Primary Instrument Requirements
Guitar:
- One transcription of a work written before 1750
- One classical or romantic selection written for guitar
Harp:
- Handel: B-Flat Concerto - first movement
- Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ cadenza
- Two contrasting solo pieces of your choice
Brass and Wind:
- Two contrasting pieces from the standard solo literature of your instrument (One lyrical; One technical).
Organ:
- One of each of the following pieces. Up to two of these pieces may be played on the piano.
- Baroque Composition
- Romantic Composition
- Contemporary Composition
Note: Please be prepared for sight-reading and ear tests.
Percussion:
- One snare drum piece
- One mallet piece using two or four mallets
- One timpani piece using two or four drums
Note: All three areas are desired, but consideration will still be given to those who are weak in one of the aforementioned instruments.
If you are interested in playing in Jazz Ensemble, please be prepared to audition on drum set as well, demonstrating various styles and grooves (Swing, rock and latin).
Piano:
- Students must complete the Keyboard Placement Survey to determine course and lesson placement.
Note: Students can either take the survey in person or can submit a recording of you taking the placement exam. Please be sure that the video shows your hands and your face. You will only need to complete one exam on the attached PDF. So, for example, if you were trying to test out of Keyboard 2 and into Keyboard 3, you would only need to complete the Keyboard 2 exam. You can send the video to Dr. Hung at lishan.hung@biola.edu using Google Drive.
Strings:
- Violin
- One movement from a Bach unaccompanied sonata or partita.
- One movement from a concerto of your choice
- Sight-reading, scales and arpeggios may be requeste
- If submitting an online audition, include one major and one minor scale of your choice (can be the same or different keys); both scales should be three-octaves. (Additionally, see online submission guidelines below.)
- Viola
- One movement from a Bach unaccompanied sonata, partita, or suite.
- One movement from a concerto of your choice
- Sight-reading, scales and arpeggios may be requeste
- If submitting an online audition, include three octave D Major scale (ascending & descending) and a three-octave D Major arpeggio (additionally, see online submission guidelines below).
- Cello
- One movement from a Bach unaccompanied suite
- One etude by Popper or Duport (or equivalent)
- One movement from the concerto of your choice
- Sight-reading, scales and arpeggios may be requested
- If submitting an online audition, include three octave Eb and A minor scale and arpeggio (additionally, see online submission guidelines below).
- Double Bass
- Major and Minor scales or an etude of your choice
- One movement from baroque or classical sonata or concerto, or a one-movement piece
- If submitting an online audition, include one major and one minor scale of their choice (can be the same or different keys); both scales should be three-octaves. (Additionally, see online submission guidelines below.)
Voice:
- Two contrasting classical art songs (one can be an aria from any opera or oratorio) in any language.
- Both pieces must be memorized.
- Acceptable selections may be found in the 24 or 26 Italian Art Songs and Arias published by G. Schirmer, and any art song, aria, or oratorio anthology or collection published by Hal Leonard or G. Schirmer
Note: An accompanist will be provided.