Suggested Repertoire for Music Major/Minor Auditions

NOTE: The following repertoire list is intended to help guide you and your teachers in choosing appropriate pieces for auditions. These pieces are intended to serve as recommendations, not requirements. It is advisable to present pieces for which there is published and written notation available.

Contact the Music Department with questions about the appropriateness of your audition pieces. In all cases, you should choose pieces that you feel most comfortable with and that exhibit your highest level of musical skill.

Bassoon
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles, or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Hindemith Sonata or Galliard Sonata.

Cello
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos, such as the first movement of 
Goltermann, Davidoff, Haydn in C, Elgar or Saint Saens concerto, and a movement of an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita.

Clarinet
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Mozart Concerto or Rossini Variations.

Double Bass
One classical solo piece that demonstrates your highest technical ability, and two contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Euphonium
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Marcello Sonata III or Barat Andante Allegro.

Flute
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Poulenc Sonata or Chaminade Concertino.

Guitar
Two classical solo pieces and/or etudes in contrasting moods, styles or tempos. If possible, include a dance movement from the Lute or Cello works of J.S. Bach.

Harp
Scales and tonic glissandos in all keys. Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos.

Horn
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Mozart Concerto No. 1 or Hindemith Sonata.

Oboe
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Hindemith Sonata or Cimaroso Concerto.

Organ
Two organ works of contrasting periods and styles, demonstrating the student's abilities. Students wishing to study organ but with little or no organ experience may audition on piano (see piano audition guidelines).

Percussion
Performance on snare drum, keyboard percussion and timpani are required. Snare drum: demonstration of rudimental drumming, solos such as Goldenberg 12 Progressive Solos (select one). Keyboard percussion: Major and harmonic minor scales up to four sharps and four flats covering the practicable range; chromatic scale over the practicable range. Solos such as Haydn Gypsy Rondo. Timpani: solos such as Firth Solo Impressions.

Piano (and Organ)
Two of the following options:
1. A Bach Two or Three-part Invention or a Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier (or equivalent)
2. A first movement from a sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven (or equivalent)
3. Either a 19-century or 20-century work

Saxophone
Two classical pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Whitney Introduction and Samba or Bozza Improvisation et Caprice.

Trombone
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent to difficulty to Saint-Saens Cavatine or Guilmant Morceau Symphonique.

Trumpet
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Haydn Concerto or Ropartz Andante and Allegro.

Tuba
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos equivalent in difficulty to Hartley Sonata or Nelhybel Suite for Tuba.

Viola
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos, such as the first movement of Stamitz or Hoffmeister concert, and a movement of an unaccompanied Bach Suite.

Violin
Two classical solo pieces in contrasting moods, styles or tempos, such as the first movement of Viotti, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Saint Saens or Bruch concerto, and a movement of an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita.

Voice

- Music Majors and Music Minors
Two classical solos (art songs and/or arias) of the student's own choosing in contrasting moods, styles or tempos. One must be in English and, if possible, the other in Italian, German, French, Spanish, or another language. NOTE: for live voice auditions, a collaborative pianist will be provided for all voice auditions (please provide sheet music for the pianist on your audition day). Notify the Music Department in advance if you will be providing your own pianist.

- Musical Theatre Minor
Two musical theatre solos of the student's own choosing in contrasting moods, styles or tempos. For live voice auditions, a collaborative pianist will be provided for all voice auditions (please provide sheet music for the pianist on your audition day). Notify the Music Department in advance if you will be providing your own pianist.

Repertoire suggestions for Musical Theatre Minor: 

Bass-Baritone: If I Loved You, Happy/Sad, When Words Fail, Barrett’s Song, This Nearly Was Mine 

Tenor: Giants in the Sky, On the Street Where You Live, Try Me, What Do I Need With Love 

Mezzo-Soprano: Pretty Funny, Where is Love, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, You Don’t Know This Man 

Soprano: Many a New Day, Vanilla Ice Cream, Goodnight My Someone, Come to My Garden