Auditions Carnegie Mellon University School of Music

Woodwinds Audition Information

Bassoon (MM)

All applicants to the bassoon studio are expected to prepare the following audition requirements

l  Scales: any major or minor scale may be requested 

l  Etude(s) showing both technique and musicality 

l  Two movements in contrasting styles (slow and fast) from a standard Sonata and/or Concerto 

l  Orchestral excerpts may be played as part of the audition, but are not required 

Clarinet (MM)

All applicants to the clarinet studio are expected to perform an audition recital of 15-20 minutes, including a minimum of five works showing representative repertoire of various periods. Although there are no set requirements for this audition, please choose a solo piece, a movement from a concerto, three orchestral excerpts, and etudes that show tone, musicianship, and technique. Know that you may also be asked for major and minor scales.

Flute (MM)

Flute applicants are required to submit a pre-screening video recording. Invited auditioners will be notified in early January and audition confirmations will be sent no less than two weeks before the live audition date.

Pre-screening requirements:

l  This video recording must be entirely without piano accompaniment. 

l  Required Repertoire: 

ü  Mozart: Concerto in G or D major- 1st and 2nd movements (exposition only) 

l  Orchestral Excerpts: 

ü  Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 (measures 328-360) 

ü  Brahms: Symphony No. 4 (Movement IV – measures 93-105) 

ü  Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Scherzo – 2 measures before P to the end) 

ü  Debussy: Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune (rehearsal no. 2-3)  

All of the above excerpts can be found in Orchestral Excerpts for Flute (Baxtresser/Rearick), published by Theodore Presser.

Live audition requirements:

Candidates who proceed to the live audition phase will be expected to prepare the following audition requirements

l  Bach: Sonata 

l  Mozart: Concerto (complete, memorization optional) 

l  Major standard work of the Twentieth Century (complete sonata, concerto, or substantial work such as Dutilleux-Sonatine, Jolivet-Chant de Linos, Martin-Ballade, or Sancan-Sonatine) 

l  Six Orchestral Excerpts of contrasting styles (from the Jeanne Baxtresser Book of Orchestral Excerpts) 

Oboe (MM)

All applicants to the oboe studio are expected to prepare the following audition requirements:

        l  All major and minor (harmonic or melodic) scales 

l  2 contrasting etudes of your choice 

l  1 or more solo pieces of your choice 

l  A concerto of your choice 

l  2 contrasting orchestral excerpts

Saxophone (MM)

All applicants to the graduate saxophone studio are expected to perform an audition recital of 15-20 minutes, including a minimum of five works showing representative repertoire of various periods. Although there are no set requirements for this audition, please choose a solo piece, a movement from a concerto, three orchestral excerpts, and etudes that show tone, musicianship and technique. Know that you may also be asked for major and minor scales.

                                                                                                                                                             Updated on 04/17/2019