Music at Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Keyboard Audition Information

Piano

Pre-screening Requirement: ALL graduate Piano Performance and Literature applicants are required to submit a pre-screening recording along with their other application materials. Selections should include one major work from the Classical period and one major work from the Romantic period (one movement from each). 

Audition Requirements: Applicants for the M.M. or D.M.A. must present an audition program approximately the length of a full recital, including; a major work from the Baroque period, a major work from the Classical period, a major work from the Romantic period, and a major work from the twentieth century. Applicants will also be asked to sight-read.

Note: Piano Performance candidates may also apply for an Accompanying Assistantship. 

Piano Pedagogy

Applicants for the M.M. program should present an audition that includes the following: a complete Baroque work, one major work from the Classical period, one major work from the Romantic period, and one major work from the twentieth century.

Note: Piano Pedagogy candidates may also apply for an Accompanying Assistantship. 

Vocal Coaching and Accompanying

1. A solo movement of the applicant’s choice (memorization not required).
2. Rondo (second movement) from Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 1 in F major
3. One of the following, to be sung and played by the applicant in the key of the applicant’s choice:

- “C’est l’extase langoureuse” from Ariettes Oubliées by Claude Debussy and Paul Verlaine
- “Jesus bettelt (Schenk mir deinen goldenen Kamm)” Op. 2 no. 2 by Arnold Schoenberg and     Richard Dehmel

4. Applicants should be prepared to play and sing any part of the following:

- 3rd Act quartet “Dunque proprio finita!...”  from La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini
- "Big News!" from Parade by Jason Robert Brown

5. A sight-reading excerpt 

*Accompanying Assistantship
Non-Accompanying candidates may apply for a Lyric Theatre / Accompanying Assistantship by emailing their intent to audition to the Music Admissions office after they have passed the pre-screening requirement. Assistantship auditions will occur on the same day as the applicant's major audition. Applicants should prepare the above listed requirements.

Please note: Applicants auditioning for a Lyric Theatre / Accompanying Assistantship need only prepare requirements 1 and 2 and will be asked to sight-read.

In addition, each applicant should bring to the audition a repertory list of vocal and instrumental (winds and strings) accompanying s/he has done. Include ensemble, chamber music, choral accompanying, and any experience with opera or music theatre. The vocal repertory need not be detailed and specific by titles, but should be represented in terms of composers covered. This will aid in determining divisional and studio assignments should an assistantship be awarded. Applicants will also be asked to sight-read during the audition. 

Current students: Current University of Illinois School of Music students must contact the Accompanying Division Chair for permission to apply for an accompanying assistantship.

Organ

All graduate applicants should prepare an audition consisting of one major work of J.S. Bach, along with contrasting works from at least two other style periods. Memorization for organ audition is optional.

• Applicants for the M.M. degree should be prepared to play for twenty minutes.
• Applicants for the D.M.A. degree should be prepared to play for thirty minutes

Harpsichord

All graduate applicants should prepare an audition consisting of one major work of J.S. Bach, along with contrasting works from at least three other national styles, to be chosen from the following repertoire. Memorization for harpsichord auditions is optional.

1. A toccata by Frescobaldi or Froberger
2. A piece from the virginalist school
3. A French suite by L. Couperin, d’Anglebert, F. Couperin, or Rameau
4. Two contrasting sonatas by Scarlatti or Soler

• Applicants for the M.M. degree should be prepared to play for twenty minutes.
• Applicants for the D.M.A. degree should be prepared to play for thirty minutes

Updated on09/07/2018