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Music Audition Info.

Curtis Institute of Music


Cello All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo. Applicants will play: 1. a complete J. S. Bach suite 2. one of the following concertos, complete:
o o o o o o o o o o o

Saint-Sans No. 1 Boccherini in B-flat Haydn in C or D Dvorak Lalo Elgar Shostakovich No. 1 Walton Schumann Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations Prokofiev, Sinfonia Concertante

3. an tude from Popper, Op. 73, or an tude by Piatti 4. one of the sonatas by Beethoven or Brahms, complete. Everything except the Beethoven or Brahms is to be played from memory. Conducting Applicants to the Helen F. Whitaker Conducting Program should possess a strong foundation in basic musicianship, including an excellent ear. Applicants will be asked to read a J. S. Bach chorale at the keyboard from a score employing three C-clefs (soprano, alto, and tenor) and bass clef. They will demonstrate familiarity with the orchestral literature including, but not limited to, the classical symphonic repertory. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate scorereading ability in a variety of repertoire. Applicants should be proficient on at least one instrument and display the communicative and physical aptitude for a career on the podium.

New England Conservatory of Music Cello Prescreening Recording: 1. A major movement of a concerto demonstrating both artistry and virtuosity. 2. The Prelude and any dance movement from a Bach Cello Suite. 3. (MM, GD, & DMA only) Two contrasting movements of a standard sonata (e.g. Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff). The sonata must be performed with piano. Undergraduate Auditions: Please consider the following to be repertoire guidelines rather than strict requirements; some flexibility in choice of repertoire is permitted. 1. A major movement of a concerto demonstrating both artistry and virtuosity. 2. The Prelude and any dance movement from a Bach Cello Suite. 3. One of the following: A showpiece such as Tchaikovsky Pezzo Capricciosoor Davidoff At the Fountain; an Italian sonata by Boccherini, Valentini or Locatelli; or a Popper Etude or Piatti Caprice. *Works 1 and 2 must be memorized. Master of Music and Graduate Diploma Auditions: Please consider the following to be repertoire guidelines rather than strict requirements; some flexibility in choice of repertoire is permitted. 1. A complete concerto from the standard repertoire. 2. A complete Bach Suite. 3. A complete work written after 1940. 4. One of the following: A showpiece such as Tchaikovsky Pezzo Capricciosoor Davidoff At the Fountain; an Italian sonata by Boccherini, Valentini or Locatelli; or a Popper Etude or Piatti Caprice. 5. Optional: One movement of a standard sonata (e.g. Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff). If played, the sonata must be rehearsed and performed with a piano. A list of pianists to contact is available from the Admissions Office. *Works 1 and 2 must be memorized.

Doctor of Musical Arts Auditions: 1. A complete concerto from the standard repertoire. 2. A complete Bach Suite. 3. One movement of a standard sonata (e.g. Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff). The sonata must be rehearsed and performed with piano. A list of pianists to contact is available from the Admissions Office. 4. A 20th or 21st century work of major difficulty (e.g. Carter Sonata, Britten Solo Suite or Sonata, Poulenc Sonate, Hindemith or Kodaly solo sonatas). 5. One of the following: A showpiece such as Tchaikovsky Pezzo Capricciosoor Davidoff At the Fountain; and Italian sonata by Boccherini, Valentini or Locatelli; or a Popper Etude or Piatti Caprice. *Works 1 and 2 must be performed from memory. Conducting The prescreening submission should be between 15 and 30 minutes in length and include at least three works (or excerpts of works) in contrasting styles.

At least one work should be from the standard repertoire. At least one work should show a rehearsal and performance of the same work with the same ensemble.

Selected applicants will be invited to NEC for an examination and interview with Hugh Wolff, and will audition in front of a live orchestra. Repertoire for this audition will be determined at least one month prior.

Oberlin Conservatory of Music


Cello Two or three selectionsincluding movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo piecesof contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempo.

Manhattan School of Music


Conducting Conducting Prescreening All applicants in conducting are required to send a video for prescreening purposes. Applicants should also send a professional resume and a description of the contents of

the video: what work is being conducted; what is the group and what is the applicants relationship to this group (i.e. regular conductor/music director of a performing ensemble; member of a conducting class leading a student group; etc); is this a rehearsal or a performance.

Audition Repertoire for Prescreening Applicants should send representative video of their work in conducting. If possible, show complete movements with contrasting styles and tempi. The repertoire and the group being conducted should be clearly identified. Applicants may be asked to s ubmit additional video or other information during the audition process.

Digital Submission of Video Audition Upload Files to www.ArtsApp.com/msmnyc > Each piece must have its own file. Maximum file size of 1 GB. Total portfolio size must be under 6 GB. Cost to upload is $10 per application, payable through the ArtsApp Website. Get Technical support at support@artsapp.com > ArtsApp Format Requirements: Video: .asf, .avi, .flv, .mov, .m4v, .mp4, .mpg, .mvb, .swf, .wmv

Audition Those applicants who pass the prescreen audition will be invited to come to New York for an in-person audition in March or April. Students who live far from New York City may request a video audition.

Cleveland Institute of Music


Cello/Cello Suzuki Pedagogy (not required on recorded auditions) In general, CIM's acceptance rate is higher for live auditions than for recorded auditions. As a result, live auditions in Cleveland are strongly preferred, and are required for all applicants to the Artist Certificate, Artist Diploma, or Doctor of Musical Arts programs. There are no regional auditions. Be sure to follow the submission requirements below if submitting a recorded audition (video is required). CD/DVD submissions are not accepted. Do not mail them to CIM. There is a simple method for uploading video recordings at the following link:www.citizengroove.com/clients/cim/apply/welcome/. Should technical issues occur while

uploading, click on the Help button on the left side of the screen. The CitizenGroove staff will be pleased to assist. The following video formats can be uploaded: avi, m4v, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg, ogg, vob, and wmv, and large file sizes can be accommodated. Each required piece of audition repertoire must be recorded separately, and recordings should be submitted at the time of application. They must be unedited and produced with a single, fixed-focus camera (no zooming) that displays a full-body view of the applicant and instrument. Recordings may be produced on home-quality equipment; studio-quality production is not necessary. Accompaniment also is not required. The required audition repertoire is as follows: Undergraduate (must be played from memory)

Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three or four octaves Two contrasting etudes of Franchomme, Piatti, or Popper Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite One movement of a standard concerto

Graduate (must be played from memory)


Two contrasting etudes of Franchomme, Piatti, or Popper Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite One movement of a standard concerto

For a doctoral audition, the cello faculty selects from the following requirements:

An entire Bach Suite Complete standard concerto 20th- or 21st-Century composition (memorization not required)

Conducting (Orchestral) A live audition in Cleveland is required for the orchestral conducting program. In addition, applicants must submit video recordings demonstrating technical and musical accomplishment on an instrument or voice. These recordings should present two (and only two) contrasting selections of the applicant's choice. Be sure to follow the submission requirements below if submitting a recorded audition (video is required). CD/DVD submissions are not accepted. Do not mail them to CIM. There is a simple method for uploading video recordings at the following link:www.citizengroove.com/clients/cim/apply/welcome/. Should technical issues occur while uploading, click on the Help button on the left side of the screen. The CitizenGroove staff will be pleased to assist. The following video formats can be uploaded: avi, m4v, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg, ogg, vob, and wmv, and large file sizes can be accommodated. Each required piece of audition repertoire must be recorded separately, and recordings should be submitted at the

time of application. They must be unedited and produced with a single, fixed-focus camera (no zooming) that displays a full-body view of the applicant and instrument. Recordings may be produced on home-quality equipment; studio-quality production is not necessary. Accompaniment also is not required. Ensembles perform for conducting applicants, under rehearsal conditions, and the following repertoire is required: Mozart, Cos fan Tutte, #11 to "Smanie implacabile" Wagner, Siegfried Idyll Tchaikovsky, Serenade for Strings, third movement. On the scheduled audition date, each applicant also completes all of the following:

an interview with the Director of the Orchestral Program all admission examinations a written test of orchestral repertoire, instruments, and techniques a piano proficiency examination; each applicant must prepare a solo work of choice that best reflects ability

Mannes College of Music


Cello Audition Requirements Prescreening Round (all applicants) All applicants for the cello concentration (undergraduate and graduate) must submit a preliminary audition recording via Artsapp (www.artsapp.com/mannes). Based on this prescreening, they may be invited to the required live audition. *Exception: cello applicants currently enrolled in a degree program at Mannes are not prescreened. The prescreening audition must include the following repertoire only. Works not written for solo cello must be recorded with an accompanist. 1. The first movement of a cello concerto from the standard repertoire 2. Any two movements of a Bach suite for unaccompanied violoncello 3. A slow and a fast movement from a sonata in contrasting style from 1 and 2. 4. An tude by Popper Live Audition Round Applicants must use an accompanist for all appropriate literature (Mannes will provide an accompanist, or applicants may bring their own). Applicants must bring sheet music for the accompanist. Undergraduate Audition Repertoire (Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Undergraduate Diploma):

1. Scales and arpeggios in all major and minor keys 2. An tude by Popper 3. Two contrasting movements from a Bach suite for unaccompanied violoncello 4. A fast and slow movement from any standard concerto Note: All pieces must be performed from memory . Graduate Audition Repertoire (Master of Music, Professional Studies Diploma): The repertoire is the same as for the undergraduate audition, except that Applicants must perform a program of complete works from the standard repertoire that represents contrasting stylistic periods Master of Music applicants must perform at an advanced level Professional Studies applicants must perform at a highly advanced level Test and Interview Requirements First-time freshman applicants are tested in the fundamentals of theory and dictation (45 minutes) Transfer applicants take a comprehensive musicianship exam covering theory, dictation, ear training, harmony, and analysis. The results will determine the applicant's transfer status. Master of Music applicants take a comprehensive musicianship exam covering theory, dictation, harmony, and analysis. Professional Studies Diploma applicants are not required to take musicianship tests. All applicants whose native language is not English must take the Mannes English Placement Test (approximately 1 hour in length). Orchestral Conducting Test and Interview Requirements Round I: Evaluation Applicants must demonstrate above-average ability in theory and ear training Applicants are given piano and instrumental dictation Applicants are tested on musicianship necessary for conductors (terminology, knowledge of orchestral literature and music history, conducting technique, etc). Applicants are interviewed by members of the Techniques of Music faculty about their keyboard skills, score-reading ability, and knowledge of orchestral literature. Applicants may be eliminated on the basis of these evaluations. Round II: Conducting Two Pianists Applicants who are invited to Round II are asked to conduct a piano duo. The repertoire will be announced at least two weeks before the audition date. Round III: Conducting an Orchestra Applicants invited to Round III are asked to conduct an orchestra or other large ensemble. The repertoire will be announced at least two weeks before the audition date. All applicants whose native language is not English must take the Mannes English Placement Test (approximately 1 hour in length).

San Fransisco Conservatory of Music


Cello For prescreening and final audition

two contrasting movements of a Bach solo suite, sonata or partita any first movement of a concerto, with cadenza where applicable

Conducting Prescreening Requirements Candidates must submit an unedited audio-visual recording of the applicant conducting a group in rehearsal for at least 30 minutes. A full orchestra is not necessary. Applicants may include a concert performance in addition to the 30 minutes of rehearsal, but this is not required. Finalist Requirements Finalists will be invited to audition in person at the Conservatory and will conduct the Conservatory Orchestra for their audition. In addition, they will be tested in the following areas: musicianship, score reading, figured bass and keyboard harmonization of a melody.

Rice University
Cello Required preliminary repertoire Preliminary audition is by DVD. tude by Popper or Grutzmacher or Caprice by Piatti, Franchomme, or Paganini One movement (or about five minutes) of a major concerto Prelude from an unaccompanied Bach Cello Suite Required undergraduate live audition repertoire tude by Popper or Grutzmacher or Caprice by Piatti, Franchomme, or Paganini One movement of a major concerto Two movements from an unaccompanied Bach Cello Suite The concerto and Bach suite should be played from memory, if possible. Preliminary recording Submit the Audition Profile Form online and mail the recording to Phyllis Smith USPS Shepherd School of Music MS 532 Rice University P.O. Box 1892 Federal Express Shepherd School of Music MS 532 Rice University 6100 Main Street

Houston, TX 77251-1892

Houston, TX 77005

University of North Texas


Cello First movement of a standard concerto (Dvorak, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, etc.), and a movement of a solo Bach suite. Please note that the works listed are only suggested pieces; any standard work of comparable quality is acceptable. There is no memory requirement. The instrumentalist should prepare 10-15 minutes of music.

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