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department chairs interest form admissions auditions

Download the Blair Music Profile and Audition Form (pdf format). Please complete the form and mail it to the address on the form.

Auditions Dates 2007-08

Early Decision:

December 1, 2007

Regular Decision:
January 25-26, 2008
February 8-9, 2008
February 22-23, 2008

Contact the Blair Admissions office at 615-322-6181 or email Dr. Dwayne P. Sagen (dwayne.p.sagen@vanderbilt.edu) with any further questions about auditions.


Recommended Audition Repertoire

Please note: The following repertoire is recommended, not required — but substitutions must be approved in advance. All scales must be memorized.

A personal audition is always preferred, but in exceptional circumstances, a videotaped audition may be possible. Only videotapes will be accepted in lieu of a live audition.

Videotape Audition Information and Requirements:

  1. Three performances from the selected repertoire list
  2. Scales
  3. A proctored Pitch Matching session.
    PROCEDURE: A proctor plays a note on the piano and the applicant sings the pitch back.
    FOR INFORMATION: Please call the Blair Admissions Office (615 322-6181) to receive a Pitch Matching Quiz.

Woodwinds

Flute (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Three solo pieces, standard sonata or concerto movements of contrasting styles/periods demonstrating technical proficiency and musical maturity

Flute (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Solo by Bach, Caplet, Handel, Pergolesi, Mozart, or similar work
  3. Etude by Andersen, Berbiguier, etc. (or a second solo)

Oboe (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting movements of a Baroque sonata or two movements of the Mozart Concerto
  3. One of the Barret Sixteen Grand Studies

Oboe (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Barret or Ferling
  3. Sonata by Handel or Telemann

Clarinet (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Mozart Concerto, Weber Concerto No. 2, or similar solo
  3. Two contrasting Rose etudes or two contrasting orchestral excerpts (one slow, one fast)

Clarinet (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Lazarus or Rose
  3. Solo by Mozart, Stamitz, or Weber

Saxophone (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes from Ferling's 48 Famous Studies or similar work
  3. Glazounov Concerto; Maurice Tableaux de Provence, first and fourth movements; or similar work

Saxophone (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Ferling or Voxman
  3. Solo by Bozza, Fauré, Handel, Platti, or Ward

Bassoon (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude from Weissenborn Studies, Op. 8, or from Milde Concert Studies, Book I
  3. Two contrasting movements chosen from a Baroque sonata, any Vivaldi concerto, or the Mozart Concerto

Bassoon (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Weissenborn
  3. Solo by Galliard, Telemann, or Vivaldi

Multiple Woodwinds (Performance)

  1. Audition on two instruments using repertoire above.

Note: There is no musical arts major in multiple woodwinds

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brass

Horn (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales, two octaves
  2. Etude from Maxime-Alphonse, Gallay, or Kling
  3. Mozart concerto or Strauss Concerto No. 1
  4. Orchestral excerpts

Horn (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude of choice
  3. Movement from a Mozart concerto

Trumpet (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes, such as Charlier or Bousquet
  3. Movement of the Haydn Concerto, Hummel Concerto, Hindemith Sonata, or similar work
  4. Orchestral excerpts

Trumpet (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Arban, Bousquet, Concone, Pottag, or Vonnetelbosch
  3. Solo by Corelli, Fizgerald, Goeyens, or Handel

Trombone (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes, such as Bordogni-Rochut or Kopprasch
  3. Major contemporary work (such as Hindemith Sonata or Gordon Jacob Concerto) demonstrating technical proficiency and musical maturity
  4. Orchestral excerpts

Trombone (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. An etude by Kopprasch, Rochut, or Tyrell
  3. A solo by Galliard, Guilmant, Rimsky-Korsakov, Serly, Serocki, or similar work

Bass Trombone (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes using the thumb valve(s)
  3. Solo work demonstrating technical proficiency and musical maturity
  4. Orchestral excerpts

Bass Trombone (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Arban, Kopprasch, Rochut, or Tyrell
  3. Solo by Galliard, Guilmant, Rimsky-Korsakov, Serly, Serocki, or similar work

Euphonium (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes technical and lyrical
  3. Solo by Barat, Capuzzi, Sparke, Ellerby or similar work
  4. Orchestral or band excerpts (optional)

Euphonium (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes, technical and lyrical
  3. Solo by Barat, Capuzzi, or similar work

Tuba (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting etudes
  3. First movement of the Vaughan Williams or Gregson Concerto, Hindemith Sonata, or similar work
  4. Orchestral excerpts

Tuba (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Blazhevich, Bordogni, or Kopprasch
  3. Solo by Marcello, Haddad, Hartley, or similar work

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strings

Violin (Performance)

  1. First or third movement of a standard concerto, memorized
  2. Two contrasting movements of a Bach solo sonata or partita, memorized

Violin (Musical Arts)

  1. Solo piece or movement of a concerto demonstrating technical proficiency and musical maturity
  2. Movement of a Bach solo sonata or partita

Viola (Performance)

  1. Etude demonstrating technical proficiency
  2. Two contrasting movements of a Bach unaccompanied cello suite, memorized
  3. First or third movement of a standard viola concerto including but not limited to Hoffmeister, Stamitz, Bartok, Walton. (Note: if preparing the Telemann Concerto in G, a slow-fast pair of movements is required). Memorized.

Viola (Musical Arts)

  1. Etude demonstrating technical proficiency
  2. One movement of a Bach unaccompanied cello suite
  3. One movement of a concerto

Cello (Performance)

  1. Etude demonstrating technical proficiency
  2. Two contrasting movements of a Bach unaccompanied suite
  3. Movement of a standard concerto, memorized

Cello (Musical Arts)

  1. Two contrasting movements of a Bach unaccompanied suite
  2. Movement of a standard concerto

Double Bass (Performance)

  1. First or third movement of a concerto or sonata from classical or romantic period, memorized
  2. A movement or piece from the Baroque period
  3. Two orchestral excerpts

Double Bass (Musical Arts)

  1. A movement or piece from the Baroque period
  2. A contrasting movement from any other period
  3. Etude or orchestral excerpts

Harp (Performance)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. One movement of a concerto by Handel, Mozart, Dittersdorf, or similar work
  3. Two contrasting solo pieces from different periods

Harp (Musical Arts)

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Two contrasting solos from different periods
  3. Etude by Bochsa, Pozzoli, Salzedo, or Bach-Grandjany

 

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keyboard

Piano (Performance)
Memorization Required

  1. Major and minor scales, four octaves
  2. Prelude and fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier or similar contrapuntal Baroque work
  3. Complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart (excluding K.545), or Beethoven (excluding Op. 49) or similar work from the Classical period
  4. A work from the Romantic or Impressionistic period
  5. A work in a contemporary idiom by a major 20th-century composer
  6. Sight reading

Piano (Musical Arts)
Memorization Required

  1. Major and minor scales, four octaves
  2. Sonata (one or more movements) by Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
  3. Contrasting work from the Romantic, Impressionistic, or Twentieth-Century period
  4. Sight Reading

Organ (Performance)
Applicants with no previous experience may audition on piano, using requirements listed for piano

  1. Praeludium by Buxtehude, Bruhns, Lubeck, etc., or a chorale prelude or work such as Prelude and Fugue in E Minor, BWV 533 by Bach
  2. Mendelssohn sonata movement, Brahms chorale prelude, one of Vierne's 24 Pieces en style libre, or similar Romantic work
  3. Sight reading, such as hymn or anthem accompaniment

Organ (Musical Arts)
Applicants with no previous experience may audition on piano, using requirements listed for piano

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Short composition from an organ method by Gleason, Peeters, Andrews, Ritchie/Stouffer, Ragatz, Soderlund, etc.
  3. Manual or manual and pedal work from 80 Chorale Preludes by German Masters of the 17th and 18th centuries or similar work

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percussion

Percussion (Performance)
Selections from all three areas:

Snare Drum

  1. Demonstrated proficiency of basic techniques including open and closed rolls, flams, paradiddles, ruff, and drags
  2. Solo in rudimental or concert style

Keyboard Percussion (marimba, xylophone, vibraphone)

  1. Major and minor scales, two octaves
  2. Major and minor arpeggios, two octaves
  3. Solo using two to four mallets

Timpani

  1. Demonstrated proficiency of basic strokes and rolls using contrasting dynamics
  2. Interval recognition
  3. Solo using two to four drums

Percussion (Musical Arts)
Selections from at least two areas:

Snare Drum

  1. Etude by Cirone, Feldstein, Firth, Goldenberg, Wilcoxen, Handel, McMillan, or Whaley

Keyboard Percussion (marimba, xylophone, vibraphone)

  1. Major and minor scales, two octaves
  2. Solo by Bach, Cirone, Goldenberg, Handel, McMillan, Peters, or Whaley

Timpani

  1. Etude by Cirone, Firth, Goodman, Hinger, McMillan, Peters, or Whaley

Drum Set

  1. Etude by Appice, Cappazolli, Chopin, Fink, Kettle, Reed, or Rogers. Demonstration of selected styles (i.e. Rock, Swing, Latin, etc.)

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classical guitar

Classical Guitar (Performance)
Memorization Required

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Proficient basic technique, including proper use of rest-stroke and free-stroke
  3. Solo representing each period: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Romantic
  4. Fifth solo of applicant's choice

Classical Guitar (Musical Arts)
Memorization Required

  1. Major and minor scales
  2. Etude by Aguado, Carcassi, Carulli, Giulani, or Sor
  3. Selection from Solo Guitar Playing, Vol. I by Noad or Classic Guitar Technique by Shearer

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voice

Voice (Performance)
Memorization Required

  1. 17th-, 18th-, or 19th-Century Italian, French, or German Art Song
  2. 20th-Century American or British Art Song
  3. Art song or operatic aria
  4. Sight reading
    Note: Pop, rock, jazz, country, Broadway, or gospel music is not appropriate

Voice (Musical Arts)
Memorization Required

  1. 17th-, 18th-, or 19th-Century Italian, French, or German Art Song
  2. 20th-Century American or British Art Song
  3. Sight reading
    Note: Pop, rock, jazz, country, Broadway, or gospel music is not appropriate

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composition/theory

Composition/Theory

  1. Portfolio of scores and/or tapes of original compositions
  2. Personal interview, including aural skills exam

    Both are required for admission to the concentration in composition within the Musical Arts degree as well as for the B.Mus. degree in Composition/Theory

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off campus auditions 2008

Jan 7, 2008
Portland, OR (for Seattle and Portland areas)
Downtown Hilton Hotel, in Portland, OR, 4-6 PM

Jan 8, 2008
Los Angeles, CA
Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, CA 4-6 PM

Jan 10, 2008
San Diego, CA
Mount Carmel High School in San Diego, CA, 4-6 PM

Jan 16, 2008
Houston, TX
Houston School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), 4-6 PM

Jan 17, 2008
Dallas, TX
Allen High School in Allen, TX, 4-6 PM

Jan 30, 2008
Washington, D.C.
George Marshall High School in Falls Church, VA, 4-6 PM

Feb 1, 2008
New York City, NY
Riverside Church on Riverside Drive (Upper West Side), 4-6 PM

Feb 14, 2008
Boston, MA
Weston High School in Weston, MA, 4-6 PM

Mar 3, 2008
Cleveland, OH
Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, OH, 4-6 PM

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