Graduate Audition Information
We offer live, in-person auditions as well as virtual auditions.
Explore Degree Programs Graduate Assistantships
See important information about auditions, admissions and audition repertoire below.
Who Needs to Audition?
- Graduate Students: Students pursuing Master of Arts (M.A.) programs only need to audition if interested in applied lessons. Only those interested in pursuing a Master of Music (M.M.) in Performance or Conducting need to audition for admission to their program of choice.
- Non-majors: Students in other majors need to audition in their performance area if they wish to take applied lessons.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO PREPARE?
- Audition pieces vary according to the candidate’s specific major performance medium.
- Live accompaniment is the ideal for your audition. If you cannot bring a pianist yourself, you may request one on your audition form. Accompaniment tracks are to be used only in the instance where an accompanist cannot be acquired
- Pre-screenings are not required for most candidates. The only exception is candidates for our conducting program. See our audition requirements below for more information to prepare your pre-screening for the the M.M. in Conducting.
- See below for our audition requirements. If you have any questions about the materials or would like to substitute any literature, please contact the applied instrumental/voice teacher to discuss!
HOW TO APPLY FOR A LIVE AUDITION
1. Apply to Kent State University
2. Go to the Audition Portal and log in using the email address and password used to access your Kent State application (if you applied with the Common Application, you received your login information in an email).
3. Select your audition date by selecting the appropriate College of the Arts: Music Auditions link.
4. Fill in the appropriate information. (Name, Intended Degree, Instrument, etc.) If you are a high school senior, you will be applying for a Bachelor’s degree.
5. Once filled out, you should receive a confirmation email. You will receive information regarding the schedule for the day approximately 10-14 days out from the audition.
Special Auditions
- If you wish to audition in person but none of the dates listed above work for you, a Special Audition can be arranged.
- Email Music Admissions to learn more at musicadmissions@kent.edu.
Scholarship and Graduation Assistantship Consideration Deadline
- Applicants who wish to be to receive priority music scholarship/graduate assistantship consideration should complete their audition on or by March 3, 2025.
We encourage you to attend one of our in-person audition dates. However, we also understand this may not always be possible due to distance from the Kent Campus or other factors.
We offer two virtual audition options for admission to the Glauser School of Music:
- Recorded Video Audition
- Live Virtual Audition
Before choosing either of the options, please email Music Admissions to discuss which one is right for you and how we can help at musicadmissions@kent.edu.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A VIRTUAL AUDITION
1. Apply to Kent State University
2. Go to the Audition Portal and log in using the email address and password used to access your Kent State application (if you applied with the Common Application, you received your login information in an email).
3. Select your audition date by selecting the appropriate College of the Arts: Music Auditions link.
4. Fill in the appropriate information. (Name, Intended Degree, Instrument, etc.) If you are a high school senior, you will be applying for a Bachelor’s degree.
5. Once filled out, you should receive a confirmation email. You will receive information regarding the schedule for the day approximately 10-14 days out from the audition.
Recorded Video Audition
- Scholarship Consideration: Pre-recorded audition videos need to be received by 11:59 p.m. EST (US) on March 3, 2025 to receive full consideration for merit-based School of Music scholarships.
- Graduate Assistantship Consideration: Pre-recorded audition videos need to be received by 11:59 p.m. EST (US) on March 3, 2025 for priority graduate assistantship consideration.
- General Admission: Pre-recorded audition videos will be accepted until Friday, August 8, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST (US).
Live Virtual Audition
- This option still allows you to audition live but from wherever you are on our designated in-person Audition Days or by arranging a Special Audition.
- Email Music Admissions to make sure this option is available when you intend to audition.
- For Music Scholarship consideration, complete your audition by March 3, 2025.
- For Graduate Assistantship consideration, complete your audition by March 3, 2025.
Audition and Admission Information
Katie Mazanetz
Academic Recruitment & Retention Director
musicadmissions@kent.edu | 330-672-8398
Request Information Email Music Admissions
Questions about Scholarships, course offerings & transfer credits
H. Gerrey Noh
Undergraduate Studies Coordinator
hnoh@kent.edu | 330-672-2397
Questions regarding graduate studies and assistantships
Dr. Matthew Holm
Graduate Studies Coordinator
mholm2@kent.edu | 330-672-2522
Questions concerning Stark Campus offerings (Music Technology)
Keturah Kneuss
Director, Admissions
kkneuss@kent.edu | 330-244-3274
Online Master of Music in Music Education
Jenna Sepúlveda (Bice)
Program Academic Advisor
jbice@kent.edu | 330-672-2418
Audition Requirements
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Brass
Graduate Requirements
Trumpet:
- Two works contrasting in period and style, including one 20th-century work. These works may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Horn:
- A Mozart concerto and a contrasting solo work.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Trombone:
- Two movements from solo(s) of applicant’s choice, demonstrating musicality, technical proficiency, range and contrasting styles.
- Preferred Tenor Trombone orchestral excerpts are Mozart “Tuba Mirum” solo from Requiem; “Ride of the Valkyries” (2nd trombone); and Mahler Symphony No. 3, 1st Mvt., 1st trombone solos.
- Preferred Bass Trombone orchestral excerpts are Haydn The Creation (solo), Franck Symphony in D Minor (solo), Wagner “Ride of the Valkyries.”
- Sight-reading may be included.
Tuba:
- Two contrasting etudes (Bordogni/Rochut and Kopprasch preferred) and a concerto from the standard repertoire.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts. Proficiency on both bass tuba and contrabass tuba preferred.
- All major and minor scales (2 octaves).
- Sight-reading may be included.
-
Conducting
Graduate Requirements
Band:
- To be considered as a candidate, applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a 15-20 minute conducting video prior to February 1.
- The Director of Bands will notify applicants if they are invited to audition.
- Applicants who attend the “Kent Wind Band Conductor’s Symposium” are not required to submit video.
- Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in music.
- Preference will be given to those with public school teaching experience.
- An on-campus audition is required.
- Please contact Dr. Benjamin Lorenzo, at blorenz1@kent.edu for more information.
Choral:
- To be considered as a candidate, applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and 20-minute choral conducting video prior to February 1. The video should include both rehearsal and performance footage. If possible, the conductor should be facing the camera.
- The Director of Choral Activities will notify candidates if they are invited to audition.
- Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree in music.
- An on-campus audition and interview is required.
- Please contact Dr. Matthew Swope, Director of Choral Activities, at mswope6@kent.edu for additional information.
Orchestra:
- To be considered as a candidate, applicants must submit a 30-45 minute video recording (or links to online videos) of conducting, including (if possible) rehearsal footage from the perspective of the orchestra.
- The Director of Orchestras will then notify candidates if they are invited to audition.
- An on-campus audition and interview will then be arranged.
- Please contact Dr. Jungho Kim, Director of Orchestra, at jkim73@kent.edu for more information.
-
Percussion
Graduate Requirements
- Solo work demonstrative of proficiency on keyboard percussion (solo marimba work preferred).
- Standard orchestral excerpts for xylophone or glockenspiel, snare drum and timpani.
- Etude or solo for snare drum and timpani (or multiple percussion).
- Optional: demonstration of jazz skills on drum set, vibraphone, or steel pan.
- Recordings may be submitted in lieu of an audition at the Kent Campus. A DVD recording of a live performance is preferred in this case.
Please note: Percussion auditions can only be done in person or, if distance to the Kent Campus is a factor, by recorded video audition.
-
Solo Piano and Collaborative Piano
Graduate Requirements
Solo Piano
- Four works representing at least three different style periods, including a complete Classical Sonata.
- All selections composed prior to 1950 should be memorized.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Collaborative Piano
- Two memorized solo works of contrasting style (sonata movement(s) acceptable).
- Two contrasting movements from two different major instrumental sonatas. Examples include Beethoven Violin or Cello Sonatas, any Sonata by Brahms, major works from the impressionistic era, any Sonata by Bartok, Hindemith, Poulenc, Prokofiev or Shostakovich.
- One song by composers such as Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, Liszt, Faure, Debussy, Duparc or Rachmaninoff. (Singer may be provided by the school, if available).
- One aria by composers such as Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Berlioz, or another major operatic composer. (Singer may be provided by the school, if available).
- Scales and all major and minor keys (4 octaves).
- Two sight-reading examples, one of which may include part-writing.
To confirm that your audition repertoire is acceptable, please contact Dr. Donna Lee, Coordinator of Piano, at dlee3@kent.edu or 330-672-9241.
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Strings and String Quartet
Graduate Requirments
Strings
- Violin: Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita and the first movement from a standard concerto.
- Viola: Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite and the first movement from a standard concerto.
- Cello: Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite and the first movement from a standard concerto.
- Bass: One movement of a Bach Cello Suite. Two contrasting movements of a concerto or other significant solo work. Orchestral Excerpts: Beethoven Symphony No. 5, 3rd movement, and Mozart Symphony No. 40, 4th movement, mm. 49-70 or applicant’s choice. Scales with varied bow articulations (staccato, legato, detache, marcato).
Graduate String Quartet
- Two complete works of contrasting styles, demonstrating the quartet’s overall playing level.
- Following a live audition, there will be a coaching session with the faculty Artists-in-Residence.
- For audition recordings, a recording of two complete works of contrasting styles. A video recording is preferred.
-
Voice
Graduate Requirements
- Present a variety of languages and a variety of performance styles.
- Typically, songs or arias presented are from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century repertory and include an oratorio aria or an opera aria.
- Candidates are requested to provide their own accompanist. If this is not possible, a recording of the accompaniment is acceptable.
- Additionally, candates will be asked to demonstrate musical sight-reading ability and proficiency in Italian, German, and French diction through poetic excerpts.
- 2023 Auditions: For those submitting a video audition, a member of the voice faculty will reach out to you to complete this step.
-
Woodwinds
Graduate Requirements
Flute:
- First movement exposition of either Mozart Concerto (G or D major).
- Two other works of contrasting period and style, including one 20th century work. These may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Oboe:
- Two works contrasting in period and style, including one 20th century work. These may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Clarinet:
- Two works contrasting in period and style, including one 20th century work. These may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Bassoon:
- Two works contrasting in period and style. These may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- A selection of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Saxophone:
- Two works contrasting in period and style, including one 20th century work. These may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works.
- Sight-reading may be included.
Questions? Contact us!
Katie Mazanetz, Academic Recruitment and Retention Director
kmazanet@kent.edu | 330-672-8398
Eric Black, Recruitment Coordinator
musicadmissions@kent.edu | 330-672-9239