Due to heavy demand, please submit your audition date request as early as possible and plan for an alternate date. The February 23 and March 14 audition days fill to capacity very quickly.

To be considered for a music scholarship, students MUST audition by the last official audition day.

Music Major auditions consist of:

Flute
Oboe 
Clarinet 
Bassoon 
Saxophone
Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba/Euphonium
Percussion
Jazz Guitar
Violin/Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Organ
Piano
Theory/Composition
Voice

Flute: 
All major scales, two octaves; all harmonic or melodic minor scales, two octaves; chromatic scale in full range of the instrument, one or two solo works showing contrast, tonal and technical skill.  Sight reading required.  Etudes optional.

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Oboe: 
All major and minor scales; chromatic scale in full range of the instrument; any solo work, concerto, or sonata from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic or 20th Century era. Memorization is not necessary on prepared piece. Sight reading required.

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Clarinet: 
Chromatic scale through range of instrument, all major and melodic minor scales (E, F, F#, G scales three octaves, all others two octaves); one or more selections (entire piece need not be performed) that demonstrate to your best advantage your proficiency in all aspects of clarinet performance. Be sure the selection(s) demonstrate both technical and expressive playing, and include examples of articulation, legato playing, and high notes (examples: concertos by Weber, Stamitz or Mozart; both a fast and a slow selection from Rose 32 Etudes). Memorization is not necessary on prepared piece. Sight reading required. 

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Saxophone: 
Major and minor scales in any way, any range; chromatic scale in full range of the instrument; one prepared piece of your choice. Sight reading required.  Jazz improvisation optional.

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Bassoon: 
Any solo or etude that demonstrates ability. All major and minor scales, two or three octaves; chromatic scale, full range. Sight reading required.

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Horn: 
Two contrasting solo pieces (examples: any of the Ten Grand Concert Studies or etudes from the Complete Method for Horn by Oscar Franz, solos from the Solos for the Horn Player by Mason Jones, any movement from a Mozart or Haydn concerto, etudes from Maxime-Alphonse, Gallay, Kopprasch, or any other major horn etude book). Sight reading may be required.

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Trumpet: 
G, A-flat, A, B-flat, C major scales, two octaves, slurred or tongued; F, D, E-flat major scales, one octave, slurred or tongued; a, g, b minor scales, two octaves, slurred or tongued; d, f, e minor scales, one octave, slurred or tongued. One solo that is representative in terms of technical and lyrical expression (examples: first movement of the Hummel Concerto, Handel’s Aria con Variazione, Arutunian’s Concerto, Goedicke’s Concert Etude, or a cornet solo by Clarke or Arban). Etudes are acceptable in place of solos as long as they exhibit technicality and lyrical aspects. Sight reading is required and will assess ability to read new music in terms of rhythm, pitches, expressions, and musical interpretation. 

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Trombone: 
All major and melodic minor scales, through as many octaves as you can play; prepared solo(s) or etudes totaling 5-7 minutes of music in contrasting styles (examples: for tenor trombone: Galliard Sonatas, Marcello >Sonatas, Guilmant Morceau Symphonique, Barat Andante et Allegro, David Concertino, Saint-Saens Cavatine, Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto, Blazevich Sketch #5; for bass trombone: Hindemith Drei Leichte Stucke, Lebedev Concerto in One Movement for Tuba or Bass Trombone, Hartley Sonata Breve for Bass Trombone; For both tenor and bass: Etudes may be taken from Bordogni/Rochut Melodius Etudes Book I for Trombone, Arban’s Complete Method for the Trombone, Tyrell 40 Progressive Studies, Blume 36 Studies). Sight reading required. 

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Tuba/Euphonium: 
All major and melodic minor scales, one to two octaves; solo literature or comparable concert excerpts (examples: for Tuba: Hindemith Sonate, Galliard Sonata 1 or 6, Lebedev Concerto, Kopprasch 60 Etudes; for Euphonium, Marcello Sonatas, White Lyric Suite, Guilmant Morceau Symphonique, Rochut Melodius Etudes Book I). Memorization not necessary on prepared piece. Sight reading required. Students must provide an instrument for the audition. 

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Percussion: 
Performance on orchestral and rudimentary snare drum, two-mallet keyboard (four-mallet is also recommended), and timpani. In addition, a multiple-percussion solo may be performed. Snare, keyboard, and timpani require separate pieces to be performed. Student should have knowledge of major and minor scales. Sight reading required. Large instruments will be provided. Please contact the Percussion Studio at (989) 774-3583 to request any additional equipment.

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Jazz Guitar: 
Major scales, twelve keys, two octaves. Major and minor pentatonic scales, twelve keys, two octaves. Perform from memory and improvise over 12-bar blues changes in C, G, B-flat, F. One or two jazz standards arranged for solo or trio (bass, drums). Sight reading (notes and chord symbols) required.

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Violin or Viola: 
For Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Arts Degree: All major and melodic minor scales (three octaves); sight reading required; one or two contrasting movements/pieces of standard solo work, concerto, or sonata.  For Bachelor of Music Degree (performance major) and Masters Degree: All major and melodic minor scales (three octaves); sight reading required; two contrasting movements/pieces of standard solo work, concerto, or sonata.  (examples:  Violin: Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas, concertos by Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Wieniawski; Viola:  sonatas and concertos by Bach, Marcello, Telemann, J.C. Bach, and Handel).

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Cello:                                                                              Undergraduate:  1) Major and minor scales, 4 sharps, 4 flats, 3 octaves.  2) One etude (preferably from the Popper High School of Cello Playing, or by Grutzmacker, Piatti, or Duport).  3) One movement from a Bach Suite.  4) A movement from a concerto or sonata.  Graduate:  1) A first or last movement of a standard concerto.  2) Two movements from a Bach suite.  3) A movement from a sonata.  4) One etude (preferably from the Popper High School of Cello Playing or Piatti).

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Double Bass: 
Two movements in contrasting styles, preferably one movement from a concerto and one movement from a Sonata or Bach suite.  All major and minor scales, 2 octaves.  Sight reading required. 

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Piano: 
BME, BA & BS Degrees - Repertoire (must be performed from memory) must include one Bach Three-Part Invention or one Prelude and Fugue from The Well Tempered Clavier, the first or last movement of a Beethoven, Haydn, Hummel or Mozart sonata, and one piece from either the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary periods.* All major and minor scales (natural and harmonic) arpeggios, four octaves, hands together.

BM Degree - Repertoire (must be performed from memory) must include one Prelude and Fugue from J.S. Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, the first of last movement of a Beethoven, Haydn, Hummel or Mozart sonata, and one piece from either the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary periods.* All major and minor scales (natural, harmonic and melodic), arpeggios, four octaves, hands together.

*Repertoire should be at the level of, but not restricted to: Romantic (Brahms Intermezzi; Chopin-Waltzes, Muzurkas, Preludes, Fantasie-Impromptu, Nocturnes; Mendelssohn - Songs Without Words; Schubert-Impromptus, Moments Musicaux; Schumann-Scenes from Childhood); Impressionistic (Debussy-Preludes, Etudes, Children's Corner; Ravel-Sonatina), Contemporary (Bartok-Mikrokosmos Vols V & VI, Romanian Dances; Copland-Four Piano Blues, Cat and Mouse, Dello Joio-Sonatas; Prokofiev-Visions Fugitives, Schoenberg-Three Pieces, Op. 11).

MM Degree - Repertoire (must be performed from memory) must include one Prelude and Fugue from J.S. Bach's Well Tempered Clavier, an entire sonata from either Beethoven (except Op. 2, No. 1; Op. 14; Op. 49, and Op. 78) or Mozart (except K. 280, 283 and 545), one piece from either the Romantic, Contemporary, or Impressionistic periods.** All major and minor scales and arpeggios, four octaves, hands together, scales in 3rds and in 10ths.

**Repertoire should be at the level of, but not restricted to: Romantic (Brahms-Sonatas, Ballades Op. 10, Intermezzi; Chopin-Etudes, Scherzi, Ballades, Impromptus, Fantasy Op. 49, Sonatas; Liszt-Transcendental and Paganini Etudes; Rachmaninoff-Preludes, Etudes Tableaux, Moments Musicaux; Schubert-Impromptus, Moments Musicaux; Schumann-Carnival, Davidsbündlertanze, Papillons, Sonatas, ect.), Impressionistic (Debussy-Images, L'isle Joyeuse. Etudes, Preludes; Ravel-Jeux d'eau, Sonatina), Contemporary (Bartok-Sonata, Out of Doors Suite; Barber-Excursions, Ballade, Sonata; Copland-Sonata, Variations, Fantasy; Prokofiev-Sonatas).

Students auditioning for a graduate assistantship are required to demonstrate their accompanying and sight reading skills during the audition session.  They  must prepare the following collaborative works, in addition to their solo repertoire:  One Italian Art Song (preferably from the 26 Italian Songs and Arias, Alfred Publishing Co., John Gleton Paton, editor) for High Voice; a German art song, by Mozart, Schubert, or Schumann the first piece from Schumann's Fantasiestücke; a movement of one of the earliest Mozart violin and piano sonatas, or the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata for piano and violincello in A Major Op. 69.  Singers and instrumentalists will be provided by the School of Music.  Please contact the accompanying studio at the CMU School of Music at (989) 774-1955 with any questions.

Sacred music, Contemporary Christian music, or arrangements are not permissible audition materials.

Sight reading will be selected at the audition. 

Please note that if you are intending to major in music education with piano as your primary instrument, you must audition and be accepted on another instrument/voice in addition to the piano in order to pursue this degree. 

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Organ: 
You will perform on a three-manual, 61-rank Casavant organ, Opus 3756 (see enclosure for specifications).  If you have no prior experience on the organ but wish to study or major in organ, you will be asked to audition on piano, prepare all major and harmonic minor scales (4 octaves) and the following repertoire(*):  a. One prelude and fugue from J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier or a three-part invention/sinfonia  b. One movement of a Beethoven, Haydn, Hummel, or Mozart sonata  c. One piece from either the Romantic, Contemporary, or Impressionistic periods.  If you have studied the organ and have had experience with combined manual and pedal scales (major keys only), you will be asked to perform selected ones plus three prepared pieces from the following repertoire(*):  a. One by J.S. Bach--a prelude and fugue or chorale prelude  b. One piece from the 19th or 20th century--Franck, Brahms, Vierne, Widor, Langlais, etc.  c. One hymn of your choice, including all verses and using appropriate registrations. 

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Voice: 
Two pieces in contrasting styles, performed from memory and sung with piano accompaniment.  Due to time constraints, we may not hear both prepared pieces.  Classical song literature, folksong arrangements, and Broadway songs are preferred, although other styles are considered if you demonstrate previous classical/traditional musical training and experience.  Foreign language songs are acceptable, but not required.  Printed copies of the audition pieces must be supplied for the pianist if a School of Music accompanist is utilized.  Taped accompaniments are not allowed.  There is no fee for accompanists.  Possible sources of suggested literature include the MSVMA Solo and Ensemble list and those of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) high school audition requirements.

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Theory/Composition: 
If you intend to pursue the Bachelor of Music degree in Theory/Composition, you must audition and be accepted on a primary instrument or voice.  After one year of study as a music major in your instrumental or vocal area, you must submit 2-3 manuscripts of original musical compositions to the Theory/Composition area faculty.  Students will be considered for acceptance on the Bachelor of Music in Theory/Composition after all 100-level theory courses in the music core curriculum have been completed with a 3.0 average.

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