Music Pre-Screening and Audition Guidelines
You must have an application for admission on file in order to be offered a live audition.
Prescreening auditions for the fall semester must be submitted through Slideroom by January 8, 2018 (date extended).
Prescreening auditions for the spring semester must be submitted by October 15. Please email us at music@purchase.edu to find out if your intended program accepts spring applications.
Once your audition materials are uploaded and processed, they will be evaluated by the Conservatory of Music faculty. If you are selected for a live audition, you will be notified of your audition date and time via email. Please be sure to give us a viable email account, and check it regularly.
Only students selected for a live audition will be eligible for admission to the Conservatory of Music. Students who are not selected for a live audition will be denied at the prescreening stage.
Details for prescreening and live auditions can be found below.
Bass |
Audition Dates: February 22 & 24, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit the following:
Live audition: Please prepare all selections listed below. One major and one minor two-octave scale and arpeggio.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. Audition Dates: February 22, & 24, 2018 GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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Brass |
Audition Date: February 19, 2018 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:
Live audition: Please prepare the following selections:
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Horn; tenor trombone; bass trombone; trumpet, must audition on Bb and C trumpets, and can choose 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: Please prepare all pieces.
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Cello |
Audition Dates: February 22 & 24, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all three selections.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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Classical Guitar |
Audition Date: February 20, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the classical guitar repertoire. Live audition: Please prepare all three pieces listed below
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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Composition |
Audition Date: February 19, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit two original scores and recordings, one of which must have been written within the last two years. Live audition: Please bring three pieces as described below.
Placement exams in music theory and ear training are required. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit two original scores and recording, one of which must have been written within the last two years. Live audition: Please bring three pieces as outlined below.
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Harp |
Audition Dates: February 22 & 24, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit two pieces in contrasting styles from the standard harp repertoire. Live audition: Please prepare:
You will be asked to sight-read at your live audition. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces. All compositions must be performed from memory.
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Jazz Studies |
Audition Dates: February 23, 2018 - Guitar, Piano, Voice, and Trombone ONLY February 24, 2018 - Saxophone, Drums, Bass, and Trumpet ONLY UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition (The total length of your materials should not exceed 10 minutes)
Live audition: Only those applicants who pass the recorded audition will be invited to a live audition. In a live audition, the student will be asked to perform two or three standards of his/her choice- for which she/he will provide three copies of a lead sheet- with a rhythm section provided by the Conservatory and may be asked to show proficiency in Ear Training and Sight-Reading. A live audition is highly advisable. In the event that an applicant cannot attend a live audition, the previously submitted prescreening materials will be used to determine acceptance, at the discretion of the Head of Jazz Studies.
No placement tests are required as part of the live audition. GRADUATE Prescreening Audition: You must upload your selections along with your $57 audition fee plus the $10 Slideroom fee no later than October 15 for Spring admissions (Note: Spring admissions are for graduate applicants only. Undergraduates are admitted in the fall semester only), for January 1 for Fall admission. The total length of your materials should not exceed 10 minutes.
Live audition: Only those applicants who pass the recorded audition will be invited to a live audition. In a live audition, the student will be asked to perform two or three standards of his/her choice- for which s/he will provide three copies of a lead sheet- with a rhythm section provided by the Conservatory and may be asked to show proficiency in Ear Training and Sight-Reading. A live audition is highly advisable. In the event that an applicant cannot attend a live audition, the previously submitted prescreening materials will be used to determine acceptance, at the discretion of the Head of Jazz Studies. |
Percussion |
Audition Date: February 19, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit two selections from the list below. Live Audition: Please prepare all three selections from the list below:
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. *For the live audition all applicants must provide percussion faculty with two copies of all audition pieces. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please submit two contrasting selections from the five “required” selections listed below. Live audition: Please prepare all five “required” selections Required:
Optional:
*For the live audition, all applicants must provide percussion faculty with two copies of all audition pieces |
Piano |
Audition Date: February 24, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE & GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces. All compositions must be performed from memory.
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Studio Composition |
Audition Dates: February 22 & 23, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition:
Live audition: Please prepare 3-5 original pieces for the live audition/interview. You may bring a CD with your music selection, or you may perform your music live (if so, please bring scores notated conventionally). The live audition will also include an interview with the studio composition faculty. Placement exams in music theory and ear training are required. GRADUATE Prescreening audition:
Live audition: Please prepare the following:
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Studio Production |
Audition Dates: February 19 & 20, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Applicants must follow the procedure outlined below: Prescreening audition
Live Interviews/Audition: Applicants with a successful prescreening audition will be invited to a live audition. The live audition is really an interview with the studio production faculty where applicants receive further testing in studio production, studio engineering, and music theory. Only those who are selected for a live interview will be considered for admission. Placement exams in music theory, and ear training are required. Specific times and locations of these placement tests will be posted on this link Placement test information and emailed to candidates by February 3. |
Viola |
Audition Dates: February 23, 2018 Prescreening audition: please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all three selections. One movement of a concerto from the standard repertory.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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Violin |
Audition Dates: February 22 & 24, 2018 UNDERGRADUATE Prescreening audition: please submit two selections in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all three selections.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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Voice (Classical) |
Audition Dates: February 19, 22 & 24, 2018 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:
Live Audition: Only those applicants who pass the prescreening audition will be invited to a live audition. A live audition is highly advisable. In the event that an applicant cannot attend a live audition, all future decisions will be based solely on the prescreening materials.
Placement exams in music theory and ear training are required. 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:
Live audition: Only those applicants who pass the prescreening audition will be invited to a live audition. A live audition is highly advisable. In the event that an applicant cannot attend a live audition, all future decisions will be based solely on the prescreening audition.
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Woodwinds - Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon |
Audition Dates: February 20, 2018
UNDERGRADUATE Flute Prescreening audition: Please submit selections from the list below
Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. Oboe, clarinet, bassoon Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
Placement exams in music theory, ear training, and keyboard skills are required on Live Audition Day. GRADUATE Flute Prescreening audition: Please submit selections from the list below.
Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
Oboe, clarinet, bassoon Prescreening audition: Please select two pieces in contrasting styles from the list below. Live audition: Please prepare all pieces.
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On Live Audition Day
What to Expect
The faculty listening to your audition will represent your area of study. They may choose not to hear all the music you have prepared. Do not interpret this negatively: time limitations prohibit the faculty from listening to each applicant’s entire audition repertoire.
Plan to arrive at the Conservatory of Music one hour before your scheduled audition time. There are plenty of warm-up rooms for you to prepare yourself both mentally and physically. Wear neat and comfortable clothing that projects your seriousness and desire to study music on a professional level.
What to Bring
Also, please bring a typed repertoire list and a typed list of the pieces you intend to play. Though not required, we encourage you to bring additional materials, such as a resume, letters of recommendation, and unofficial transcripts. (Note: Accompanists are only provided for voice/opera studies auditions; all other applicants are encouraged to bring their own, but accompaniment is not required).
Questions?
Question-and-answer sessions will be held throughout the day. Specific times for these sessions will be available at check in. These sessions will be followed by a campus tour. All applicants, their families, and guests are welcome to attend. No reservations required.
After the audition, you are free to go; there are no placement tests for graduate students on audition day.
Placement Exams
Undergraduate applicants for Classical Performance, Studio Production, and Studio Composition will be required to take placement exams as indicated above. Applicants to the graduate programs and Jazz Studies do not take placement exams.