Graduate Audition Requirements

Piano accompaniment is not required for brass auditions at the University of Louisville. 

EUPHONIUM: Prepare two solo works, and at least three contrasting excerpts from the standard orchestra or band literature. Solos may be complete movements of larger concertos, sonatas, or unaccompanied works, or smaller standalone pieces. Selected works should demonstrate your technical capabilities and your understanding of varied musical styles. 

Dr. Clint McCanless: 502-852-4342, Email

HORN (FRENCH HORN): 

Please choose your list (all seven pieces) in a fashion that showcases all aspects of your playing.

1. An exposition of ONE of the following works OR standard work representative of your playing: 

• Mozart Concerti: 1, 2, 3, or 4, Concert Rondo
• Franz Strauss Concerto 1, Theme and Variations Op. 13
• Richard Strauss Concerto 1, Op. 11
• Dukas Villanelle
• Saint-Saens: Romance Op. 36, Romance Op. 67, Morceau de Concert
• Beethoven Sonata Op. 17
• Gliere: Concerto Op. 91
• Hindemith Horn Sonata, Alto Horn Sonata
• An etude by Kopprasch, Gallay, Shoemaker, Kling, Gugel, etc. 

2. Shostakovich Symphony 5, #17-21. Horn 1 

3. ONE excerpt from the wind band canon. Some examples include:

• Bernstein Suite from "West Side Story," arr. Paul Lavender 
• Grainger Irish Tune from County Derry Solo
• Grainger Children's March
• Grainger Lincolnshire Posy, Rufford Park Poachers
• Jenkins American Overture
• Schoenberg Theme and Variations, VI
• Smith Festival Variations, Eternal Father Strong to Save

     More excerpts are available.

4. ONE Excerpt from the opera canon. Some examples could include:

• Beethoven Fidelio
• Berg Wozzeck
• Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel 
• Mozart Cosi fan Tutte
• Puccini Tosca: Act III
• Strauss Der Rosenkavalier 
• Wagner Gotterdämmerung, Lohengrin (Act 3 prelude), Siegfried
• Weber Oberon, Der Freischütz

    More excerpts are available.

5. A piece or substantial solo passage representative of your playing by a composer from marginalized/underrepresented groups. Get creative with your research. Some examples include:

• Bernofsky Trio for Brass, I: mm.21 - 36, or II: mm.25 - 33
• Coleridge-Taylor Overture to the Song of Hiawatha: 5mm. after 2 - 19mm. after 3, horn 1
• Ginastera Variaciones Concertantes
• Jolas O Wall for wind quintet 
• Marsalis Blues Symphony, VI: mm.46-72, horn 3
• Price Symphony 1, III: mm.80-97, horn 3 

6. An excerpt that encompasses a large range. Some examples include:

• Mahler Symphony 3, I. recapitulation, horn 4
• Ravel Daphnis Et Chloé Ballet: rehearsal 43-45, horn 1
• Strauss Ein Heldenleben, Der Rosenkavalier, openings.Till Eulenspiegel- opening, horn 3 recapitulation 
• Wagner Götterdämmerung, Act.2 Scene 2.

7. An excerpt or brief solo that you are proud presenting

Dr. Devin Cobleigh-Morrison: 502-852-1873, Email

TROMBONE:

Tenor: Melodious Etudes for Trombone Selected from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni (Vol. 2); one intermediate or advanced Tommy Pederson etude; Select three contrasting orchestral excerpts from the following; Rossini Overture to La Gazza Ladra; Schumann Symphony No. 3, fourth movement; Strauss Ein Heldenleben; Wagner "Ride", Ravel Bolero; two contrasting movements by Tomasi, Hindemith, Jacob, or Wagenseil.

Bass: Melodious Etudes for Trombone Selected from the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni (Vol. 2); Bach Suite No. 5 for Cello; Sarabande and select three orchestral excerpts; Haydn The Creation, No. 26; Kodaly Hary Janos Suite, fourth movement; Rossini Overture to La Gazza Ladra; Schumann Symphony No. 3, fourth movement; Strauss Ein Heldenleben; Wagner "Ride"; two contrasting movement by Bozza, Spillman, Vaughan-Williams (Tuba Concerto).

Brett Shuster: 502-852-5526, Email

TRUMPET: Graduate applicants should include four pieces of contrasting styles. The ability to play different instruments (i.e. C trumpet, B-flat, piccolo, flugel, etc.) will strengthen the audition.

Reese Land: 502-852-7857, Email

TUBA: Prepare two solo works, and at least three contrasting excerpts from the standard orchestra or band literature. Solos may be complete movements of larger concertos, sonatas, or unaccompanied works, or smaller standalone pieces. Selected works should demonstrate your technical capabilities and your understanding of varied musical styles. 

Dr. Clint McCanless: 502-852-4342, Email

Masters Audition Requirements/Major Instrument Requirements: 

Be prepared to play up to four jazz compositions of contrasting style. The melody and chord progressions of all song selections must be memorized. 

• Select one tune from three of the four categories. These are suggestions and you may select comparable pieces.

• Blues of your choice. 

 Drummers:

 Be able to play the following at various tempos:

• swing
• bossa nova
• a Latin beat
• 12/8 Latin

Be able to play brushes:

• ballad temp
• any of the previous requirements

Be able to name and describe forms of tunes such as:

• blues 
• rhythm changes 
• standards

Note:  Courses, in addition to degree requirements, may be added to address any deficiencies.  These courses include traditional theory and history, jazz theory and history.  Additional courses including Improvisation 340 and Jazz Piano Class may be required.

Jazz Bass: Chris Fitzgerald: 502-852-1857, Email
Jazz Composition & Arranging: Gabe Evens: 502-852-0746, Email
Jazz Drums: Terry O'Mahoney: Email
Jazz Guitar: Craig Wagner: 502-852-5609, Email
Jazz Piano: Gabe Evens: 502-852-0746, Email
Jazz Saxophone: Dave Clark: 502-852-1859, Email
Jazz Studies: Dave Clark: 502-852-1859, Email
Jazz Trumpet/Trombone: Ansyn Banks: 502-852-1858, Email

Students should perform works in the following categories that accurately represent their current level of achievement.

Required:

• One 2 mallet or 4 mallet solo (with or without accompaniment)
• One Snare drum work (rudimental or orchestral style)

Optional:

• One Multi Percussion Work
• One Timpani work for 4 drums
• Drumset: Various Styles (Jazz, Bossa Nova, Afro Cuban, etc.)

Greg Byrne: 502-852-4665, Email

A recital program consisting of three or four pieces of contrasting style periods 

For example:

• One work from the Baroque era
• Complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven
• Romantic, Impressionistic, or Twentieth/Twenty-first Century work 

Memorization required. 

In addition to pieces from the standard repertoire, the School of Music Piano Faculty encourages you to include works written by composers from your home country or pieces written by underrepresented composers such as women (e.g., Clara Schumann, Tania Leon), composers from Asia (e.g., Toru Takamitsu, Isang Yun), African Americans (e.g., George Walker, Florence Price) or others. 

In addition to the audition, students should email the School of Music admissions office or upload to the graduate application an extensive repertoire list of solo and chamber music studied.

**Students interested in the Master of Music Piano Pedagogy Degree should email a video demonstrating teaching.

Anna Petrova: 502-852-6640, Email

DOUBLE BASS

Appropriate audition repertoire for graduate double bass applicants would typically include:

• Contrasting movements from a concerto
• One movement from a solo Bach suite
• Another solo selection of the candidate's choice (e.g. concert piece, movement of a sonata, etc.)
• 3-4 standard orchestral excerpts showing a range of styles

Sidney King: 502-852-1844, Email

CELLO

Be prepared to perform 3 to 4 works. Suggested repertoire consists of the following:

• A standard concerto
• An etude (such as Popper or Piatti)
• A solo piece or sonata

Paul York: 502-852-4642, Email

GUITAR--CLASSICAL

• Must have completed all requirements for undergraduate study as well as an undergraduate degree recital.
• At least a 20-minute program of appropriate repertoire, which may include any of the following or comparable works:Lute Suites by J.S. Bach, larger concert works by Mauro Giuliani and Fernando Sor, Preludes and Etudes by Heitor Villa-Lobos
• Audition repertoire must be performed from memory.

Dr. Stephen Mattingly: 502-852-5607, Email

VIOLA

Be prepared to play 3 or 4 contrasting pieces. Suggested repertoire consists of the following:

•  One movement from the standard viola concerto literature

AND one of these: 

• Two movements of solo JS Bach from the Unaccompanied Cello Suites or Violin Sonatas and Partitas arr. for viola
• A solo piece or Etude (such as Mazas, Kreutzer, Rode) and Sonata Movement

   Note: piano accompanist not required.

Dr. Kevin Nordstrom: 502-852-5616, Email

VIOLIN

• A movement of any Bach Solo Sonata or Partita 
• A movement of any Mozart Concerto
• A movement of any Romantic or 20th Century Violin Concerto

Geoffrey Herd: 502-852-5616, Email

All audition selections must be performed from memory without sheet music. We will provide a pianist for your audition. 

Applicants should present:

• 3 art songs (one German Lied, one French mélodie, one American or English art song)
• One aria from an opera or oratorio

Note: One of the 4 selections presented must be from the 20th century or later. 

Applicants can use pieces presented on a recital that was recorded within the last year. The pieces should be extracted from the complete recital to only present the pieces requested for the audition. 

Applicants must also email the School of Music admissions office or upload to the graduate application a repertoire list. If possible, also email or upload any recital programs presented as an undergraduate.

Emily Albrink: 502-852-5492, Email
Katherine Donner: 502-852-5493, Email
Chad Sloan (area chair): 502-852-5249, Email

BASSOON: Applicants should play 2 pieces of contrasting styles for the audition, for a total of 10 - 12 minutes of music, plus an etude or 2 orchestral excerpts.

Francisco Joubert-Bernard: 502-852-5574, Email

CLARINET:

Please prepare the following:

• Exposition of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto
• 3 standard orchestral excerpts of your choice
• One unaccompanied 20th or 21st century piece
• One movement from a sonata or concerto of your choice

Matthew Nelson: 502-852-0872, Email

FLUTE: Applicants should play 2 pieces of contrasting styles for the audition, for a total of 10 - 12 minutes of music, plus an etude or 2 orchestral excerpts.

Leanne Hampton: 502-852-0537, Email

OBOE: Applicants should play 2 pieces of contrasting styles for the audition, for a total of 10 - 12 minutes of music, plus an etude or 2 orchestral excerpts.

Jennifer Potochnic: 502-852-5996, Email

SAXOPHONE: Prepare three movements of works that represent your lyrical and technical capabilities, with at least one work from the standard repertoire (e.g. Ibert Concertino da Camera, Tomasi Concerto or Ballade, Maurice Tableaux de Provence, Creston Sonata or Concerto, Denisov Sonata). Applicants should also prepare all full-range major and harmonic minor scales as well as a full-range chromatic scale.

Adam McCord: 502-852-0538, Email