SFCM | San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Voice audition

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: VOICE

Acceptance into the voice program at SFCM requires pre-screening.

Live auditions at the Conservatory are required of the following applicants:

• Anyone residing in California
• Graduate voice applicants residing in the United States
• Postgraduate voice applicants

Regional auditions are available for the following applicants:

• Applicants residing outside of California
• Undergraduate voice applicants

Final audition recordings are accepted from the following applicants:

• Undergraduate applicants residing outside of California
• Graduate applicants residing outside the United States
• Final recordings must be submitted online through the formal Application, found here, no later than December 1.

PRE-SCREENING

Applicants must submit a pre-screening recording with the repertoire listed below. We strongly recommend that the recording be audiovisual, but we will also accept audio-only recordings.

Undergraduate

• An Italian aria or song such as those found in the Anthology of Italian Song of the 17th and 18th Centuries
• One song originally written in English (not a translation)
• A piece chosen by the applicant

Graduate

• An opera aria
• A contrasting art song
• A piece chosen by the applicant

Postgraduate

• An opera aria
• Two contrasting art songs
• A piece chosen by the applicant

FINAL AUDITION REPERTOIRE

Applicants invited to audition in San Francisco may bring their own accompanists or use one provided by the Conservatory for the $30 fee processed when the application is submitted. (Those not invited will be refunded the accompanist fee.)

Undergraduate

• An Italian aria or song such as those found in the Anthology of Italian Song of the 17th and 18th Centuries
• One song in English (not a translation)
• A piece chosen by the applicant
• A reading of a short poem in English chosen by the applicant. (This reading does not need to be memorized.)

Additionally, at the faculty's discretion, applicants may be asked to sight-read a very short musical passage.

Graduate

• Two opera arias in contrasting styles
• Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English. The arias and songs must include pieces in German, French, and Italian.
• A piece chosen by the applicant
• A reading of a short poem in English chosen by the applicant. (This reading does not need to be memorized.)

Additionally, at the faculty's discretion, applicants may be asked to sight-read a very short musical passage. 

Postgraduate

• Three opera arias in contrasting styles
• Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English. The arias and songs must include pieces in German, French, and Italian.
• A piece chosen by the applicant
• A reading of a short poem in English chosen by the applicant. (This reading does not need to be memorized.)

Additionally, at the faculty's discretion, applicants may be asked to sight-read a very short musical passage.

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Updated on 08/10/2018