Auditions
Audition Requirements
- Solo audition of 30 minutes minimum
- Live auditions preferred when possible for local applicants
- Audition videos/links must be submitted in Slideroom application
- Performance must draw from the approved Audition Repertoire listed according to instrument below
Audition Repertoire by Instrument
Woodwinds
For specific questions, contact Director of Instrumental Studies John Burdett at jburdett@apu.edu.
Flute
- Bach: B minor Sonata
- Mozart: Concerto in D Major or G Major
- Dutilleux: Sonatine
- Prokofiev: Sonata
- Other approved standard repertoire
Oboe
- Mozart: Concerto in C Major
- Strauss: Concerto
- Dorati: Cinq Pieces Pour Le Hautbois
Bassoon
- Mozart: Concerto in B flat Major
- Vivaldi: Concerto in E minor or A minor
- Milde: Scale Studies and Etudes
Clarinet
- Brahms: Sonatas No. 1 and 2
- Mozart: Concerto, K. 622
- Debussy: Premiere Rhapsodie
- Stravinsky: Three Pieces
- Weber: Concertos No. 1 or 2, Grand Duo Concertant
- Rose: 32 Etudes
Saxophone
- Creston: Sonata, Rhapsodie
- Glazounov: Concerto
- Heiden: Sonata
- Ibert: Concertino de Camera
- Muczynski: Sonata
- Bozza: Etudes
- Ferling: Etudes
- Karg: Etudes
Percussion
For specific questions, contact Director of Instrumental Studies John Burdett at jburdett@apu.edu.
Snare Drum
- Etudes by Cirone, Peters, Delecuse
- Multiple Percussion
- Solo pieces by Kraft or other approved composers
Marimba
- Sonata, by Bach
- Multiple mallet solos by approved composers
- Concertos by approved composers
Timpani
- Solos by Carroll, Carter, or other approved composers
Brass
For specific questions, contact Director of Instrumental Studies John Burdett at jburdett@apu.edu.
Trumpet
- Fasch: Concerto in D
- Haydn: Trumpet Concerto
- Hummel: Trumpet Concerto
- Honegger: Intrada
- Charlier: Etudes
French Horn
- Bach: Selection from Cello Suite
- Beethoven: Sonata
- Bozza: En Fore
- Gallay: Etudes
- Gliere: Concerto
- Hindemith: Concerto
- Kling: Etudes
- Alphonse: Books 4-6
- Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2 or No. 3
- Strauss: Concerto No. 1 or No. 2
- V. Reynolds: 48 Etudes
Trombone
- Bourgeouis: Concerto
- Bozza: Ballade
- Ewazen: Sonata
- Grondahl: Concerto
- Saint-Saens: Cavatine
- Hindemith: Sonata (1st or 3rd mvt)
- DeFaye: Deux Danses
- Ewazen: Sonata
- Martin: Ballade
- Rimsky Korsakov: Concerto (1st mvt)
- Bach: Unaccompanied Cello Suites
Tuba
- Bordogni: Solfeggi for Tuba
- Broughton: Sonata
- Plog: Three Miniatures
- Vaughan Williams: Concerto
- Williams: Concerto
Excerpts:
- Berlioz: Overture to Benvenuto Cellini (#16 to 5 measures after #19)
- Gershwin: An American in Paris (#67 to #68)
- Resphighi: Fountains of Rome (#11 to #14; 13 measures after #14 to Largamente
Guitar
For specific questions, contact Director of Guitar Studies Tom Hynes at thynes@apu.edu.
Choose two from the following:
- A dance or two from a Lute Suite, Cello Suite or Violin Sonata or Partita by J.S. Bach
- A major classical work of length by Sor (Theme & Variations, Sonata or Grand Solo), Giuliani (Theme & Variations, Sonata, Grand Overture), Aguado (Rondo in Am)
- A major Romantic/Neo-classic work of length by Ponce, Tansman, Castelnuovo-Tedesco. A sonata or suite from any of these composers will suffice
- A modern work of length by Brouwer, Takamitsu, Walton, Britten or Smith-Brindle or comparable work
Harp
For specific questions, contact Director of String Studies Marek Szpakiewicz at marek@apu.edu.
- Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite solo
- Two contrasting works: (1) 17th or 18th century composer, (2) 20th century composer
- Etude (e.g. Bochsa Etude No. 1 from Cinquante Etudes Op. 34, Book One)
- Orchestral excerpt (e.g. Waltz of the Flowers harp cadenza from the Nutcracker Suite)
Keyboard Collaborative Arts
For specific questions, contact Director of Keyboard Studies Joel Clifft at jclifft@apu.edu.
Applicants must perform the following:
- One complete solo work, performed from memory
- One complete instrumental sonata
- One opera aria
- Three art songs of varied style and language
Applicants may also be required to demonstrate sight-reading skills. All sonatas must be performed with an instrumentalist. All songs and arias must be performed with a singer. The applicant is expected to provide his or her own musical partners.
Piano
For specific questions, contact Director of Keyboard Studies Joel Clifft at jclifft@apu.edu.
Applicants must perform the following:
- One Prelude and Fugue from The Well Tempered Clavier by J.S. Bach
- One complete classical sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven or Schubert (excluding Beethoven “Opus 49”)
- One large-scale work from the romantic period
- One virtuoso etude
The applicant may also be required to demonstrate sight-reading skills.
Strings
For specific questions, contact Director of String Studies Marek Szpakiewicz at marek@apu.edu.
Violin
Each of the following (four selections total):
- Two contrasting movements of a Bach unaccompanied Sonata or Partita
- One movement of a standard violin concerto
- One virtuoso piece/caprice/etude
Viola
Each of the following (four selections total):
- Two contrasting movements of either a Bach cello Suite or a Bach violin Sonata or Partita
- One movement of a standard viola sonata
- One movement of a standard concerto written for viola
Cello
Each of the following (four selections total):
- Two contrasting movements of Bach cello suites
- One movement from a standard cello sonata
- One movement from a standard cello concerto
Double Bass
Each of the following (three selections total):
- One movement of Bach transcribed solo cello, key of applicant’s choice
- One movement of a standard concerto
- One movement of a sonata with piano
Note: This information is current for the 2023-24 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.