Undergraduate Audition Requirements

Music
Faculty & Staff
Ensembles
Scholarship Application
Events
News & Accomplishments

Jump to a section:

Voice

All students interested in majoring or minoring with voice as a primary instrument:

  1. Two songs from memory that represent your voice at its best. Contrasting in style. We welcome a variety of music, including but not limited to, art songs, folk songs, hymns, arias, musical theatre, and gospel. English is appropriate for one or both selections. If you sing in a foreign language, we welcome one or more selections in another language.
  2. Vocalizing to determine vocal range and quality
  3. Explorations in how you understand written music and tonal memory

Note: Even though auditions are only 20 minutes long we will ask you to tell us a bit about yourself and why you want to pursue a music degree. We will try to answer your questions during this time as well or connect you to other faculty that can help you.

* A pianist will be available at the auditions. Please email your audition music beforehand. You may email Dr. Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah (kploeger@ewu.edu).

Winds/Brass

  1. Scales
    1. Major- prepare all
    2. Minor- prepare four
  2. Solo/Concerto/Sonata/Etude
    1. Demonstrating technique and execution
    2. Demonstrating lyrical playing
  3. Sight reading
  4. Any other facet of your playing you feel represents you well

Contact: Dr. Don Goodwin (dgoodwin@ewu.edu)

Percussion

  1. Keyboard Mallets – major scales, short solo excerpt or etude
  2. Timpani – demonstrate tuning, short solo excerpt or etude
  3. Snare Drum – short solo excerpt or etude (concert and/or rudimental style)
  4. Drum Set – demonstrate varieties of styles (swing, bossa, funk, waltz, rock, etc.)
  5. Sight-reading

Contact: Dr. Michael Waldrop (mwaldrop@ewu.edu)

Strings

  1. One movement from a standard classical sonata or concerto
  2. One movement of unaccompanied Bach or a similar etude
  3. 3 octave scales up to 3 sharps/flats
  4. Sight-reading
  5. Accompanist is recommended, but not required.

Contact: Dr. John Marshall (jsmarshall@ewu.edu)

Guitar

  1. Scales-two octaves, any key (i-m), major and minor.
  2. Two pieces (memorized) in contrasting styles from the standard repertoire. Examples may include studies by Carcassi from his Twenty-Five Etudes, Op. 60; selections from Leo Brouwer’s Etudes Simples, vols. 1 or 2; Fernando Sor’s Twenty Studies edited by Segovia
  3. Prospective students should be familiar with basic right and left hand techniques and should be able to read well in the first position. Students interested in other genres of music may also audition, including jazz, rock, etc.

Contact: Dr. Jody Graves (jgraves@ewu.edu)

Piano

An acceptable audition will qualify you for applied lessons with a major performance artist teacher.

  1. Perform three contrasting pieces, memorized, from the standard repertoire. (No arrangements please) Examples: Baroque: Bach: 3 Mvt.s of Suite; Prelude & Fugue; Scarlatti sonatas. Classical: Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven Sonata movements. Romantic: Chopin Nocturnes, Preludes; Brahms Intermezzi. French: Debussy Preludes; Ravel Sonatine. 20th c. works: Bartok, Prokovief, Ginastera, Shostakovich, Copland (These are just examples. You are not limited to the above-mentioned works or composers.)
  2. Perform technique, including scales and arpeggios, prepared up to 4 octaves. You may use a tempo that represents your musicality and facility.
  3. Take a sight reading exam if you audition on site.
  4. Required to bring (or send ahead) a list, of the repertoire you have studied and performed. Alternatively: You may also send a recording with representative repertoire.

Contact: Dr. Jody Graves (jgraves@ewu.edu)