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Freshman - Music

Incoming Status: Freshmen
Area of Interest: Music
Entry Semester Available: Fall 2010
Application Deadline: Fall 2010 - December 15, 2009

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the Conservatory of Music is highly competitive and is based on a required audition process with Conservatory Faculty and a review of the students overall application by the Office of Admissions. Only exceptionally talented musicians who can demonstrate a high level of instrumental proficiency and/or musical knowledge and technical skill will be offered admission. In addition, students will also be evaluated on the basis of Purchase College's general undergraduate admission standards. Purchase College expects applicants to be highly motivated, hard-working and academically strong students with a consistent record of achievement in a challenging high school curriculum. Generally, successful applicants have earned a high school GPA of at least 3.0 and a combined Verbal and Math SAT score of at least 1100 or better. More on general admissions criteria can be found here.

Note: Students who have not reached their academic potential because of limited financial resources and inadequate preparation should review the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Purchase College.

All applicants are required to:
Submit a pre-screening recorded audition CD or DVD along with the non-refundable $56 audition fee directly to the Conservatory of Music. Students will then be selected for a live, on-campus audition based on faculty evaluation of the pre-screening audition and an Admissions evaluation of the application. Only students who are offered a live audition will be considered for admission to these programs. Selected students will be notified by email of their live audition date.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please follow all application instructions carefully. In cases where students fail to follow the requirements and instructions listed here, we cannot guarantee the application can be reviewed and the application may be withdrawn from consideration.  For faster processing of mailed materials, please do not staple items together. 

Step 1: Submit your completed application:
Apply online using the SUNY Application at www.suny.edu/Student/apply*. The application fee is $40 (Music applicants should NOT use the Common Application. You must use the SUNY application).**

*Note: Music applicants are not required to submit the SUNY Supplemental Admissions Form. The Supplemental Admissions Form is for Liberal Arts and Sciences and Art+Design applicants only. Please refer to the steps below for additional program requirements.

**Note: International Applicants must follow the International Student Application Instructions.

Step 2: Submit official High School transcripts or GED scores, SAT or ACT scores:
Request your official High School transcripts or GED scores, SAT or ACT scores (SAT/ACT and AP test scores can be submitted electronically) be sent directly to:

Office of Admissions
Purchase College
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577-1400

NOTE: We do not require letters of recommendation for any Music programs.

Score Choice
Purchase College does not participate in the Score Choice option available through the College Board or the similar program through Educational Testing Services (ETS). We encourage you to submit scores from all test sittings of the SAT, ACT or SAT Subject Tests. Purchase College evaluates thousands of competitive applicants each year for admission; access to your full testing profile enables the admissions counselors to fully and fairly assess each applicant.

Purchase College maintains a holistic review process with a focus on the quality of your academic program, your cumulative academic average, your test scores and any supplemental material requested. Standardized testing is a measurement of aptitude and will continue to be part of our admissions process. We recommend testing for the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year and fall of your senior year.

Step 3: Complete the Music Audition:
Complete the Music audition process as outlined below.


 

PRE-SCREENING CD/DVD AND LIVE AUDITIONS

Please follow all audition instructions and requirements carefully. In cases where students fail to follow the requirements and instructions listed here, we cannot guarantee the pre-screening audition can be reviewed and the application may be withdrawn from consideration.

All music applicants must go through a two-step audition process:

STEP 1: PRESCREENING AUDITIONS
Mail your pre-screening recorded audition and $56 non-refundable audition fee to the Conservatory of Music no later than January 1, 2010 for Fall 2010 admission.

Your CD/DVD must be clearly labeled with the following information:

  • First and Last Name as it appears on the SUNY application for admission
  • Address as it appears on the SUNY application for admission
  • Email and Cell phone that you submitted on your SUNY application
  • Intended major and instrument (if applicable)
  • Title and duration of each music selection

Pre-screening auditions and audition fees must be mailed to:

Conservatory of Music
Attn: Conservatory Coordinator
Purchase College
735 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577-1400

PRE-SCREENING AUDITIONS RECEIVED WITHOUT THE ABOVE INFORMATION AND/OR THE AUDITION FEE WILL BE DISCARDED.

STEP 2: LIVE AUDITIONS - By invitation only
If the pre-screening audition is successful, students will be selected for a live audition. Students selected for live auditions will be notified by email directly from the Conservatory of Music and will be assigned a live audition date at that time.

All live auditions take place in the Music Building on campus. Visit the Conservatory of Music Audition Information page for both the pre-screening audition requirements and live audition requirements.

FALL 2010 LIVE AUDITION DATES

CLASSICAL DIVISION

BRASS
Trumpet: Monday, February 15
French Horn: Monday, February 15
Trombone: Thursday, February 18
Tuba: Thursday, February 18 

STRINGS
All String Instruments:  Thursday, February 18 and Saturday, February 20

WOODWINDS
Flute: Friday, February 19
Clarinet: Friday, February 19
Oboe: Wednesday, February 17
Bassoon: Wednesday, February 17

PERCUSSION
All: Monday, February 15

HARP
Monday, February 15 and Tuesday, February 16

PIANO
Saturday, February 20

GUITAR
Wednesday, February 17

VOICE/OPERA
Monday, February 15; Wednesday, February 17; Thursday, February 18;
Saturday, February 20

COMPOSITION
Tuesday, February 16

JAZZ and COMMERCIAL MUSIC DIVISION

STUDIO COMPOSITION
Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19

STUDIO PRODUCTION
Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19

JAZZ
Friday, February 19 and Saturday February 20

IMPORTANT: Live audition dates are assigned at the discretion of the Conservatory according to instrument and program. Due to limited time and resources the Conservatory cannot change assigned audition dates. Only in cases of emergency will the Conservatory try to accommodate a request to change an audition date. the Conservatory cannot guarantee that a change can be made. Please plan accordingly.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS - Visit the Conservatory of Music Audition Information page for the specific pre-screening and live audition requirements. For help with specific questions regarding these audition requirements, please contact the Conservatory of Music at music@purchase.edu.

Admission Decisions
If your audition is successful, and if your application for admission to Purchase is complete, you will be notified on or around March 15, 2010. You can check on the status of your application by logging on to your MyPurchase account. If you are offered admission, you will be asked to submit an enrollment deposit by May 1, 2010.


 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS