Audition Information | New England Conservatory

Keyboard Audition Information

Prescreening portfolios are required of:

• All Composition and Jazz Composition applicants

Prescreening video recordings are required of:

• All Artist Diploma and DMA applicants, regardless of major
• All undergraduate, MM, and GD applicants to:

Piano Performance

Prescreen Requirements;

All undergraduate and graduate MM & GD applicants must submit the following prescreening repertoire:

1. The first movement of a Classical sonata (e.g., music by Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, or others)
2. A substantial Romantic work (e.g., music by Chopin, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, Mendelssohn, or others).

DMA applicants should follow the live audition requirements for prescreening. Artist Diploma applicants can find prescreening requirements in the Artist Diploma audition requirements page.

Audition Requirements (MM & GD);

Prepare the equivalent of a recital program of major works representing the four style periods. You must also perform a fast etude. Multi-movement works must be prepared in their entirety.

Audition Requirements (DMA);

Prepare a recital-length audition of stylistically diverse, musically and technically challenging works.

Collaborative Piano (MM &GD)

Prescreen Requirements;

Submit a recording with four selections:

• Two of the four vocal repertoire songs listed below under the MM and GD Live Audition requirements
• One movement from the Beethoven violin or cello sonata which you plan to present at your audition
• One additional movement from a work for piano and solo instrument (can be another movement from the Beethoven sonata or a different instrumental work)

Audition Requirements;

1. Vocal repertoire (all high keys):
   Schubert "An die Nachtigall" (D497 with text by Claudius, not D196)
   Brahms "Botschaft"
   Debussy "Il pleure dans mon coeur"
   Barber "St. Ita's Vision"
    
2. Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor (op. 30, no. 2)
   OR
   Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major (op. 69)
    
3. Brahms Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major (op. 100)

Collaborative Piano (DMA)

Prescreen Requirements:

DMA applicants should prepare a prescreening recording with 30 minutes of music selected from the live audition repertoire for doctoral candidates listed below. Please choose a selection from each of the first four categories.

Audition Requirements;

Choose one selection from each of the following groups:

1. Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor (op. 30, no. 2) or Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major (op. 69)
   OR
   Schubert songs (high keys; prepare complete list):
   "So lasst mich scheinen"
   "Der Musensohn"
   "Im Frühling"
   "Suleika 1"
   "Die Sterne" (D939 with text by Leitner)
    
2. Brahms Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major (op. 100) or Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor (op. 108)
   OR
   Brahms songs (high keys; prepare complete list):
   "Die Mainacht" (op. 43)
   "Botschaft" (op. 47)
   "Wie Melodien zieht es mir" (op. 105)
   "Ständchen" (op. 106)
    
3. Franck Violin Sonata
   OR
   Debussy Ariettes oubliées (high keys; complete cycle)
    
4. Hindemith Sonata for Viola and Piano, op. 11, no 4.
   OR 
   Barber Hermit Songs (high keys; complete cycle)
    
5. Mozart "Hai già vinta la causa" from Le Nozze di Figaro
   OR
   Dvorak Cello Concerto (first movement only)

Updated on 09/29/2018