Jacobs School of Music

Woodwind Audition Information

Bassoon

MM and PDSP

All applicants should prepare:

• Mozart, Bassoon Concerto-movements I and II with cadenzas;
• One contrasting work of the candidate's choice;
• A Milde Concert Study, Vol. I;
• Four orchestral excerpts: Mozart, Marriage of Figaro; Ravel, Bolero; Beethoven, Symphony No 4/I Movement IV and Rimsky-Korsakov,
• Scheherazade/Movement II, both cadenzas;
• The chromatic scale, all major and minor (harmonic, melodic) scales, whole tone scales, and arpeggios (major, minor, augmented, and diminished-seventh) - all full range.

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music applicants must submit a prescreening recording (compact disc) to be considered for a live audition. Recordings must be submitted online to the Office of Music Admissions by the December 1, 2018 application deadline. Auditions will take place during the February and March audition weekends on Friday, February 1, 2019 and Friday, March 1, 2019 by invitation only. As part of the 30 minute audition, students are expected to perform with piano selected movements totaling 15 minutes from two contrasting works. A pianist will be provided.

All recordings must be submitted online, please click here for detailed information.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

Requested repertoire is as follows:

All applicants should prepare:

• Mozart, Bassoon Concerto-movements I and II with cadenzas;
• One substantial Baroque or Romantic concerto or sonata;
• One substantial twentieth-century concerto, sonata or solo work;
• Three orchestral excerpts selected from: Mozart, Marriage of Figaro; Ravel, Bolero; Beethoven, Symphony No. 4/I Movement IV and Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade/Movement II, both cadenzas; Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4/ Movement II and Shostakovich, Symphony No. 9/ Movements 3 and 4;
• The Chromatic scale, all major and minor (harmonic, melodic) scales, whole tone scales, and arpeggios (major, minor, augmented, and diminished-seventh) - all full range. 

Clarinet

MM and PDSP

 Applicants should prepare:

• All major and minor (harmonic, melodic) scales through seven sharps and flats;
• Three contrasting solos from the standard repertoire; and
• Three contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music applicants must submit a prescreening recording to be considered for a live audition. Recordings must be submitted online to the Office of Music Admissions by the December 1, 2018 application deadline. Please click here for detailed instructions.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

 If invited, live auditions will take place during the February and March audition weekends on Saturday, February 2, 2019 and Saturday, March 2, 2019. The 20 minute live audition will consist of materials selected from the following:

• All major and minor (harmonic, melodic) scales through seven sharps and flats;
• Three contrasting solos from the standard repertoire; and
• Three contrasting orchestral excerpts.

No pianist is required.

Flute

MM and PDSP

Screening Repertoire:

Applicants should perform the first two movements of a C.P.E Bach sonata, a J.S. Bach sonata or a Mozart concerto and three minutes of a piece in a contrasting style (not 18th century), and two contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Audition Repertoire:

Applicants should prepare all movements of:

• One of the following: a sonata by J. S. Bach (E major, E minor, B minor, A major; Partita in A minor), a sonata by C. P. E. Bach (Hamburg Sonata or Solo in A minor), or the Concerto in G major by Mozart (cadenzas not required);
• One substantial twentieth-century concerto or sonata;
• One work of the applicant's choice in a contrasting style from the above; and
• Three contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music applicants must submit a screening recording video to be considered for a live audition. Recordings must be submitted online to the Office of Music Admissions by the December 1, 2018 application deadline. Please click here for detailed instructions.

Screening Repertoire:

Applicants should perform the first two movements of a C.P.E Bach sonata, a J.S. Bach sonata or a Mozart concerto and ten minutes of a piece in a contrasting style (not 18th century) and two contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Auditions will take place during the February audition weekend on Friday, February 1, 2019 by invitation only. As part of the 20- minute audition, students are expected to perform with piano selected movements totaling 15 minutes. A pianist will be provided.

Audition Repertoire:

• The first two complete movements of the Mozart Concerto in G Major (cadenzas not required);
• The first movement of either the Prokofiev Sonata or the Nielsen Concerto;
• The complete Cantabile et Presto by Enesco or the Fantaisie by Faure;
• One complete unaccompanied work of your choice in a contrasting style from the above; and
• Three contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Oboe

MM and PDSP

Applicants should prepare:

• Two contrasting etudes from Barret, Grand Etudes from A Complete Method for the Oboe, or Ferling, 48 Famous Studies;
• One complete major concerto or sonata by Bach, Handel, Telemann, or Vivaldi;
• One complete major post-Baroque concerto (such as Martinu, Mozart, Strauss, or Vaughan Williams); and
• Four orchestral excerpts: Beethoven, Symphony No. 3; Brahms, Violin Concerto; Rossini, La scala di seta; and Strauss, Don Juan.

Doctor of Music (DM)

Doctor of Music applicants must submit a prescreening recording (compact disc) to be considered for a live audition. Recordings must be submitted online to the Office of Music Admissions by the December 1, 2018 application deadline. Auditions will take place during the February and March audition weekends on Friday, February 1, 2019 and Friday, March 1, 2019 by invitation only. As part of the 30 minute audition, students are expected to perform with piano selected movements totaling 15 minutes from two contrasting works. A pianist will be provided.

All recordings must be submitted online, please click here for detailed instructions.

*Please Note: Applicants who are required to submit pre-screening will submit their letters of recommendation to Acceptd.

For live audition applicants should prepare:

• Mozart Concerto (complete)
• One complete major concerto or sonata by Bach, Handel, Telemann, or Vivaldi;
• One complete major post-Classical concerto (such as Martinu, Strauss, or Vaughan Williams);
•  Two contrasting etudes from Barret, Grand Etudes from A Complete Method for the Oboe, or Ferling, 48 Famous Studies;
• Four orchestral excerpts: Beethoven, Symphony No. 3; Brahms, Violin Concerto; Rossini, La scala di seta; and Strauss, Don Juan.

For Pre-Screening recording applicants should prepare:

Recordings should include piano accompaniment where applicable.

• Mozart Concerto (mvts. 1 and 2 OR mvts. 2 and 3)
• Two contrasting movements of a Baroque concerto or sonata
• One movement of a twentieth century concerto or sonata
• Two Ferling etudes (one slow, one fast)
• The following four orchestral excerpt: Brahms- Violin Concerto; Rossini- La Scala di Seta; Rimsky-Korsakov- Sheherazade; Strauss- Don Juan

Saxophone

MM in Jazz Studies

• Major scales (and their modes), whole tone, diminished, and ascending melodic minor scales (and their modes).  For the screening recording, include only four of each scale type (your choice).
• Play the melody and improvise from memory on the chord changes of one tune from each of the following three lists.
• Bebop tunes: Groovin' High, Half Nelson, Confirmation, Donna Lee, Joy Spring, Stablemates.
• Standard tunes: All The Things You Are, Stella By Starlight, What Is  This Thing Called Love?, Star Eyes, Alone Together, There Will Never Be Another You, Have You Met Miss Jones?, On Green Dolphin Street
• Post-bop tunes: Giant Steps, Moment's Notice, Bolivia, Inner Urge, Dolphin Dance, Moontrane.
• Auditionees may be asked to sight-read chord changes and typical jazz ensembles parts.
• Note: If invited to audition in person, auditionees will play two audition events, one for the saxophone faculty and one for members of the Jazz Studies faculty.

MM, PDSP, DM

• Screening:
• Two etudes (one technical, one lyrical by Ferling, Lacour, Mule or Voxman).
• Two complete solo works, including at least one selection from the standard repertoire (such as a work by Creston, Desenclos, Dubois, Glazunov, Heiden, Ibert, Maurice, Milhaud, Tomasi, etc.).
• Four full-range major scales and corresponding triads of the applicant's choice, four full-range harmonic minor scales and corresponding triads of the applicant's choice, and the full-range chromatic scale.

• Live Audition (Note: Solo repertoire and etudes should differ from screening round selections): 
• Two etudes (one technical, one lyrical by Ferling, Lacour, Mule or Voxman).
• Two complete solo works, including at least one selection from the standard repertoire (such as a work by Creston, Desenclos, Dubois, Glazunov, Heiden, Ibert, Maurice, Milhaud, Tomasi, etc.).
• Applicant should have all major and harmonic minor scales and corresponding arpeggios prepared, as well as the chromatic scale.

**If invited for an in-person Doctor of Music audition: As part of the 20-minute audition students are expected to perform with piano “Concertino da Camera” by Jacques Ibert. Additional repertoire is as stated above. A pianist will be provided for standard repertoire audition selections. Auditions will take place during the February audition weekend on Friday, February 1, 2019 by invitation only.

Multiple Woodwinds

MM and DM in Woodwinds (Multiple) (three or five instruments)

Doctor of Music applicants must submit a pre-screening recording to be considered for a live audition.  Recordings must be received in the Office of Music Admissions by the December 1, 2018 application deadline.  Auditions will take place during the February and March audition weekends on Friday, February 1, 2019 and Friday, March 1, 2019 by invitation only.

Master of Music applicants with saxophone or flute as their primary instrument must also submit a pre-screening recording by December 1.  All saxophonists should follow the classical saxophone guidelines and if you have a background in jazz, please also include two tunes of your choice.

For the three-instrument degree:

M.M. and D.M. applicants will audition separately on their primary instrument and two secondary instruments. Please consult the audition requirements for each individual instrument. Select two major works for the primary instrument and one major work for each secondary instrument.  Applicants must demonstrate an artistic performance level on the major instrument and on each of the other instruments to be included in their degree.

For the five-instrument degree:

M.M. and D.M. applicants will audition separately on their primary instrument and two secondary instruments. Please consult the audition requirements for each individual instrument. Follow the M.M. /D.M. guidelines for the primary instrument and the B.M.E. guidelines for the secondary instruments. Select two major works for the primary instrument and one major work for each secondary instrument.  Applicants must demonstrate an artistic performance level on one instrument and proficiency at the entering undergraduate concentration level on two secondary instruments.

Updated on 09/12/2018