Music

Undergraduate and Graduate

Pre-Screening Audition (must be uploaded in video format)*

*For fall applicants only. If you are applying for spring enrollment, please go directly to the Final Audition section below and follow the requirements listed there.

Prescreening video recordings must include one performances in each of the following styles. The total length of your materials should not exceed 10 minutes:

• One Blues
• One Songbook Standard or Jazz Standard
• One Ballad

Special instructions for various disciplines:

• Singers need not improvise a solo.
• Double-bassists should include one chorus of walking bass lines in addition to the melody and improvised solo. (Note: a major concentration in electric bass guitar is not offered. Please audition on acoustic bass only.)
• Drummers should play brushes and sticks in the context of a trio or a small jazz combo. Please trade fours, eights, or choruses on either the medium or up-tempo swing tune.

Final Audition - Live Audition

*For fall applicants only: Only those applicants who pass the prescreening audition will be invited to live auditions on the following dates;

• February 2025 Dates TBD

Live auditions will perform for 15 minutes with a house band composed of students currently enrolled in the Jazz Studies program.

Choose one song from each of the three categories below for your live audition:

• Blues: Billie’s Bounce (F Blues), Blue Monk (Bb Blues), Isotope, or Equinox (C Minor Blues)
• Ballad: Body and Soul, Isfahan, or Stella by Starlight
• Medium: Rhythm-a-ning, There will Never Be Another You, or Alone Together

Special instructions for various disciplines:

• Singers need not improvise a solo, and should sing in the keys of their choice for each of the above selections.
• Pianists and guitarists should include at least one half chorus of comping (perhaps for the bass solo) in addition to the melody and improvised solo.
• Drummers should play brushes and sticks in the context of a trio or a small Jazz combo. Please trade fours, eights, or choruses on either the medium or up-tempo swing tune.

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

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Please prepare any selections from the following:

• One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory or comparable work.
• One movement from the Bach Unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas.
• A third contrasting work of your choice (can be an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare any selections from the following:

• Two contrasting movements of a concerto from the standard repertory.
• Two contrasting movements from the Bach Unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas.
• A third contrasting work of your choice (an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare any selections from the following:

• One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory (such as Hindemith, Bartok, Walton, Stamitz, Hoffmeister, etc.).
• One movement of a Suite for Unaccompanied Cello by J.S. Bach.
• Two contrasting movements from a concerto or sonata from a period other than the Baroque.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on Monday, February 19, 2024.

Please prepare any selections from the following:

• Two contrasting movements from a Suite for Unaccompanied Cello by J.S Bach.
• Two movements from a concerto for sonata or equivalent, such as Hindemith’s Der Schwanendreher, Bloch’s Suite, concerto by Bartok and Walton, and sonatas by Brahms and Hindemith.

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below.

• One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory (if a slow movement is prepared, you must prepare another contrasting movement).
• One Bach movement which must be a Prelude or two dance movements (such as Sarabande and Gigue or another contrasting combination).
• A third contrasting work (can be an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all selections in contrasting styles from the list below:

• One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory (if a slow movement is prepared, you must prepare another contrasting movement).
• One Bach movement which must be a Prelude or two dance movements (such as Sarabande and Gigue or another contrasting combination).
• A third contrasting work (can be an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

Here are some resources for finding audition repertoire by diverse composers:

• Institute for Composer Diversity
• Music by Black Composers

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

• One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory (if a slow movement is prepared, you must prepare another contrasting movement).
• One Bach movement which must be a Prelude or two dance movements (such as Sarabande and Gigue or another contrasting combination).
• A third contrasting work (can be an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please see below for audition repertoire requirements.

Please prepare all selections from the following:

• Two contrasting movements of a concerto from the standard repertory.
• Two contrasting movements from the Bach Unaccompanied Suites.
• A third contrasting work of your choice (an ètude, a contemporary work, a showpiece, or a movement of a sonata).

Here are some resources for finding audition repertoire by diverse composers:

• Institute for Composer Diversity
• Music by Black Composers

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit the following:

• One major and one minor two-octave scale and arpeggio.
• A solo of your choice.

Audition - In-Person Audition

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Your audition should be 12-15 minutes in length and should include representative samples from all required repertoire. Please prepare selections from the following:

• One major and one minor two-octave scale and arpeggio.
• A solo of your choice.
• Two contrasting orchestral excerpts.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Audition Video

For those selected for a second round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Your video should be 12-15 minutes in length and should include representative samples from all required repertoire. Please prepare selections from the following:

• Three-octave scales and arpeggios.
• Two contrasting solos of applicant’s choice.
• Three contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Please note that we do not offer classical saxophone.

Live Auditions will be held on February 2025 dates TBD.

Undergraduate

Flute

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below:

• A movement from a baroque sonata or classical concerto
• A 19th- or 20th-century piece
• An orchestral excerpt of your choice

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For students who pass the prescreening audition, second-round auditions will take place on February 20.

Please prepare all pieces from the list below:

• Two contrasting selections/movements from the concerto/sonata literature (Ex. Mozart concerto, Bach sonata, etc.)
• A 19th- or 20th-century piece (Ex. Dutilleux, Sonatine, Prokofiev Sonata, etc.)
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

• Two contrasting movements from a major concerto in the standard repertoire.
• Two contrasting etudes showing the applicant’s level of technical and lyrical abilities.
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For students who pass the prescreening audition, second round auditions will be February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces from the list below:

• Two contrasting selections/movements from the concerto/sonata literature (Ex. Mozart concerto, Bach sonata, etc.)
• A 19th- or 20th-century piece (Ex. Dutilleux, Sonatine, Prokofiev Sonata, etc.)
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

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Graduate

Flute

Prescreening Audition

Please submit selections from the list below:

• A movement from a baroque sonata or classical concerto
• A 19th- or 20th-century piece
• An orchestral excerpt of your choice

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For students who pass the prescreening audition, second round auditions will take place February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces from the list below:

• Two contrasting selections/movements from the concerto/sonata literature (Ex. Mozart concerto, Bach sonata, etc.)
• A 19th- or 20th-century piece (Ex. Dutilleux, Sonatine, Prokofiev Sonata, etc.)
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below:

• Two contrasting movements from a major concerto in the standard repertoire
• Two contrasting etudes showing the applicant’s level of technical and lyrical abilities.
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

For students who pass the prescreening audition, second round auditions will take place February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces from the list below:

• Two contrasting movements from a major concerto in the standard repertoire
• Two contrasting etudes showing the applicant’s level of technical and lyrical abilities.
• Two excerpts from the orchestral repertoire.

Undergraduate

Horn, tenor trombone, bass trombone, trumpet: audition on Bb and C trumpets only, tuba: audition on Eb, CC, or BBb only.

Prescreening Audition

Please prepare the following pieces:

• Two contrasting ètudes.
• Two contrasting movements from the solo repertoire.

Live Audition - In-Person

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare the following selections:

• Two contrasting ètudes.
• Two contrasting movements from the solo repertoire.
• Sight-reading taken from the standard orchestral repertoire.

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Graduate

Horn; tenor trombone; bass trombone; trumpet, must audition on Bb and C trumpets, and can choose the additional option of performing on D, Eb, and/or piccolo trumpets; tuba: addition on F, Eb, CC, or BBb tubas.

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Audition - In-Person

For those selected for a second round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces.

• Two advanced, contrasting pieces, one of which must be an original work from the 20th-/21st-century repertoire. Performance of at least one piece from memory is desirable.
• Advanced sight reading taken from orchestral repertoire. Excerpts will include: Transposition for trumpet and horn; reading of alto or tenor clefs for trombone.

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two selections from the list below.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

Live auditions will take place in-person on February 2025 dates TBD. Please prepare all three selections from the list below:

• Snare drum: One ètude of your choice from Cirone’s Portraits in Rhythm or equivalent
• Marimba: One 2-mallet or 4-mallet ètude or solo
• Timpani: One ètude of your choice from Goodman’s Modern Method for Timpani or equivalent

For the live audition, all applicants must provide percussion faculty with two copies of all audition pieces.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two contrasting selections from the five “required” selections listed below.

Live Audition - In-Person Auditions

Live auditions will take place in-person on February 2025 dates TBD. Please prepare all five required selections.

Required

• Snare drum: One ètude from Delecluse’s Douze Etudes or equivalent
• 4 Mallets: One 4-mallet solo from the standard solo repertoire
• 2 Mallets: One 2-mallet movement from J.S. Bach Six Suites for Solo Cello or Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (no repeats)
• Timpani: One solo from the standard repertoire
• Orchestral Excerpts: One standard orchestral excerpt on each of the following: Snare Drum, Xylophone, and Timpani

Optional

• Multiple percussion solo: For the prescreening audition, in addition to submitting two of the above required selections, you may submit a work from the standard solo repertoire.

For the live audition, all applicants must provide percussion faculty with two copies of all audition pieces

Undergraduate and Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Second Round Audition

If you have received confirmation that you passed the prescreening please read below:

For students who pass the prescreening audition, second round auditions will take place February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces. All compositions must be performed from memory.

• A prelude and fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier or another work of Bach containing a fugue
• One sonata by Mozart, Beethoven (including Op. 49 and Op. 79), Haydn, or Schubert. (Single movement for the pre-screening audition, full sonata for the live audition)
• A major composition by a 19th-century composer.
• A composition by a representative 20th-century composer.

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two pieces in contrasting styles from the standard harp repertoire.

Live Audition - In-Person Audition

For those selected for a second round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare:

• One Pozzoli étude.
• Two contrasting works or movements from the standard harp repertoire.

You will be asked to sight-read at your live audition.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Audition - In-Person Audition

For those selected for a second round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare all pieces. All compositions must be performed from memory.

• Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp (1st movement, no cadenza)
• One contemporary or 19th-century work from the standard harp repertoire on the level of Hindemith’s Sonata or Faure’s Impromptu
• 1st harp part from Symphone Fantastique/Berloiz, and one cadenza from Young Person’s/ Britten or Lucia/Donizetti, or Swan Lake/ Tchaikowsky

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the classical guitar repertoire.

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please prepare three works of contrasting style (Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, and/or contemporary) from the classical guitar repertoire. You will also be asked to sight-read.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below.

Live Auditions - In-Person Auditions

Please prepare:

• A Bach suite, violin sonata/partita, or a work from Bach’s lute music.
• A major work from the Classical or Romantic period.
• A 20th-century work.

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

Recording should not exceed 15 minutes in length and should include the following songs which should be in contrasting styles. One must be from the 20th-century repertoire:

• One Italian art song.
• One German or French art song
• One song in English (not a translation)

Audition - In-Person

Only those applicants who pass the prescreening audition will be contacted for an audition which will take place on one of these days;

• February 2025 dates TBD.

You may perform your prescreening materials for live audition or you may perform other repertoire of your choosing. There will be an accompanist available in the audition, or you may bring your own accompanist.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Your recording should not exceed 15 minutes in length and should include the following songs. The songs should be in contrasting styles, and one must be from the 20th-century repertoire:

• Four art songs: one Italian, one French, one German, one English
• One standard aria from an opera.  If the aria is in one of the above required languages, then the aria will satisfy the art song requirement for that language and you only need to submit art songs for the remaining three languages.  

Audition In-Person

Only those applicants who pass the prescreening audition will be contacted for an audition which will take place on one of these days;

• February 2025 dates TBD.

You may perform your prescreening materials for live audition or you may perform other repertoire of your choosing. There will be an accompanist available in the audition, or you may bring your own accompanist.

Are you applying to the right program?

Compare Classical Composition to Studio Composition and read about the difference between these programs.

Undergraduate and Graduate

Prescreening Audition

Please submit two original scores (required) and recordings (if available), one of which must have been written within the last two years.

Live Audition

For those selected for a second-round audition, live auditions will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

Please bring three pieces as described below.

• Applicants should present three original works notated conventionally, if appropriate, and recorded or performed live.
• The composition interview/live audition entails a brief ear training exam (interval recognition, chords, pitch matching, and scales), a discussion on general theoretical and/or historical topics and a demonstration of basic instrument proficiency. Students must prepare one short work on their solo instrument of choice.

Are you applying to the right program?

• Compare Studio Composition to Classical Composition  and read about the difference between these programs.
• Compare Studio Composition to Studio Production and watch a video explaining the difference between these programs.
• Compare videos on how to build a Studio Composition Portfolio vs. Studio Production Portfolio

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

• The prescreening audition will consist of a review of your submitted portfolio.
• Watch a video on how to build your Studio Composition Portfolio
• Submit 2-3 samples of your music accompanied by a statement clearly describing your role in the writing and recording process for each piece.
• Submit a professional resume explaining your experience writing and/or performing music, your professional training (lessons, etc.), and anything else you feel is relevant to your application. This can be uploaded as an additional media item.
• If possible, please submit scores, lead sheets, and lyric sheets (if applicable).
• Submit a cover letter stating why you would like to attend Purchase College for studio composition, as well as your career goals.

Note: The statement, charts, resume, and cover letter may be combined into one document and uploaded as an additional media item.

Applicants are expected to have basic music theory skills, including sight reading and the ability to hear and sing back intervals and chords.

Live Auditions via Zoom 

For those selected for a second round audition, the audition will take place via live Zoom audition on either February 2025 dates TBD..

• Applicants with a successful prescreen audition will be invited to a live Zoom  audition.
• Please prepare 1-2 original pieces for the live Zoom online audition. You may play a pre-recorded track or demo of your compositions, or you may perform your music live (or a mix of the two). You may present the same pieces from your prescreening or present new pieces.
• If your composition is pre-recorded, you can play it back via Zoom, or you can choose from one of your application portal submissions.
• If possible, please have scores, lead sheets, lyric sheets (if applicable), and any pre-recorded tracks of your compositions available for faculty to review during the live Zoom online audition.
• The live Zoom online audition will also include an interview with the studio composition faculty discussing your experience, goals for the program, and music theory knowledge.

Note: Only those who are selected for a live Zoom audition will be considered for admission. You must attend the live Zoom audition to be considered for the program.

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Graduate

Prescreening Audition

• The prescreening audition will consist of a review of your submitted portfolio.
• Watch a video on how to build your Studio Composition Portfolio
• Submit 2-3 samples of your music accompanied by a statement clearly describing your role in the writing and recording process for each piece. These statements can be combined into one document and uploaded as an additional media item.
• Also submit a professional resume explaining your experience writing and/or performing music, your professional training (lessons, etc.) and anything else you feel is relevant to your application. This can be uploaded as an additional media item.

Applicants are expected to have basic music theory skills, including sight reading and the ability to hear and sing back intervals and chords.

Live Audition - Zoom 

For those selected for a second-round audition, the audition will take place via live Zoom audition on February 2025 dates TBD. Please prepare the following:

• Due to limited time, only one or two original works to be either recorded and played back or performed live. Works should demonstrate technical and aesthetic abilities in composition, as well as in the areas of performance and production where applicable. Please also provide conventionally notated scores if available.
• A resume of musical and/or professional accomplishments to date.

Are you applying to the right program?

• Compare Studio Production to  Studio Composition and watch a video explaining the difference between these programs.
• Compare videos on how to build a Studio Production Portfolio vs. Studio Composition Portfolio 

Undergraduate

Prescreening Audition

• The prescreening audition will consist of a review of your submitted portfolio.
• Watch a video on how to build your Studio Production Portfolio.
• Your submission must contain three selections equaling not more than 15 minutes of music, and it must display your skill and ability in microphone placement, instrument recording, vocal recording, sound processing, and mixing. Materials must also display your musical aesthetics and a producer, and must be engineered and produced by you. Selections do not have to be original compositions. Any recording format may be used.
• Upload a chart detailing all aspects of each production including room size (if applicable), microphones used, recording device used, and any other pertinent data.
• Submit a resume with an educational background including training in production, engineering, music theory, and instrument instruction, if any. The resume must also include experience in the field if any.
• Submit a cover letter stating why you would like to attend Purchase College for studio production as well as your career goals.

Note: the charts, resume, and, the cover letter may be combined into one document and uploaded as an additional media item.

Live Zoom Audition

Applicants with a successful prescreening audition will be invited to a live Zoom audition/interview which will take place on February 2025 dates TBD.

The live Zoom audition is an interview with the studio production faculty where applicants discuss their experience, their goals for the program, and receive further testing in studio production, studio engineering, and music theory.

You will not be asked to play your instrument as part of your Studio Production audition/interview. You do not need to bring or prepare anything specific beyond being able to speak to the topics listed above.

Only those who are selected for a live audition/interview will be considered for admission.