Audition Guidelines

Bassoon

Students will be asked to play a 3-octave B♭ chromatic scale from low B♭ to the highest B♭, slurred up & down. Two-octave major & minor scales--up to 4 flats/sharps--will be asked; some articulated. Two contrasting styles of music from the traditional bassoon repertoire should be prepared; one to demonstrate your technical facility and the other for lyrical expression. Sight-reading should also be expected.

Cello

One movement from the standard concerto repertoire; one movement of unaccompanied Bach; an etude; a four octave major scale and its parallel minor and arpeggios.

Clarinet

Two pieces in contrasting styles, selected from the standard concerto, sonata, or solo repertoire; an etude chosen from the Rose 40 or 32 Studies; major and minor scales; and a chromatic scale. Sight reading may be requested.

Double bass

Two contrasting pieces or movements from the standard repertoire, including a movement from a Baroque sonata or suite; orchestral excerpts; a three-octave major scale, its relative melodic minor, and arpeggios. In addition, students may elect to perform a transcribed jazz solo or improvise with pre-recorded accompaniment.

Euphonium

The student should select two or three compositions, etudes, or band/orchestral excerpts that demonstrate contrasting styles and the ability to play melodic and technical material. Be able to perform all scales; major, minor (natural, harmonic and melodic), and two octave chromatic scales. Some sight reading may be required.

Flute

Three pieces of contrasting styles, which may include movements from concerti, sonatas and solo repertoire; all 2 octave major and minor scales; a 3 octave chromatic scale. Sight-reading may be requested.

Guitar

An etude by Sor, Carcassi, Brouwer or Villa-Lobos; one movement of Bach; one piece from standard classical guitar literature (may be a movement from a larger work); a three-octave major scale and its parallel minor; three selections from the Giuliani 120 Studies for the Right Hand. Sight-reading may be requested. For students interested in jazz or pursuing the Jazz Emphasis, please refer to the Jazz Audition Guidelines.

Harpsichord

Three pieces from the standard harpsichord repertoire, including one by J.S. Bach; or the piano audition.

Horn

Two or three pieces, in contrasting styles and tempi, to demonstrate melodic interpretation and technical facility; major, minor, and chromatic scales; sight-reading, including transposition (in E-flat or D major) and bass clef will be requested.

Jazz (instrumental)

Students interested in demonstrating their jazz talents must perform a complete classical audition on their primary instrument in addition to a separate jazz audition presented at the end of the classical audition and/or at the on-campus "Jazz Jam" (see below). For regional or self-recorded video auditions, the jazz audition must include a jazz etude, solo transcription, or improvisation on a prepared jazz piece selected by the student. Additional requirements are listed along with the classical repertoire requirements for your instrument on this page. Students auditioning at regional audition locations must also improvise to a pre-recorded CD accompaniment (such as the Jamey Aebersold Play-Along series) and provide their own amplification for playback (iPod docking station, portable stereo, etc). Candidates auditioning on the Lawrence campus are required to attend the "Jazz Jam" scheduled from noon to 1:00 pm, where candidates will perform the melody and improvise several solo choruses on any one of the following works: "Tenor Madness" (Sonny Rollins), "Mr. P.C." (John Coltrane), or "Lester Leaps In" (Lester Young). Candidates will be accompanied by a Lawrence student rhythm section and memorization is preferred.

Jazz (voice)

Students interested in demonstrating their vocal jazz talents may only audition at a regional location or submit their audition as self-recorded video (on-campus vocal jazz auditions are not available). Students will perform two selections (one ballad and one medium swing tune) from the following list of jazz “standards”…Ballads: “Someone to Watch Over Me” (high voice version in C, low voice version in A♭) or “When I Fall in Love” (high voice version in E♭, low voice version in C) both from Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long audition tracks, Volume 113, Embraceable You, Ballads for Singers. Medium Swing Tunes: “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (high voice version in D♭, low voice version in B♭) or “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” (high voice version in B♭/g minor, low voice version in G/e minor) both from Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long audition tracks, Volume 117, Cole Porter for Singers. The Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long audio tracks are available as downloads in separate “low voice” and “high voice” versions on iTunes for 99 cents. Students must provide their own amplification for playback at regional audition locations (iPod docking station, portable stereo, etc).

Oboe

An 18th-century, or earlier, concerto; a second piece in contrasting style, such as another solo work, an etude, or an orchestral excerpt; number 25 in d minor from “Forty Progressive Melodies,” Barret Oboe Method (also found on pg. 32 of the Vade-Mecum of the Oboist, ed. Andraud); and major and minor scales. Sight-reading may be requested.

Organ

One work by J.S. Bach (chorale prelude, prelude and fugue, or trio sonata movement); and one other work from the 19th or 20th century; or the piano audition. Organ auditions will be offered at Interlochen and on campus.

Percussion

Students should be able to perform an etude that demonstrates their level of musical and technical ability on snare drum (rudimental or concert style), keyboard percussion (marimba, vibraphone or xylophone), and timpani (two or four drums). Students are also encouraged to perform a solo or a variety of styles on drum set (rock, jazz, Brazilian, Cuban) and/or any ethnic instrument such as congas, tabla, frame drum, etc. Students will be asked to sight-read and play scales on marimba. Students may contact Dane Richeson or visit the percussion studio website for repertoire examples. Percussion auditions will be offered in Interlochen, Houston, and on campus.

Piano

A Prelude and Fugue or other Bach composition containing a fugue (such as a Toccata or Partita); a sonata-allegro movement of a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert; a composition from the romantic period; and a 20th or 21st-century composition. In the case of a student with a prospective jazz emphasis, the 20th/21st century composition may be a jazz etude, transcription, or improvisation on a prepared jazz piece. All music must be memorized. It is possible that not all selections will be heard at the audition, due to time limitations, but all should be prepared. Students may also be asked to sight-read.

Saxophone

Note: Prescreening will be required for all 2014 saxophone auditions. Prescreening and audition requirements are identical: Two or three pieces or movements in contrasting styles, demonstrating technical facility and melodic expressiveness; Eb and B major, and D and F# minor scales (harmonic or melodic), played both ascending and descending through the full range of the instrument; and a chromatic scale (Bb-F#3, ascending and descending). In addition, students may elect to perform a transcribed jazz solo or improvise with pre-recorded accompaniment.

On-campus auditions take the form of a private lesson. Students auditioning on campus begin the audition with a performance of their prepared repertoire and scales; the audition continues with a lesson of 30 to 40 minutes duration that includes work on the prepared repertoire and sight-reading.

Trombone

Tenor Trombone and Bass Trombone —Two or three standard solos or etudes that show both melodic interpretation and technical facility; major and minor scales, sight-reading, and simple tunes by ear as requested. Jazz etudes, transcriptions, or improvisation with pre-recorded accompaniment may be used as a portion of the audition. For students interested in the Jazz Emphasis, please refer to the Jazz Audition Guidelines.

Trumpet

A variety of solos or etudes displaying both technical and melodic ability; and major, minor, and chromatic scales. Sight-reading may be requested. Jazz improvisation with pre-recorded accompaniment and/or lead playing can be included at the discretion of the applicant.

Tuba

Viola

One movement of a standard concerto or other work for solo viola and orchestra and two contrasting movements of solo Bach. Preferably, repertoire will be performed from memory. Applicants should also prepare an etude or caprice by Campagnoli, Fuchs or Kreutzer and a three octave major scale and its parallel minor scale and arpeggios.

Violin

Either the first or third movement of a standard concerto performed from memory; two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach; an etude or caprice; and three-octave scales and arpeggios.

Voice

Two solos of contrasting styles, one of which must be sung in English, while the other can be sung in a foreign language or English. An accompanist will be provided on campus; students auditioning at a regional site must provide their own accompanists. Pieces must be sung from memory. A musical skills test that includes pitch-matching, sight-singing, and rhythmic exercises will follow the audition.

Lawrence University does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, parental or marital status, age, or disability. Inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policy may be directed to the Provost and Dean of the Faculty at 920-832-6528. Lawrence adheres to the Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).