts, a movement from a Bach Suite, and an etude that shows tone, musicianship and technique. Know that you may also be asked for major and minor scales.

Double Bass (MM)

All applicants to the double bass studio are expected to prepare the following audition requirements

l  Contrasting movements from any Baroque sonata or suite 

l  The first movement of a Classical, Romantic, or 20th century Concerto performed from memory 

l  Two octave major and minor scales and arpeggios from memory 

l  Two orchestral excerpts of your choice

Harp (MM)

All applicants to the harp studio are expected to perform an audition recital of 15-20 minutes, including a minimum of five works showing representative repertoire of various periods. Although there are no set requirements for this audition, please choose a solo piece, a movement from a concerto, three orchestral excerpts, and etudes that show tone, musicianship and technique. Know that you may also be asked for major and minor scales.

                                                                                                                                                       Updated on 04/17/2019