Classical Instruments and Vocal Audition Requirements
See the complete repertoire list below, arranged alphabetically by instrument. All applicants, regardless of intended major, will audition with the repertoire as listed, unless specified below. Instrumentalists should also prepare major and minor scales. Your time with the committee will be 15 minutes. All vocal performance majors who audition by recording must submit a DVD or a standard VHS format videocassette; all instrumentalists must submit a CD (see Hartt's Undergraduate Recording Submission Policy). All applicants will interview with their audition committee. Undergraduate instrumental auditions are unaccompanied. Applicants may bring their own pianist or audition without accompaniment.
Bass Clarinet
- Two contrasting études
- A solo of your choice
Bassoon
- Two contrasting études, preferably from the Milde Concert Studies
- Two contrasting movements from a standard concerto such as Mozart, Weber, or Vivaldi
Cello
- A movement of unaccompanied Bach
- One movement of a concerto or a virtuoso piece
- An étude or caprice
- Non-performance applicants should play at least one of the selections from memory. Performance applicants should play at least two of the selections from memory.
Clarinet
- A fast movement from a standard concerto comparable to those of Mozart and Weber (including Weber, Concertino)
- Two contrasting études from C. Rose, 32 études; Polatschek, Advanced Studies; Cavallini, Caprices (or comparable repertoire)
- Performance majors only: add a second contrasting solo work
Double Bass
- Anétude or one orchestral excerpt from the standard repertoire
- Two contrasting solo selections (can include movements from sonatas or concerti
- Performance applicants should play at least one of the selections from memory.
Euphonium
- An étude such as Bordogni, Charlier, Kopprasch, or comparable work
- Any standard solo
Flute
- Mozart, Concerto in D or G - 1st and 2nd Movement
- J. S. Bach, any sonata - two contrasting movements
- 20th Century French piece or comparable solo work
- Please contact flute instructor Janet Arms with questions or for additional information.
Guitar
Three pieces are to be played on classical guitar (nylon strings) for your audition. Selections should include one technical study showing your ability to play arpeggios and two pieces from contrasting musical periods. The following are pieces commonly played at auditions. These are only suggestions. Please show this list to your teacher and, based on these suggestions, he/she will be able to suggest appropriate pieces you may currently be studying. All but the technical work should be played from memory:
Studies
- Carcassi, 25 Melodious Studies: Nos. 2, 3, 7, 13, 15
- Sor, Twenty Studies, edited by Segovia
- Giulliani: Any studies one page or longer in length.
Repertoire
- Six Lute Pieces From the Renaissance, Columbia Music
- Villa-Lobos: Any preludes orétudes, Max Eschig
- Bach: Bouree or Allemande from the 1st Lute Suite, Sarabande from the 3rd Cello Suite, or any movement from the 1st Cello Suite
- Tarrega: Adelita Lagrima
- Brouwer: Selected works from Simple Studies, Vol. 1 & 2, Max Eschig
Undergraduate Guitarists wishing to be considered of Performance 20/20:
Include a DVD of a live performance of the following:
- Jacques Ibert, Entract or other similar work for flute and guitar.
Guitarists applying for Music Education
Same guitar auditions requirements as listed above.
Guitarists applying for music education must perform a vocal audition, in addition to the guitar audition, consisting of one selection from the standard vocal literature (for example, any early Italian art song, such as "Caro mio ben", "Sebben crudele", "Lasciatemi morire"; or any English art song, such as "The Ash Grove", "Black Is the Colour Of My True Love's Hair", "Sure On This Shining Night").
Harp
- Two contrastingétudes demonstrating different technical skills.
- A composition from the Baroque, Classical or Contemporary periods.
- A composition, of the level of difficulty of Au Matin by Marcel Tournier or Fantaisie on a Theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany, of the Romantic or Impressionist style.
Harpsichord
- A prelude and fugue, or toccata of J. S. Bach
- A work by Couperin or his school
- A contrasting work
Horn
- A movement from a Strauss or Mozart concerto
- A movement from a 20th or 21st century work
- A Kopprasch, Gallay, or Reynolds etude
- Five orchestral excerpts from standard repertoire
Oboe
- A major concerto or sonata from the standard repertoire.
- Two contrasting etudes showing the applicant's level of technical and lyrical abilities.
- Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.
Organ
- A prelude and fugue, or similar composition of J. S. Bach
- A representative composition by a 19th century composer
- A work in contrasting style by a 20th or 21st century composer
Organists Applying for Music Education
Pianists, organists, or guitarists applying for music education must perform a vocal audition, in addition to the piano, organ, or guitar audition, consisting of one selection from the standard vocal literature (for example, any early Italian art song, such as "Caro mio ben", "Sebben crudele", "Lasciatemi morire"; or any English art song, such as "The Ash Grove", "Black Is the Colour Of My True Love's Hair", "Sure On This Shining Night").
Percussion
- Snare Drum: [1] prepared solo or étude, [2] demonstrate orchestral long roll, [3] sight-reading
- Mallet Keyboard Instruments: [1] prepared solo and/or étude, [2] demonstrate scales, [3] sight-reading
- Timpani: [1] prepared solo or étude, and/or orchestral excerpts, [2] demonstrate tuning ability
- Orchestral excerpts: optional for undergraduate applicants
- Prepared drum-set demonstrations or solos, hand-drumming demonstrations, multiple-percussion solos or studies are not required, but may be presented.
Piano (Performance Major)
(All works to be performed from memory)
- A prelude & fugue by J.S. Bach
- The first movement from a Classical sonata
- One Romantic work
- One Impressionistic or post-1900 work
Piano (all other majors)
Three contrasting works from different historical periods (preferably one piece from memory)
Pianists Applying for Music Education
Pianists applying for music education must perform a vocal audition, in addition to the piano, organ, or guitar audition, consisting of one selection from the standard vocal literature (for example, any early Italian art song, such as "Caro mio ben", "Sebben crudele", "Lasciatemi morire"; or any English art song, such as "The Ash Grove", "Black Is the Colour Of My True Love's Hair", "Sure On This Shining Night").
Saxophone
- Two contrasting movements from a standard sonata or concerto (i.e. Creston, Glazounov, Heiden, Ibert, Maurice, Milhaud, etc.)
- Two Ferling études (one slow, one fast)
- Please contact saxophone instructor Carrie Koffman with questions or for additional information.
Trombone (tenor and bass)
- A Bordogni (Rochut)étude
- A contrasting étude from Arban, Blazhevich, Kahila, Kopprasch, Tyrrell, etc.
- Any standard solo (Barat, Andante and Allegro; David, Concertino; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique; Lebedev, Concertino; etc.)
- Standard orchestral excerpts
Trumpet
- Two contrastingétudes showing the applicant's level of technical and musical advancement.
- One standard solo selected from, or comparable to, works by: Arutunian, Haydn, Hummel, Hindemith, or Kennan.
- A representative number of standard orchestral excerpts.
- Undergraduate applicants are required to perform their auditions on B-flat or C trumpets exclusively.
Tuba
Each of the following:
- One Bordogni melodic study
- One Kopprasch or Blazhevich technical etude
- All scales
- Orchestral excerpts such as: Wagner, overture from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, (Letter J to the end) and "Ride of the Valkyries" or similar orchestral excerpts
- Performance majors must also play the Vaughan Williams Concerto (mvt 1 or 2); all other majors must play the Edward Gregson Concerto (mvt 1 only) or other similar solos from the standard repertoire
Viola
- Two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach
- One movement of a concerto or sonata, or a virtuoso piece
- An étude or caprice
- Non-performance applicants should play at least one of the selections from memory. Performance applicants should play at least two of the selections from memory.
- Works performed must be of at least two contrasting styles/eras
Violin
- A movement of unaccompanied Bach
- One movement of a concerto or a virtuoso piece
- An étude or caprice
- Non-performance applicants should play at least one of the selections from memory. Performance applicants should play at least two of the selections from memory.
Voice
- Prepare three selections from the standard vocal literature: art song, oratorio, or opera. At least one selection should be in a foreign language. All vocal auditions should be performed from memory.
An accompanist is provided for all voice auditions. The music should be laid out so that the accompanist does not experience difficulty in handling the material (i.e. put music in plastic sheets held in a loose-leaf notebook).
All vocal performance majors who audition by recording must submit a DVD or a standard VHS format videocassette. Please note that while acceptances will be made based on a recorded audition, scholarship will not be awarded to vocal applicants auditioning by recording.
Vocal performance majors will interview with the audition committee during the audition time slot and also meet with the Director of the Vocal Studies Division immediately following the audition to complete a brief interview and musicianship test.
Voice--Pre-Cantorial Emphasis
Prepare two selections from the standard vocal literature and one selection from sacred synagogue worship repertoire.