Audition Dates and Requirements

Acceptance to West Virginia University as a Music Major is a two step process. First, the applicant must be accepted by the University, and then by the Division of Music. Information on admission to the University can be found at www.arc.wvu.edu/index.html

Once admitted into the University, all prospective students must audition for the music program. Auditions are held in Morgantown throughout the school year. A recording and other supporting material may be submitted when circumstances prevent a visit to Morgantown for this purpose. The audition is a preliminary assessment of your potential for success in the program. If you are admitted, your standing is confirmed or revised after the first semester of study.

Audition Dates for Fall 2010

  • Saturday, February 6, 2010
  • Sunday, February 7, 2010
  • Saturday, March 13, 2010

A specific list of events can be found at http://www.ccarts.wvu.edu/future_students/events_and_programs

The Audition Process

Adobe PDF Music Enrollment/Scholarship Form
Adobe PDF Teacher Recommendation Form

PERCUSSION
Snare Drum: medium to advanced rudimental solo/etude, medium to advanced concert solo/etude, open and closed rolls to be performed, selected rudiments to be performed, sight reading.

Keyboard percussion: All major scales and arpeggios, medium to advanced 2 mallet solo/etude in a classical or contemporary style, sight reading, 4 mallet solo/etude in a classical or contemporary style (suggested, but not required)

Timpani: medium 4 drum solo/etude. Tuning within the piece is not required. Drum tuning will be asked apart from the etude/solo.

BRASS
Brass applicants should prepare two contrasting works from the standard solo repertoire. These may be single movements from a concerto or sonata. Piano accompaniment is not required.

Applicants should also prepare at least one etude. Applicants for the performance major are encouraged to prepare anything else that might strengthen their audition (such as prepared orchestral excerpts, etc.).

GUITAR
The audition for the guitar studio is an overall evaluation. Most applicants are not equally strong in all areas; in some cases, a deficiency in one area may be mitigated by excelling in another.

  • 1. Sight reading
    Fluency in basic sight reading skills is required, and is possibly the most important element of the audition. With hard work, an acceptable level of sight reading ability can be achieved in a matter of a few months. Recommended Preparation: Leavitt, Wm., A Modern Method for Guitar, Berklee Series, Vol. 1 (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Publications). pp.4-59.
  • 2. Scales
    Movable Major scale patterns, any key. Useful fingerings may be found in Berklee, Vol.1 (pp. 60, 70, 80, 90, 100); the “3 notes per string”system; or the Segovia Diatonic Major and Minor Scales (Belwin Mills Publishing Co.).
  • 3. Chord vocabulary
    Ability to play chords to a jazz tune, in tempo, from a lead sheet or jazz fakebook, is required. Two fingerings (i.e., “shapes”) for: major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 7th, and diminished 7th chords. Knowledge of chord symbols (e.g.,”Dm7, G7,” etc) is required.
  • 4. Improvisation
    Improvisation on a blues or jazz standard of your choice. For this, play-along CDs, such as the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Aids series, are highly recommended and can be mailed to you through Volkwein’s Music (Pittsburgh: 1-800-553-8742; 412-788-5900) or purchased locally at Kleeb’s Music in the Morgantown Mall Annex (304-296-2589). Recommended: “Nothin’ But Blues” or “Blues in All Keys.”
  • 5. Solo pieces
    Two pieces for solo guitar, in contrasting style. Pieces from the classical repertoire or jazz standards are preferred. NOT acceptable: any piece which is not complete in itself, or not meant for guitar alone, such as an accompaniment for voice or any other instrument; part of an arrangement for a band; or supported by another instrument (e.g., bass, piano, or another guitar).

COMPOSITION
One or more scores (on paper) of your composition in hand notation or computer notation. A representative group of pieces in different styles and genres is preferred. Bring cassette or CD recordings if available. If you do not have your music written down, an audition performance, tape of performance, or a computer disk with a MIDI file for playback in either Vision or Finale 2 or 3 is acceptable.

Testing of pitch matching, sight-reading (treble & bass clefs), and ability to write down what you hear (melodic dictation) should be expected.

It is advisable that composition students have some background in piano.

JAZZ
Applicants are required to sight-read both musical notation and chord changes. Applicants should be prepared to play common jazz scale forms and improvise in a number of jazz and contemporary styles. In addition, applicants may choose additional music that best reflects their technical ability, overall musicianship, and musical interests. Applicants should demonstrate their versatility and creativity.

WOODWINDS
• All major scales over the full range of the instrument
• Chromatic scale slurred over the full range of the instrument
• Two contrasting works from the standard solo repertoire. These can include entire pieces or individual movements from significant concerti or sonatas. One work may be a concert etude composed for the instrument. Piano accompaniment is not necessary.
  • For more information please contact the appropriate faculty member of your instrument. Click Faculty & Staff to find contact information.

VOICE
A minimum of three songs from the standard art song repertoire including:
• One song in French, German or Italian
• One song in English
• One song of the applicant’s choice which may be a musical theater piece

All songs should be sung from memory. Bring a copy of the music for the accompanist.

PIANO
Three contrasting works from the standard piano literature, such as:
• A piece from the Baroque era (Bach, Handel, or Scarlatti),
• A sonata movement from the Classical or Romantic periods, and
• An additional piece of the applicant’s choice.

Memorization is preferred for each of your audition pieces that would customarily be performed from memory on a public recital.

Scales and arpeggios may be requested at the audition.

VIOLIN, VIOLA AND CELLO
• An etude from etude books appropriate for each instrument such as Fiorillo, Kreutzer, Dont, Rode, Mazas, Kayser, Popper, etc.
• Two contrasting works from two different stylistic periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or 20th Century) of the standard solo repertoire. These can include entire works or individual movements from major concerti, sonatas, or suites.
• Two or three octave scales may be requested at the audition. Memory of audition materials and use of accompanist in the audition are optional.

DOUBLE BASS
• 1-2 Octave Major and Minor Scales
• An etude from Simandl’s “30 Studies for the Development of Tone” or a book of comparable difficulty.
• 1-2 contrasting works from the standard solo double bass repertoire such as a Baroque sonata, a concerto, or solos of equal difficulty.
• Memory of audition materials and use of an accompanist are optional.