Audition Requirements
Audition Requirements
For most instrumental auditions, we require orchestral excerpts in addition to solo pieces. Piano and Guitar applicants are exempt from this requirement.
All applicants must submit a video audition and be prepared to upload a short biography (250 words or less) in the Acceptd portal.
Most excerpts listed are in PDF format. If you are unable to print the excerpts, please contact the admissions office at (336) 333-7450 x227 for assistance.
Violin
Music:
- One technical solo/movement
- One lyrical solo/movement
- The following excerpts are required:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Viola
Music:
- One solo/movement demonstrating both lyrical and technical styles.
- Choose 1 excerpt from each of the following groups:
Group 1
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
- Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture
- Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn - Var. VII
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Group 2
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 3
- Brahms: Symphony No. 2
- Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream
- Mozart: Symphony No. 35
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Cello
Music:
- One technical solo/movement
- One lyrical solo/movement
- Choose 2 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Double Bass
Music:
- One technical solo/movement
- One lyrical solo/movement
- Choose 2 of the following excerpts, or 2 standard orchestral excerpts of your choice.
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Flute
Music:
- One solo/movement demonstrating both lyrical and technical styles
- Choose 3 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Oboe
Music:
- One solo/movement demonstrating both lyrical and technical styles
- Choose 3 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Clarinet
Music:
- One solo/movement demonstrating both lyrical and technical styles
- The following excerpts are required:
(Optional) Applicants may add one or more of the following auxiliary excerpts (these do not take the place of the soprano clarinet excerpts):
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Bassoon
Music:
- Please record all of the following:
- Mozart: Bassoon Concerto, Movement 1, Exposition (measures 35-71)
- Mozart: Marriage of Figaro Overture
- Ravel: Bolero
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Horn
Music:
- One solo/movement demonstrating both lyrical and technical styles
- Choose 3 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Trumpet
Music:
-
Applicants must choose one selection from each of the following three categories:
- A. Solo Selection of Choice
- 5-6 minutes, with or without accompaniment. If played unaccompanied, please observe rests as marked.
- B. Etude (use either Bb or C trumpet)
- One entire etude, approximately 2-3 mimutes in length. Choose from: Arban Characteristic Studies, Böhme, Wurm, Bosquet, Charlier, Getchell, or other collection of choice.
- C. Excerpt
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Tenor Trombone
Music:
-
Solo - Choose one of the following. Must be unaccompanied.
1. David: Concertino (beginning to letter D)
2. Grondahl: Concerto, Mvt. I (beginning to number 3) - The following excerpts are required: (They can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track)
- OPTIONAL - Preference will be given to Tenor Trombonists that wish to double on Bass Trombone. They should prepare EITHER two excerpts of choice from the Bass Trombone list OR one of the Bass Trombone solos listed. Excerpts can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track. They can be on a separate track from the Tenor Trombone excerpts.
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Bass Trombone
Music:
-
Solo - Choose one of the following. Must be unaccompanied.
1. Lebedev: Concerto in One Movement (beginning to Tempo I: Allegro Moderato)
2. Sachse: Concertino (beginning to measure 105) - The following excerpts are required: (They can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track.)
- OPTIONAL - Preference will be given to Bass Trombonists that wish to double on Tenor Trombone. They should prepare EITHER two excerpts of choice from the Tenor Trombone list OR one of the Tenor Trombone solos listed. Excerpts can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track. They can be on a separate track from the Bass Trombone excerpts.
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Tuba
Music:
- Solo - Bach: Sarabande. Play down an octave (no repeats)
- The following excerpts are required:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Harp
Music:
- One technical solo/movement
- One lyrical solo/movement
- Choose 2 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Guitar
Music:
- 3-7 minutes of music that represents your current playing level and ability. The audition selection(s) can be a complete piece, a segment of a larger work, or two shorter works.
- Two Major Scale Forms of your choice performed twice - once with rest stroke and once with free stroke. Please play these as quickly as you can play them cleanly, and provide a close-up angle where both hands can be seen at once.
Documents:
- Short biography (250 words or less) – please include any public master classes, competitions or ensemble experience you may have.
- Repertoire list
Timpani
Music:
- One solo/etude
- Choose 1 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Snare
Music:
- One solo/etude
- Choose 1 of the following excerpts:
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Mallet Percussion
Music:
- One solo/etude
- Choose 1 of the following excerpts:
- Mozart: The Magic Flute (Bells)
- Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (Xylophone)
- Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Glockenspiel)
- Kabalevsky: Overture "Colas Breugnon" (Xylophone)
- Saint-Saëns: Fossiles No. 12 (Xylophone)
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Music:
- Two technical movements of your choice (from solo or concerto repertoire)
- One slow movement of your choice (from solo or concerto repertoire)
- The works must be by different composers
Documents:
Short biography (250 words or less)
Conducting Institute Scholars
Music:
- Several recent samples of your conducting demonstrating a variety of repertoire (no more than 30 minutes total)
- Samples would ideally include a mix of both rehearsal and performance and should be a front view of the conductor at a reasonable distance
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- A brief description of your experiences as an ensemble member
- Short biography (250 words or less)
Violin
Music:
- Recent recording of a major concerto or sonata (5 minutes). Piano accompaniment required.
- Orchestral Excerpts (click for PDF):
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
Viola
Music:
- Three minutes of the first movement from one of the following: (Piano accompaniment required)
- Bartok - Concerto for Viola
- Hindemith - Der Schwanendreher
- Walton - Concerto for Viola
- Orchestral Excerpts:
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
Cello
Music:
- 5 minutes from a concerto of your choice. Piano accompaniment required.
- One movement from a Bach Suite
- Orchestral Excerpts (click for PDF):
- Mozart: Symphony No. 41
- Brahms: Symphony No. 2
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
- Strauss: Don Juan
- Mendelssohn - Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- Letter N to Letter O (bars 296-323)
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
Snare Drum
- Delecluse - Etude No. 9 from Douze Etudes
- Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade
- Movement III
- D to E
- 5 mm. after F to 8 mm. after F
- G to H
- Movement IV
- 1 m. before C to D
- 4 mm. before N to 19 mm. after N
- P to R
- S to U
- 15 mm. after W to the 6/4 time signature
- Movement III
- Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije
- Rehearsal 1 to 3 inclusive (count through the rests at Rehearsal 2)
Marimba
Bach (players choice)
Xylophone
- Gershwin - Porgy and Bess
- Main passage only (Goldenberg book)
- Kabalevsky - Overture to Colas Breugnon (Goldenberg book)
- 1 m. after Rehearsal 9 to downbeat of Rehearsal 12
- Pick up to Rehearsal 36, play for 12 measures
- Rehearsal 57 to the end
- Shostakovich - Polka from the Golden Age Ballet (Goldenberg book or real part)
- Beginning through A (or through Rehearsal 46), L to the end (or Rehearsal 55-56)
Glockenspiel
- Mozart - Magic Flute (Goldenberg book)
- Dukas - Sorcerer's Apprentice
- Rehearsal 17 to 20
- Rehearsal 22 to 24
- Rehearsal 26 to 27
- 7 mm. after Rehearsal 52 to 53
- Respighi - Pines of Rome
- Beginning to 21st m. of Rehearsal 2 (count all rests)
- 3rd m. of Rehearsal 3 to trill (play 4 mm. of trill only)
- 13th m. of Rehearsal 7 to the end
Tambourine
- Dvořák - Carnival Overture
- Beginning w/ repeats to 4 mm. before C
- T to the end
Cymbals
- Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2
- Movement III; Rehearsal 32, play for 13 mm.
- Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet
- E to 7 mm. before F
- 18 mm. before U, play for 5 mm.
Bass Drum
- Mahler - Symphony No. 3
- Movement I; 6 mm. before Rehearsal 11 to downbeat of Rehearsal 11
- Stravinsky - Rite of Spring
- Danse de la Terre; Rehearsal 72 to 6 mm. after Rehearsal 78
Triangle
- Brahms - Symphony no. 4
- Movement III; Rehearsal I to the end.
Documents
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
Euphonium Tuba Institute
Euphonium Institute Audition Requirements
Video auditions are required of all applicants.
Euphonium Tuba Institute applicants should be prepared to upload the following:
EUPHONIUM
- A short biography (250 words or less) - please include any public master classes or ensemble experience you may have.
- ETUDE: Bordogni (edited by Rochut) - Melodious Etude #24 (Allegro)
- SOLO: 3-4 minutes of a solo of your choice
- OPTIONAL: If you are interested in auditioning for a chance to perform Strauss' Ein Heldenleben with an EMF Young Artists Orchestra, you should record and upload the following excerpts:
EUPHONIUM TUBA SOLO COMPETITION
Participants wishing to compete in the Euphonium Tuba Solo Competition must submit a video recording of the work listed below. It needs to be uploaded to your EMF Application for the Euphonium Tuba Institute. The winners will be notified prior to the start of the Festival.
Euphonium Applicants:
Christopher Wiggins - Soliloquy XI
Tuba Applicants:
Krzysztof Penderecki - Capriccio for Solo Tuba
Tuba Institute Audition Requirements
Video auditions are required of all applicants.
Euphonium Tuba Institute applicants should be prepared to upload the following:
TUBA
- A short biography (250 words or less) - please include any public master classes or ensemble experience you may have.
- ETUDE: Blazhevich - Book 1, Etude #22
- SOLO: 3-4 minutes of a solo of your choice
TROMBONE FELLOW (Tenor & Bass)
TENOR TROMBONE
Music:
-
Solo - Choose one of the following. Must be unaccompanied.
1. David: Concertino (beginning to letter D)
2. Grondahl: Concerto, Mvt. I (beginning to number 3) - Excerpts - The following excerpts are required. They can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track.
Second Round
If a second round of auditions is needed, candidates who advance will receive an email with PDF’s of the music. The pieces will be as follows:
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Mov. 1: 17th bar after rehearsal 3 to Rehearsal 4; Mov. 1: 9th bar after Rehearsal 24 to Rehearsal 25; Mov. 2: 13th bar after Rehearsal 15 to Rehearsal 17)
- Ravel: Bolero (Solo only)
- Rossini: William Tell (Rehearsal C to 9th bar after Rehearsal D)
- Wagner: Walkürenritt (Ride of the Valkyries) (Minor and 1st Major sections)
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
BASS TROMBONE
Music:
-
Solo - Choose one of the following. Must be unaccompanied.
1. Lebedev: Concerto in One Movement (beginning to Tempo I: Allegro Moderato)
2. Sachse: Concertino (beginning to measure 105) - Excerpts - The following excerpts are required. They can be in any order, but must be unedited in one track.
Brahms: Symphony No. 1
Respighi: Fountains of Rome
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
Kodály: Háry János
Second Round
If a second round of auditions is needed, candidates who advance will receive an email with PDF’s of the music. The pieces will be as follows:
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Mov. 1: 17th bar after Rehearsal 3 to Rehearsal 4; Mov. 1: 9th bar 9th bar after Rehearsal 24 to Rehearsal 25; Mov. 2: 13th bar after Rehearsal 15 to Rehearsal 17)
- Haydn: Die Shöpfung (The Creation) (Mov. 26 complete)
- Rossini: William Tell (Rehearsal C to 9th bar after D)
- Wagner: Walkürenritt (Ride of the Valkyries) (Minor and 1st Major sections)
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Short biography (250 words or less)
- Two letters of recommendation
PIANO FELLOW
Video auditions are required of all applicants.
Applicants should be prepared to upload the following:
Music:
- 1 solo work of your choice
- 1 movement of a concerto with soloist
- 2 contrasting movements from solo sonatas or chamber music.
Documents:
- Cover Letter of Interest
- Curriculum Vitae
- Repertoire List. The list should include orchestral accompaniments, collaborative works and chamber music works (both studied and performed).
- Two letters of recommendation
- Short Biography
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