General Audition Requirements

For more information or questions, please contact Katherine Lowther at [email protected].

Band and Orchestra:

• Performance of two prepared pieces of contrasting style (dynamics, period, musical style).
  • Students may select their own pieces.
  • Memorization is not required.
  • Accompanists are neither provided nor encouraged.  However, if the student desires an accompaniment, please bring a cassette or CD.
  • Two copies of the piece must be submitted at the time of audition.
• Short sight-reading passage.
• Three scales of student’s choice
• Verbal interview.

 
 
Piano:

• Performance of two prepared pieces of contrasting style.
  • Students may select their own pieces.
  • Memorization is strongly encouraged.
  • Two copies of the piece must be submitted at the time of audition.
• Short sight-reading passage.
• Two scales of student’s choice, in both major and minor keys.
• Verbal interview.

 
 
Voice:

• Performance of one art or traditional song of student’s choice, from the accompanying list (see attached):
  • The song may be in a foreign language or English.
  • Memorization is strongly encouraged.
  • Popular music is not encouraged.
  • Accompanists are neither provided nor encouraged.  However, if the student desires an accompaniment, please bring a cassette or CD.  All vocal tracks on any accompanying recording MUST be omitted!
  • Two copies of each piece must be submitted at the time of audition.
• Performance of the American National Anthem.
• Short sight-singing passage (solo and in groups, determined by faculty, on-site).
• Directed warm up with vocal faculty.
• Verbal interview.

 
 
Drama:

• Monologue of student’s choice
  • Memorization is required.
  • 1-2 minutes in length.
  • Character and subject matter should be appropriate for your age/physical type.
  • Please avoid dialect pieces, poems that are not from a play or musical, and Shakespeare.
  • This is NOT a singing audition; please keep your monologue focused to dramatic interpretations of the spoken word.
  • Two copies of the monologue must be submitted at the time of the audition.
• Short cold-reading passage.
• Directed warm up and improv games (solo and in groups, determined by faculty, on-site).
• Verbal interview.

 
 
Visual Art:

• Portfolio submission (bring to the scheduled audition):
  • 5-7 prepared pieces of recent work, including at least the following:
    • Self-portrait
    • Landscape
    • Still-life
  • At least two different media must be represented.
  • While cartoon art is valid and interesting, cartoon and anime should not comprise the entirety of the student’s portfolio.
• On-site creative task.
• Verbal interview.

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Suggested Vocal Audition Songs

Below is a suggested list of songs appropriate for audition into the Art Cohort: Vocal Music program.

Reminders:

• The song may be in a foreign language or English.
• Memorization is strongly encouraged.
• Popular music or show tunes (music from films or musicals) are not encouraged.
• Accompanists are neither provided nor encouraged.  However, if the student desires an accompaniment, please bring a cassette or CD.  All vocal tracks on any accompanying recording MUST be omitted!
• Three copies of each piece must be submitted at the time of audition.

 
Foreign Language Art Song

1. “Star Vicino”, Salvatore Rosa
2. “Sento nel core”, Donaudy
3. “Caro Mio Ben”, Antonio Caldera
4. “Sebben Crudele”, Antonio Caldara
5. “Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento”, Giovanni Paisiello
6. “O Cessate”, Alessandro Scarlatti
7.  “Se Tu Mami”, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
8.  “Tu Lo Sai”, Giuseppe Torelli
9.  Songs from 24 Italian Songs and Arias
10.  Songs from 26 Italian Songs and Arias

 
English Art Songs

1. “The Water is Wide”, American Folk Song
2. “Danny Boy”, Irish Folk Song
3. “Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes”, American Folk Song
4. “Give Me Jesus”, African American Traditional
5. “I Know Where I’m Going”, American Folk
6. “Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier”, American Patriotic
7.  “Long Long Ago”, American Folk
8.  “Poor Wayfaring Stranger”, American Folk Song
9.  “Scarborough Fair”, British Folk Song
10.  “Sea Fever”, John Ireland
11.  “Shenandoah”, American Folk Song
12.  “Simple Gifts”, African American Traditional
13.  “Steal Away”, African American Traditional
14.  “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, African American Traditional
15.  Songs of John Jacob Niles
16.  Song from the series, Easy Songs for the Beginning… (Soprano Mezzo-Soprano/Alto/Tenor/Bass)