AUDITION AREAS & REQUIREMENTS
Audition Areas
- Composition
- Conducting
- Guitar
- Jazz
- Keyboard
- Percussion
- Voice
- Winds
- Strings
This information pertains to the Bachelor of Arts in Music Education, Music Therapy, Music Industry and Breadth Studies, and to the Bachelor of Music in Performance, Composition and Media Composition. Information concerning the Bachelor of Music in Jazz option is available below, in a separate paragraph. Your audition material should reflect your best musical and technical proficiency. You must audition in ONE of the following areas:
Composition
A complete list of audition requirements for both the Bachelor of Music and the Master of Music in composition programs is available on the Music Composition and Theory area website.
Prospective students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in composition should audition in one of the performance areas listed below during one of the regularly scheduled audition sessions, submit a portfolio of compositions, as well as additional documents demonstrating their interest and qualifications in the area of music composition.
Prospective students interested in the Master of Music program are required to submit a portfolio of works as well as additional documents demonstrating their backgound and expertise in music composition. An instrumental audition is not required for the Master of Music in Composition degree.
Conducting (Master of Music)
Contact the appropriate faculty member for specific audition requirements and procedures:
Band/Wind Ensemble, Dr. Lawrence Stoffel
Choral, Prof. Paul Smith
Orchestral, Dr. John Roscigno
Guitar
General requirements for Breadth, Education, Therapy, Music Industry: nylon string guitar basic classical technique utilizing flesh/nail combination; list of basic repertoire studied; familiarity with the classical guitar repertoire.
BA performing requirements: all Segovia scales - memorized; 2 pieces of contrasting styles; recommended pieces: any one of Etudes 1 & 2 - Mateo Carcassi; any one of Etudes Simples 1-10 - Leo Brouwer; Pavanas - Luis Milan; any one of the Studies (Segovia edition) - Fernando Sor, or any piece commensurate or above the level of the above selections. Familiarity with the 120 Studies, Op. 1 - Mauro Giuliani; sight-reading - single note position reading, simple chordal pieces.
BM/MM performing requirements: audition must be done on a nylon string guitar; all Segovia scales from memory, 3 pieces of contrasting styles (memorized), basic sight reading, established and excellent command in the medium of performance.
Jazz
(winds, brass, piano, guitar, bass and voice - LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT IS PROVIDED)
PROVIDED AT THE AUDITION:
- Live Accompaniment (jazz trio)
- All amplifiers
- Drum Set
- Piano
Jazz Standards
Prepare 3 "standard" tunes for performance with a live trio.
- Medium swing,
- Ballad and
- Straight 8th (bossa nova, samba).
Be prepared to improvise on each tune as well as embellish the melody (with jazz interpretation). Pianists and Guitarists may play one standard unaccompanied.
Blues
Play "Blues" in any key of your choice. Be able to play a melody (head) and improvise.
Scales
Scales: Be able to play ALL major scales and ALL natural, melodic, and harmonic minor scales. Quarter note M.M.=240
Sight Reading
The audition will also consist of sight reading different styles of music. Jazz, Latin, Straight 8th (Latin or Rock).
Drums/Percussion
Prepare a solo piece (2-5 minutes) demonstrating various styles including:
- Medium and; fast swing
- Shuffle
- Funk (hip-hop)
- Straight 8th (bossa nova, mambo, salsa, samba, songo etc.)
- Be prepared to trade 4's in the above styles.
Additional information for jazz vocalists
Vocalists are expected to be functional in an instrumental jazz setting and should have the ability to display the following skills at the time of their audition:
- Basic knowledge of vocal jazz improvisation
- Arrangement of lead sheets
- Basic theoretical background
Examples of Standards: All The Things You Are, Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa, But Beautiful, Darn That Dream, My Romance, There Will Never Be Another You, Yesterdays, Watch What Happens, Triste, Like Someone in Love, Take the A Train, There Is No Greater Love.
Examples of Blues: Sonny Moon for Two, Tenor Madness, Blues Walk, Straight No Chaser, Footprints, All Blues, Blue Monk, Billie's Bounce, Now's the Time.
Keyboard
BM – Performance: Prepare three memorized works from contrasting style periods, to be chosen from: A) One Baroque work, comparable to a Bach prelude & fugue. B) One movement from a classical sonata by Haydn, Clementi, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert. C) One 19th or 20th century work.
BA – Music Education: Three memorized works: A) One Baroque work, comparable to a Bach invention or Sinfonia. B) One movement from a classical sonata. C) One piece of the candidate’s choice.
BA – Music Therapy and Breadth studies & BM – Composition and Commercial and Media Writing: Prepare two selections, both classical. Student should have studied piano for a minimum of two years or the equivalent (may be class instruction). Repertoire should be at the minimum level of Denes Agay’s Easy Classics to Modern – Volume 37 (yellow edition). Repertoire need not be memorized.
BA - Music Industry Studies: Prepare two selections, one classical and the other jazz or popular. Student should have studied piano for a minimum of two years or the equivalent (may be class instruction). Repertoire should be at the level of Denes Agay’s Easy Classics to Modern – Volume 37 (yellow edition) or Phillip Keveren’s Jazz Standards (published by Hal Leonard). Repertoire need not be memorized. Sightreading is required at audition.
Percussion
AUDITIONING TO ENTER CSUN AS A PERCUSSIONIST
It is highly recommended that you seek the assistance of your private teacher or your school music director when selecting and preparing material for your audition. The following list of music is intended to serve as a guide designed to give students a general idea of the music level expected for acceptance to the music department. (Note: Drumset is not acceptable for auditioning into the Percussion Major. It is, however, required for entrance into the Jazz Major.)
Audition Expectations for freshmen BA Majors You must play at least ONE major percussion instrument well to gain entrance into this major. You should prepare a substantial non-original solo to demonstrate your capabilities. Appropriate etudes and exercises may also be used instead of a solo. (See Materials suggestions below.)
Audition Expectations for freshmen BM Majors You must play at least TWO major percussion instruments well to gain entrance into this major. You should prepare a substantial non-original solo on each. Substantive etudes/exercises may be used to further enhance your audition. (See Materials suggestions below.)
Suggested Materials for the Entering Freshman
Following is a listing of books that are highly recommended for use in auditioning. You are not limited to this list; you may use anything comparable in level and content. (Note: You are not necessarily expected to play all of the materials listed below. Read the Audition Expectations above for details regarding B.A. and B.M. audition differences.) SNARE DRUM: Musical Studies for the Intermediate Snare Drummer (Garwood Whaley); Intermediate Snare Drum Studies (Mitchell Peters); various rudimental studies by Pratt, Wilcoxon, or others. Also be prepared to play rudiments and to sightread. MALLETS: Fundamental Studies for Mallets (Garwood Whaley); Modern School for Xylophone, Vibraphone, and Bells (Morris Goldenberg); Bach for Bars, Book 1 (Faulman), etc. Also be prepared to demonstrate major scales and to sightread. TIMPANI: Modern Method for Timpani (Saul Goodman); Fundamental Method for Timpani (Mitchell Peters); Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist (Garwood Whaley), etc. Also be prepared to demonstrate tuning capabilities and to sightread.
Suggested Materials for the Junior Transfer
Following is a listing of books that are highly recommended for use in auditioning. You are not limited to this list; you may use anything comparable in level and content. (Note: As a junior transfer you are expected to perform on at least two instruments.) SNARE DRUM: Portraits in Rhythm (Anthony Cirone); Advanced Snare Drum Studies (Mitchell Peters); rudimental studies by Pratt, Wilcoxon or others. Also be prepared to sightread. MALLETS: Musical Studies for the Intermediate Mallet Player (Garwood Whaley); Masterpieces for Marimba (Thomas McMillan). Or solo works similar to: Yellow after the Rain (Mitchell Peters); Contemporary Etudes for 3 or 4 Mallets (Karen Ervin). Also be prepared to demonstrate major/minor scales and to sightread. TIMPANI: Modern Method for Timpani (Saul Goodman); Fundamental Method for Timpani (Mitchell Peters); Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist (Garwood Whaley), or something comparable. Also be prepared to demonstrate tuning capabilities and to sightread.
Suggested Materials for the Master of Music Candidate
Following is a listing of books that are highly recommended for use in auditioning. You are not limited to this list; you may use anything comparable in level and content. (Note: as a master of music candidate you are expected to perform on all of the following instruments.) SNARE DRUM: Portraits in Rhythm (Anthony Cirone); Advanced Snare Drum Studies (Mitchell Peters); Douze Etudes pour Caisse Claire (Jacques Delecluse). Also be prepared to sightread. MALLETS: Something by Bach; a 4-mallet solo grade 5 or higher such as those by Abe, Musser, Stout, etc. Also be prepared to demonstrate major/minor scales and to sightread. TIMPANI: Modern Method for Timpani (Saul Goodman); Fundamental Method for Timpani (Mitchell Peters); Exercises, Etudes and Solos for Timpani (Raynor Carroll), or something comparable. Optional: Orchestral Excerpts. Also be prepared to sightread.
Strings
Two selections in contrasting classical styles (no jazz or popular). An accompanist is not required.
Voice
BM and BA: Two selections in contrasting classical styles, one of which in a foreign language. For BA auditionees, one of your selections may be from the musical theater repertoire. Both selections should be fully memorized.
MM requirements: Four classical selections are required: Three selections in contrasting styles from the art song and/or oratorio repertoires and 1 aria from the operatic repertoire. At least three different languages must be presented. All selections should be fully memorized.
An accompanist is provided for all auditionees.
Winds
BM requirements: Two selections (such as an etude and a movement from a sonata or concerto) of contrasting classical styles (no jazz or popular). It is strongly suggested that you select your audition materials in consultation with your private teacher or your school band/orchestra teacher, if at all possible. Prepare all major scales. Do not use an accompanist at your audition.
BA requirements: Two selections (such as an etude and a movement from a sonata or concerto) of contrasting classical styles (no jazz or popular). Prepare major scales up to three flats/sharps. Do not use an accompanist at your audition.
BM JUNIOR TRANSFER STUDENTS requirements: Two selections (such as an etude and a movement from a sonata or concerto) of contrasting classical styles (no jazz or popular). Select your repertoire in consultation with the applied instructor with whom your are presently studying. Be prepared to perform all major and minor scales, and all major and minor scales in thirds/arpeggios. Do not use an accompanist at your audition.
BA JUNIOR TRANSFER STUDENTS requirements: Two selections (such as an etude and a movement from a sonata or concerto) of contrasting classical styles (no jazz or popular). Select your repertoire in consultation with the applied instructor with whom your are presently studying. Be prepared to perform all major and minor scales. Do not use an accompanist at your audition.
MM requirements: Three selections from contrasting periods (choose three from the four major historical time periods — Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Twentieth Century/Contemporary). Be prepared to perform one entire sonata or concerto as one of your three selections. Provide an accompanist for your audition. Bring to your audition a copy of your senior recital program or another comparable solo recital performance.