Undergraduate Audition

Upcoming Audition Dates:​​

For Fall 2018 (Application closes 8 days prior to the audition date)

FOR FALL 2019 Admission (Applications close 8 days before the audition date)
The audition Application portal will open this summer

• Saturday, October 20, 2018*
• Tuesday, November 6, 2018*
• Saturday, January 26, 2018*
• Monday, February 18, 2019*
• Saturday, March 16, 2019*
• Saturday, April 13, 2019

*Priority dates for the 2018-19 academic year for Music Scholarship and Creative Artist Awards (incoming freshmen).

If you are interested in spring admission, you may audition on the dates listed for fall. 

Undergraduate Audition Application

Contact

If you are unable to audition on one of the above dates or if you have additional questions about undergraduate auditions and admission to the School of Music, please contact Dr. Jesse Leyva at jleyva@kent.edu. Personal auditions can be arranged. Video auditions can be requested through the use of the online registration form.

Undergraduate Audition Information

Music major: 
Candidates may be admitted to the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music after successful completion of an entrance audition. The entrance audition is comprised of a playing or singing audition, piano and theory placement tests, and interview (prospective music education majors only). Music scholarships and the CAA are based on the audition performance and do not require a separate application. Audition pieces vary according to the candidate’s specific major performance medium. These summaries are offered as guidelines to prepare for an audition. If you would like to substitute any literature, please contact the individual applied teacher for appropriate audition materials. 

Music Education Interview:
In the Music Education interview, you will meet with Music Education faculty members who will ask you about your musical involvement in school and the community. You may be asked about your reasons and influences for pursuing the Music Education degree. You will also have a chance to ask questions about the Music Education program.

Music Minor:
Requirements are listed with each instrument below. Candidates must take the music theory placement exam but the piano placement exam is optional. Please contact the individual applied teacher with any questions on audition materials.  

Audition Requirements

WOODWIND, BRASS AND PERCUSSION  STUDIES

Woodwind and Brass Instruments: Performance, Music Education or Bachelor of Arts in Music

Major and chromatic scales—memorized.
Solo. Memorization not required. Suggested repertoire is contained in the OMEA contest list . Compositions of equivalent difficulty may be substituted. Accompaniment is not required.
Demonstration of sight reading proficiency.

Percussion Instruments: Performance, Music Education or Bachelor of Arts in Music

A solo on all of the following:

• Snare drum.
• Percussion keyboard (mallets).
• Timpani (Proficiency in tuning).

Demonstration of sight reading proficiency on at least two of the above instruments. Accompaniment is not required. 

Woodwind, brass, percussion minor:

Individuals interested in minoring must perform the above audition requirements and take the music theory placement test. The piano placement test is optional. 

Vocal Studies

Voice: Performance or Music Education

One song with English text. Must be memorized
One song in a foreign language, may be selected from any of the following composers. Must be memorized.

• Italian: Scarlatti, Caldara, Donaudy, Giordani, Bononcini, Monteverdi, Carlissimi, Gluck, Handel, Marcello, Pergolesi, Lotti
• German: Brahms, Schubert, Schumann
• French: Debussy, Faure
  ​If the candidate does not have a foreign language song, he/she may perform a second song in English.

Candidates are requested to provide their own accompanist. If this is not possible, a cd of the accompaniment is acceptable.
Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and pitch-matching.

Suitable voice audition repertory is listed on the Ohio Music Educator’s Association “Solo and Small Ensemble” repertory list, available from your high school choral director.  

Voice: Music Minor

Two contrasting memorized selections (preferably one in a foreign language).
The audition needs to be accompanied by either a pianist or an accompaniment track.
Students will be asked to do some sight reading and pitch matching.

String Studies

Technical Skills

• Violin: All major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves minimum memorized.
• Viola: All major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves minimum, memorized.
• Cello: All major and minor scales, three octaves minimum, memorized.
• Double Bass: All major scales, one octave minimum, memorized.
  Repertoire Requirements (accompaniment not required):

Performance

• Violin: one movement of a standard concerto and one movement of a Bach unaccompanied Sonata or Partita. Memorization is required.
• Viola: Two works contrasting in period and style. These works may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works. Memorization is required.
• Cello: Suggested repertoire - one movement of a standard concerto, and one movement of a Bach solo suite. Memorization is required.
• Double Bass: Marcello Sonata in E Minor (two contrasting movements) or work of comparable difficulty. Memorization is not required.

Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Minor

• Violin, Viola and Cello: Two octave scales and two contrasting movements or pieces. Memorization optional.
• Double Bass: Marcello Sonata in E Minor (two contrasting movements) or work of comparable difficulty. Memorization is not required. 3. Demonstration of sight reading proficiency.

Classical Guitar for Music Education, Bachelor of Arts or Music Minor

• Perform two or three contrasting pieces from memory.
• All applicants must audition on a classical (nylon string) guitar and may not play with a pick.
• Pieces performed must be of at least equivalent technical difficulty to the following:
  Heitor Villa-Lobos, Cinq Preludes
  Fernando Sor, Study in B minor
  J.S. Bach, Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1
  Leo Brouwer, El Decameron Negro
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Adam Larison to discuss audition material before the audition date.      

PIANO STUDIES

Piano: Performance 

A Prelude and Fugue or Three-part Invention (Sinfonia) by Bach.
A Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (excluding Beethoven, Op. 49).
A composition characteristic of the Romantic or Contemporary Period.
A composition of the candidate’s choice (optional). All of the above must be memorized.
Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.)  

Piano: Music Education 

A Two-Part or Three-Part Invention, or a Prelude and Fugue by Bach.
A Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven.
A Romantic or Contemporary Composition.
At least one of the above must be memorized.
Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.).

Piano: Bachelor of Arts or Music Minor

Two pieces in contrasting styles from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary style periods.
At least one of the above must be memorized.
Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.)  

JAZZ STUDIES 

Instrumentalists:

Jazz Minor

- All 12 major scales played up to the 9th and down.
- Pick a blues piece to perform from this list:

Now’s The Time
Billie’s Bounce
Tenor Madness
Bessie’s Blues
Chi Chi

- Sight Reading

BA with a Jazz Concentration

- All 12 major scales played up to the 9th and down.
- Pick a piece to perform from this list:

Just Friends (G major)
Lady Bird 
Stella By Starlight
All The Things You Are
Green Dolphin Street (Eb major)

- Sight Reading
- If prospective student has done a transcription, Please bring in an example.

Vocalists:

Be prepared to sing from the standard repertoire in swing, ballad and latin styles. (Bring a CD of the accompaniment. Jamie Aebersold play along CDs are recommended)

The purpose of the audition is to show your skill level and preferences.  

Composition 

Audition: Follow the guidelines above for your given instrument. For a piano or string audition, follow the guidelines for the music minor.
Portfolio: Scores for three to five compositions, with accompanying recordings if available.
Piano Skills and Sight Singing Evaluations.
Piano and theory placement tests are administered to all applicants.