School of Music | University of Washington

Woodwind Audition Information

Bassoon (BM, MM, & DMA)

Two or three contrasting selections from the standard repertoire

l  A movement from a classical concerto

l  A sonata movement from any period,

l  A French Conservatoire piece

            or

l  An unaccompanied piece.

l  Scales, three octaves, will be required.

Clarinet/Bass Clarinet (BM, MM, & DMA)

Undergraduate

l  Two or three contrasting selections from the standard repertoire.

l  Full-range chromatic scale and major and minor scales required (at least two octaves; three octaves if possible).

Graduate

l  Three or four contrasting selections from the standard repertoire, plus four orchestral excerpts.

l  Sight-reading and scales may be required. 

Flute (BM, MM, & DMA)

Undergraduate

Two or three contrasting selections from the standard repertoire

l  A movement from a classical concerto

l  A sonata movement from any period,

l  A French Conservatoire piece

              or

l  An unaccompanied piece)

l  Sight-reading and scales may be required. 

Graduate

l  Three or four contrasting selections from the standard repertoire

ü  A movement from a classical concerto,

ü  A sonata movement from any period,

ü  A French Conservatoire piece

                   or

ü  an unaccompanied piece),

                  plus

l  three or four orchestral excerpts.

l  Sight-reading and scales may be required.

l  Applicant must also bring a list of solo repertoire studied to his/her audition.

Oboe (BM, MM< & DMA)

Undergraduate

l  All major and harmonic minor scales, 2 octaves where possible*.

l  Two contrasting etudes by Barret or Ferling.

l  At least 2 contrasting movements from standard concerto/sonata repertoire, one of which must be post-Baroque era.

Graduate

l  In addition to the above, please prepare 4 contrasting orchestral excerpts, one of which must be from a cantata by JS Bach.

l  Applicant's choice for additional repertoire.

*For applicants submitting a video audition, please include the following scales from memory: E major, c# minor, Ab Major, f minor.

Saxophone (BM, MM, & DMA)

l  It is recommended that you contact Professor Brockman by email during the fall term, one full year prior to the term you wish to begin study at the UW, to inform him of your intent to apply, and to confer about audition pieces you will play.

l  All applicants are encouraged to provide Professor Brockman with a resume (REQUIRED for all graduate applicants) listing your musical activities, professional accomplishments, recordings, and significant performances.  

l  Be sure to include any non-saxophone related activities, such as compositions you have written, conducting activities, travels, and any other things you feel make you an interesting person.

Undergraduate

l  If you are an auditioning high school saxophonist, you must prepare the chromatic scale and all 12 major scales and 12 melodic minor scales (extended through the ENTIRE range of your instrument) plus 3-4 movements selected from a solo sonata or concerto written for saxophone (with piano accompaniment).

l  Excellent examples of literature appropriate for undergraduate auditions include the Creston Sonata, the Bernard Heiden Sonata, the Villa Lobos Fantasia, the Tcherepnine Sonata Sportive, the Maurice Tableaux de Provence, and the piano/sax reductions of the Ibert Concertino da Camera, the Glazounov Concerto, and the Dubois Concerto. You may also be asked to sight read some music that tests your ability to read arpeggios, rhythms and accidentals.

Graduate

l  If you are an auditioning for entrance as a graduate student, you must prepare 2 or more complete sonatas or concertos, plus a contrasting work showing added versatility. You must also submit a complete repertoire list of all works performed in concert.

l  Standard pieces that are played by underclassmen (such as the Ibert, Creston and Glazounov) can be acceptable for auditions into a graduate performance program, but it is recommended that you choose pieces that are more challenging and show advanced training in technique and phrasing, as well as some extended techniques (such as altissimo, multi-phonics, micro-tones, mixed meters, etc.).

                                                                                                                               Updated on 05/09/2019