Audition Requirements

Brass

1. Two contrasting etudes demonstrating lyrical and more technical playing.
2. All major scales, two octaves if possible.
3. Sight-reading.
4. Standard orchestral excerpts of your choice are highly encouraged, but optional.
5. One significant solo work; memorization is optional.

Applicants are encouraged to consult with their respective instrument faculty if they have questions about repertoire:

• Tim Leasure, trumpet (leasure.13@osu.edu)
• Bruce Henniss, horn* (henniss.1@osu.edu)
• Elisabeth Shafer, trombone (shafer.372@osu.edu)
• Jim Akins, euphonium/tuba (akins.8@osu.edu).

* Horn applicants are also highly encouraged to email Professor Henniss directly to introduce yourself so that he may communicate with you regarding your musical/horn background.

Guitar

• For entrance into the BM performance and BME degrees, students will play two contrasting works from Royal Conservatory of Music: Classical Guitar Repertoire and Etudes Level 4 (ISBN 978-1-55440-856-6 Frederick Harris Publishing).
• Students wishing to enter other music degrees/majors will prepare a selection of any style that demonstrates their current ability.

Harp

1. One etude.
2. Two contrasting solos demonstrating your highest level of artistry, memorized.
3. One orchestral cadenza.
4. NO sight-reading.

Organ

• Two selections from the standard organ literature in contrasting styles or periods that demonstrate the applicant’s musical and technical skills.
• Sight reading (generally a hymn) at the discretion of the faculty. 
• Applicants without previous organ study are encouraged to audition, and are expected to demonstrate strong piano skills at the level of a Bach 2-part invention and/or selected movements from the sonatas of Mozart and Haydn. Such applicants may perform their selected pieces on the piano. 
• Memorization is not required.

Percussion

Students should prepare the following:

1. One snare drum concert solo or etude (students may also additionally play a rudimental solo).
2. One four-mallet solo or etude on marimba (students may also additionally play a two-mallet solo).
3. One solo or etude on timpani.

The following pieces and sources are suggested works; other repertoire of a comparable level is acceptable:

• Portraits in Rhythm — Anthony Cirone
• Intermediate Snare Drum Studies — Mitchell Peters
• 14 Modern Contest Solos — John Pratt
• The All-American Drummer — Charlie Wilcoxon
• Furioso and Valse — Earl Hatch
• The Whistler — G. H. Green
• Yellow After the Rain — Mitchell Peters
• Etude in B Major — Claire Musser
• Sonata for Timpani — John Beck
• Six Concert Pieces — Bill Cahn

Piano

All selections must be performed from memory.

1. All major and minor scales * (natural, harmonic and melodic minors), hands together, four octaves in 16th notes ascending and descending. A minimum speed of M.M. 88 for the quarter note is suggested.
    
2. One composition from the Baroque period (Bach prelude and/or fugue; Bach inventions/sinfonias; movements from suites of Bach, Couperin or Rameau; a Scarlatti sonata, etc.).
    
3. A movement of a sonata from the Classical period (Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven). It should be in sonata form with an exposition, development and recapitulation.
    
4. A composition from the Romantic, Impressionist or Contemporary period.
    
5. Sight reading at discretion of faculty.

* If submitting a video audition in lieu of an on-campus audition, please choose nine scales from the following 3 categories:

• One major scale from the “mirrored” fingering group (Db/C#, B, F#/Gb) and both related harmonic and related minors
   
• One major scale from the “C Major” fingering group (C, G, D, A, E) and both related harmonic and related minors
   
• One major scale from the “flat” fingering group (F, Bb, Eb, Ab) and both related harmonic and related minors 

All scales in four octaves, minimum of 88 = quarter note. You may consult Hanon part 3, or any other piano scale manual.

Strings

Violin, Viola and Cello

Applicants are expected to be proficient in all major and minor scales in three octaves.

Memorization of audition selections is optional, but strongly encouraged.

1. One movement of Bach
2. One movement of a concerto
3. Optional — One etude/caprice/virtuosic character piece/movement from composer of underrepresented diverse background

A live, in-person audition is preferred, as this provides a holistic experience for you, the applicant. But if unavailable, applicants are welcome to submit a video audition. 
 

Double Bass

1. Two contrasting solo selections that display the applicant's stylistic and technical range. Applicants should choose contrasting movements from a sonata or a concerto. 
2. Students should also prepare two contrasting standard orchestral excerpts. Please choose from symphonic works of Mozart, Mahler, Beethoven, Strauss, Brahms, Bach, Tchaikovsky or Prokofiev.
3. Two-octave major and minor scales and arpeggios through four sharps and flats.

Voice

Accompaniment

For on-campus auditions, an accompanist is provided, but you may bring your own. Be sure to bring clean, legible copies of your music.

Those who elect to upload a video audition with their application may also use accompaniment tracks. Please reach out to the voice faculty if you need assistance.

It is recommended that at least one selection be taken from standard classical vocal literature.

1. Two songs of contrasting style, one in English and one in a foreign language. Both songs should be memorized.
2. Sight-reading.

Voice Transfer Students 

(Students with one or more years of voice at another institution):

1. Three selections; at least one should be in a foreign language.
2. Sight-reading.

Woodwinds

1. Three solos, movements or etudes of contrasting styles. Memorization is optional.
2. All major scales.
3. Optional: up to three orchestral excerpts of your choice are encouraged, but not required.
4. Sight-reading.

Saxophones: students may play the above audition on alto, tenor  or baritone saxophone.