Graduate Strings Audition Requirements

Unless specified, prescreen requirements are the same as listed below. 

• Prescreening & Audition

  Applicants to the Master of Music 

  Live audition or a video recording uploaded to SlideRoom. 

  • Two contrasting movements from Bach Cello Suite 4, 5, or 6
  • The first movement from a major Concerto
  • An additional work of the applicant’s choice

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos are to be performed from memory.

  Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts

  Live audition is required. 

  • Complete Bach Cello Suite
  • Complete major Concerto
  • Commercially published piece of the applicant’s choice

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos are to be performed from memory.

• Prescreening & Audition

  Applicants to the Master of Music

  The following repertoire is recommended but similar works may be substituted and approved by the Frost School of Music faculty upon request one month prior to the audition.

  Live audition or a video recording uploaded to SlideRoom. The audition should consist of 15-20 minutes of selections from the following:

  • One movement from a Bach Cello Suite
  • One movement from a major Concerto- Bottesini, Koussevitzky, etc.
  • Orchestra excerpts:
    • Mozart Symphony #40 movements 1 and 4
    • Beethoven Symphony #5 Scherzo and Trio
    • Strauss Ein Heldenleben #9 through #13
      

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos are to be performed from memory.

  Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts

  The following repertoire is recommended but similar works may be substituted and approved by the faculty upon request one month prior to the audition.

  Live audition is required. The audition should consist of 15-20 minutes of selections from the following:

  • Bach Cello Suite- any edition
  • Sonata or Modern composition
  • Complete major Concerto
  • An Orchestra excerpt from each major style:
    • Baroque- Bach Orch. Suite #2 Polonaise and Badinerie
    • Classical- any Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven Symphony
    • Romantic- Brahms Symphony #2: Movements 1 and 4 or Strauss Ein Heldenleben #9 and #77
      

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos are to be performed from memory.

  Applicants to the Artist Diploma

  • For students holding a Bachelor's degree in performance, the requirements are the same as the Master of Music.
  • For students holding a Master's degree in performance, the requirements are the same as the Doctor of Musical Arts, but a recorded audition may be uploaded to SlideRoom if a live audition is not possible.

• Prescreening & Audition

  Applicants to the Master of Music

  The pre-screen and audition should consist of selections from the following. Select contrasting sections from the options below for both the pre-screen and audition; and demonstrate examples of a variety of repertory. The following repertoire is recommended but similar works may be substituted if approved by faculty upon request one month prior to the audition. Pre-screen videos and recorded auditions should be uploaded to SlideRoom. 

  • Selected sections from the following:
    • Prelude and dance movement from a Bach Cello Suite or two contrasting movements from a Bach Violin Sonata or Partita
    • A complete major Concerto
    • An original work for viola of the candidates choice

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos should be performed from memory.

  Applicants to the Doctor of Musical Arts

  The pre-screen and audition should consist of selections from the following. Select contrasting sections from the options below for both the pre-screen and audition; and demonstrate examples of a variety of repertory. The following repertoire is recommended but similar works may be substituted if approved by faculty upon request one month prior to the audition. Pre-screen videos should be uploaded to SlideRoom.

  A live audition is required. The audition should consist of 30-45 minutes of selected sections from the following:

  • A complete Bach Cello Suite or Violin Sonata or Partita
  • A complete major Concerto
  • An original work for viola of the candidates choice

  Unaccompanied works and Concertos should be performed from memory.

  Applicants to the Artist Diploma

  • For students holding a Bachelor's degree in performance, the requirements are the same as the Master of Music.
  • For students holding a Master's degree in performance, the requirements are the same as the Doctor of Musical Arts, but a video recording may be uploaded to SlideRoom if a live audition is not possible.

• Prescreening & Audition

  A live audition is required. All works to be presented from memory. The audition should consist of a 20-25 minute performance of selections from each of the following:

  • Complete major Concerto
  • 1st & 2nd movements of Bach Sonatas in G, A, or C
  • Caprice by Paganini or its equivalent in virtuosity