USC Thornton School of Music

Brass Audition Information

BA, BM, MM, Graduate Certificate (GCRT), DMA

Applicants to all Woodwinds and Brass programs must submit an audition recording to be pre-screened by the faculty. A video recording is REQUIRED for Flute and Clarinet (audio recordings are accepted for all other instruments).

French horn

Piano accompaniment is NOT required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for prescreen.

• Prescreen AND Live Audition repertoire for BA/BM:
• One movement from two contrasting solo pieces
• One etude from Maxime-Alphonse Book No.3
• Two contrasting orchestral excerpts as appropriate to training and experience
• All major and minor scales and sight reading may be tested at the Live Audition

• Prescreen AND Live Audition repertoire for MM/GCRT/DMA:
• Two contrasting solo pieces of choice
• One etude from Maxime-Alphonse Book No.5 or Vern Reynolds 48 Etudes
• Four contrasting orchestral excerpts as appropriate to training and experience
• Sight reading may be tested at the Live Audition

Tuba

• Prescreen Recording (audio or video recordings accepted)
• Two contrasting movements or etudes from standard tuba literature. One should be with piano or other accompaniment. A live recital or jury performance is preferred.
• Two standard orchestral excerpts

• Live Audition Repertoire
• Two contrasting movements from tuba literature that show musicality, tone, pitch, and range
• Two standard orchestral excerpts

Important notes for tuba:

• If undergraduate applicants play both CC (or BBb) and F (or Eb) tubas, the tuba faculty would like to hear both.
• Graduate students must demonstrate both CC (or BBb) and F (or Eb) tubas either in the live audition or prescreen recording.
• Piano accompaniment is NOT required

Trombone

Piano accompaniment is NOT required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for prescreen. Audition repertoire for all degree levels is the same for the live audition and prescreen recording.

Tenor Trombone:

• A movement from each of two solo pieces of contrasting styles.
• Orchestral excerpts from:
• Trombone solo from the Mozart Requiem
• Wagner- Ride of the Walkϋre
• Rossini- La Gazza Ladra
• Ravel- Bolero

Bass Trombone:

• Lebedev – Concerto in one Movement
• Orchestral excerpts from:
• Kodály – Háry János Suite
• Wagner – Ride of the Walkϋre
• Rossini – La Gazza Ladra

Trumpet

Piano accompaniment is NOT required. Audio or video recordings are acceptable for prescreen.

• Prescreen AND Live Audition repertoire for BA/BM:
• One movement from two contrasting solo pieces
• One etude from Brandt’s 34 Studies, OR a Characteristic Study from Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet
• Two contrasting orchestra excerpts as appropriate to training and experience
• All major and minor scales and sight reading may be tested at the live auditon

• Prescreen AND Live Audition repertoire for MM/GCRT/DMA:
• One movement from two contrasting solo pieces
• One etude from Charlier’s 36 Etudes for Trumpet
• One etude from Brandt’s 34 Studies
• Four contrasting orchestral excerpts as appropriate to training and experiences
• Sight reading and all major and minor scales may be tested at the live audition
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• Updated on 08/15/2018