Audition Requirements

Students may be admitted as music majors or minors only after successfully passing an audition. The audition is also used to determine a student’s eligibility for a Music Talent Award. Audition repertoire requirements vary with each performing medium:

Brass

• Horn: Students auditioning for the horn studio should prepare:
  • A first movement from one of the following concertos: Mozart: Concertos Nos. 2,3 or 4; R. Strauss: Concerto No. 1 or F. Strauss: Concerto, Op. 8 OR Saint-Säens: Morceau de Concert (complete) or Dukas: Vilanelle
  • Any technical-style etude by Kopprasch, Maxime-Alphone, Mueller, Kling or Cugnot
  • All scales (major, minor and chromatic) in two octaves of range.
• Trumpet: Students will be asked to perform major and chromatic scales and one or more compositions of their choice. Students should be prepared to demonstrate sight reading ability.

• Trombone: 2 contrasting solo pieces or etudes. Suggested solos include Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique, Larsson: Concertino for Trombone, or Saint-Saëns: Cavatine. Bass trombone suggested solos include Jacob: Cameos, and Lebedev: Concerto in One Movement. Suggested etudes include: Blazhevich: Clef Studies for Trombone, Kopprasch: 60 Selected Studies for Trombone, or Bordogni/Rochut: Melodious Etudes for Trombone Book 1. For bass trombone, suggested etudes include Ostrander: Method for Bass Trombone, and Blume: 36 Studies. Students will be asked to perform major and chromatic scales and should be prepared to demonstrate sight reading ability.

• Tuba/Euphonium:

  Students will be asked to play both major and chromatic scales (preferably two octaves). In addition, they should prepare two contrasting solos and/or etudes (technical and lyrical). All candidates will be given sight-reading and complete a brief personal interview at the audition.

  Suggested Solos—Euphonium

  • Capuzzi—Andante and Rondo
  • Fauré—Apreés un rêve
  • Marcello—Sonata in F Major
  • Rachmaninov—Vocalise
  • Vaughan Williams—Six Studies in English Folksong

  Suggested Solos—Tuba

  • Bach—Air and Bourée
  • Barat—Introduction and Dance
  • Hindemith—Sonate
  • Jacob—Tuba Suite
  • Vivaldi—Sonata No. 3
  • Wilder—Effie Suite

Woodwinds

• Flute: 
  • Two contrasting movements or short pieces from the standard flute repertoire (examples: Mozart Concerto in G Major Mvt. I and Cantabile et Presto by Enesco or Telemann Fantasia No. 3 in B minor and Poulenc Sonata Mvt. I). If you prefer, you may choose a contemporary work with extended techniques as one of your selections (optional – not required).
  • Be prepared to play your full-range chromatic scale and two Major or minor extended-range scales of your choosing (rhythm and highest/lowest pitches personal preference).
    
  • Sight-reading may also be required. 
• Oboe
• • Two contrasting movements from the major solo repertoire (e.g., Mozart "Concert," Haydn "Concerto," Handel "Sonata in C minor, "Saint-Saens "Sonata)
  • Memorized major scales and a chromatic scale from lowest note to highest note. Minor scales are strongly encouraged but not required.
  • Sight Reading
• Bassoon: Students will be asked to perform major, minor and chromatic scales, and two contrasting compositions or movements of their choice. Students should be prepared to demonstrate sight reading ability.
• Clarinet:
  • Two contrasting etudes by Cavallini (30 Caprices), Rose, Uhl, or Jeanjean
  • At least one major solo of comparable difficulty to Concerti by Mozart, Stamitz or Weber; Sonatas by Saint-Saëns, Bahms, Poulenc or Bernstein; or French conservatory piece (essager, Marty, Rabaud, or Debussy)
  • All major, minor, and chromatic scales
  • Sight Reading
• Saxophone: Students will be asked to perform major, minor and chromatic scales, and two contrasting compositions or movements of their choice. Students should be prepared to demonstrate sight reading ability.

Composition

Students will be asked to submit a composition portfolio including two or three original scores (PDF only), with recordings if available. Recordings should be in one of the following formats: .mp3, .m4a, .wav, .aiff. Portfolios should be uploaded no later than two (2) weeks prior to the audition date for review by the composition faculty.

• All students should submit portfolios directly to musicadmissions@bgsu.edu.
• Your audition day will include your instrumental audition, as well as an interview with the composition faculty. Please see the other audition requirements on this webpage to know how to prepare for your audition.

Guitar

• Classical: Students should prepare one movement from an unaccompanied suite (lute, cello, etc.) by J.S. Bach, a second piece by a Spanish or South American composer and a third piece of their choice that best represents their technical and musical abilities. The student should bring the printed music to all three pieces, in standard music notation, to the audition.
• Jazz: Students should bring a list of jazz and American songbook standards for which they are prepared to play the melody, an improvised solo and comp (all from memory). For these selections, accompaniment will be provided. Students should also prepare an unaccompanied solo arrangement of an American songbook composition. Students may be asked to demonstrate their knowledge of scales, chord voicings and sight-reading. The ability to read standard music notation is required.

Jazz (bass guitar, double bass, percussion, piano, saxophone, trumpet, trombone)

• Instrumental Jazz: Students will be asked to perform one solo in the jazz idiom which should be representative of their ability and experience with improvisation. The composition or tune should be chosen from American songbook standards, and/or classic jazz repertoire. Students should be prepared to demonstrate improvisation skills and sight reading ability.

Keyboard

• Piano: Students will be asked to perform three compositions (preferably from memory) from different historical periods: baroque, classical, romantic or contemporary. Students should be prepared to demonstrate sight reading proficiency.

Percussion (Music Education, Performance, BMA)

Students auditioning for admission into the percussion studio are expected to perform at least three prepared pieces in the following areas: 

• Concert and/or Rudimental snare drum (ex: Cirone, Peters, Pratt, Wilcoxon)
• Two and/or four mallet marimba (ex: Goldenberg, Hatch, Green, ZIvkovic, Sammut, Peters, Smadbeck) 
• One of the following areas:
  • Timpani (ex: Firth, Goodman, Peters, Campbell)
  • Multiple percussion (must be submitted electronically. Ex: Peters, Kraft, Tagawa, Glassock)
  • Drum set (prepared solo and/or style demonstration: rock, swing, latin, etc.)

Students will also be asked to sight-read on snare drum and keyboard percussion.

A list of suggested audition repertoire can be found at this link under "Suggested Audition Repertoire".  

Students should provide copies of their prepared pieces at their audition.

Please contact Dr. Daniel Piccolo with any questions: dpiccol@bgsu.edu

Jazz Percussion

Students auditioning for admission into the jazz studies program are required to perform the following material on drum set:

• Style demonstration: medium swing, up swing, shuffle, waltz, Bossa nova, samba, mambo, rock, funk
• Sight-read a big band chart
• Scales and sight-reading on keyboard percussion
• Optional materials (encouraged, but not required)
  • Prepared drum set solo
  • Transcription
  • Prepared marimba/vibe solo

Please contact Dr. Daniel Piccolo with any questions: dpiccol@bgsu.edu.

Strings

• Violin: Students should perform two selections displaying contrasting styles; such as a movement of unaccompanied J.S. Bach and a movement of a standard concerto, standard sonata or concert piece; one demonstrating technical facility and another demonstrating tone production. Consult your teacher for suggestions. In addition, students may be asked to play a three octave scale and sight read.
• Viola: Students should perform two selections displaying contrasting styles; such as a movement of unaccompanied J.S. Bach and a movement of a standard concerto, standard sonata or concert piece; one demonstrating technical facility and another demonstrating tone production. Consult your teacher for suggestions. In addition, students may be asked to play a three octave scale and sight read.
• Cello: Students should perform two selections displaying contrasting styles; such as a movement of unaccompanied J.S. Bach and a movement of a standard concerto, standard sonata or concert piece; one demonstrating technical facility and another demonstrating tone production. Consult your teacher for suggestions. In addition students may be asked to play a three octave scale and sight read.
• Bass: Students should perform two selections displaying contrasting styles; such as a movement of unaccompanied J.S. Bach and a movement of a standard concerto, standard sonata or concert piece; one demonstrating technical facility and another demonstrating tone production. Consult your teacher for suggestions. In addition students may be asked to play a three octave scale and sight read, and/or play one prepared orchestral excerpt of their choice.
• Harp: Students should perform two selections displaying contrasting styles; one demonstrating technical facility and another demonstrating tone production. Selections may include movements from a standard concerto, duo or solo sonata or a single movement work. Consult your teacher for suggestions.

Voice

Students must perform two songs from memory: one in English and the other in a foreign language (e.g., French, German, Italian or Spanish). The songs may be from any musical period. Vocalists are required to perform with accompaniment.

• You may bring your own pianist or pay a $20 fee to utilize our collaborative pianist.
• If utilizing our pianist for your audition, you must:
• 1. Pay the $20 collaborative pianist fee no later than two weeks prior to your audition.  
  • Information on how to pay this will be sent in your audition confirmation email.
• 2. Send PDFs of your music 
  • Scan and email a PDF of a clearly printed Piano/Vocal score in your key no later than two weeks prior to your audition date to musicadmissions@bgsu.edu.
  • Clearly mark your name and audition date requested on the scan. 
• Due to the number of vocalists auditioning, there will be no rehearsal time.
• The voice area does not accept taped or CD accompaniments.
• Additionally, you must bring a copy of the original accompaniment to your audition.
• No lead sheets or choral arrangements are permitted.