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Brass Auditions

Dates

Spring 2024

Auditions for Spring semester entry are arranged individually the week of November 13 following the application deadline.

Fall 2024

In-person auditions for entry into the Fall semester will be held on the following dates and are subject to change. Students are reminded not to book travel until scheduling an audition slot through the application status portal, which will be available after the release of audition slots in December.

  • Horn: February 18 and 25
  • Trumpet: January 22, February 5 and 26
  • Tuba, Bass Trombone, Tenor Trombone: January 22
  • Tenor Trombone: February 26

Requirements

Review the requirements for your area of study below. If you have questions about your repertoire selections within these requirements, please first consult with your current private teacher or other mentor.

For all Brass applicants:

  • There is no prescreening requirement.
  • Works with piano are not required to be performed with a pianist or piano recording. 
  • Repertoire does not need to be memorized.

Undergraduate

  • All Major and Minor scales
  • First movement (complete with cadenza, if applicable), Mozart Concerto No. 2, 3, or 4
  • First movement (complete), Strauss Concerto No. 1
  • Three orchestral excerpts. Select one excerpt from each option:
    • Excerpt 1 Options
      • Brahms Symphony No. 3, mvmt 3, 1st horn (measures 98-110 / F to 12 after F)
      • Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3, slow movement, 3rd horn (reh Q to reh S)
      • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, mvmt 2, 1st horn (measures 9-28)
    • Excerpt 2 Options
      • Beethoven Symphony No. 3 "Eroica", mvmt 3, 2nd horn (measures 171 - 205)
      • Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, mvmt 1, 1st horn (reh 17-21)
      • Strauss Till Eulenspiegel, 1st horn (beginning to 1)
    • Excerpt 3 Options
      • Dvorak Symphony No. 9, mvmt 4, 1st horn (17 after reh 10 to reh 11)
      • Schumann Symphony No. 3, mvmt 1, 1st horn, (measures 363-390)
      • Wagner Götterdämmerung (short call)
  • You may be asked to sight-read a short selection.

Graduate and Postgraduate

  • All Major and Minor scales
  • Strauss Concerto No. 1 or comparable work
  • One 20th-century work for solo horn. We recommend performing a work by a female composer and/or person from a historically underrepresented ethnic/racial background to fulfill this requirement.
  • Five orchestral excerpts. Select one excerpt from each option:
    • Excerpt 1 Options
      • Brahms Symphony No. 1, mvmt 2, 1st horn (measures 90-105)
      • Mendelssohn Midsummer's Night Dream, Nocturne (measures 1-34)
      • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, mvmt 2, 1st horn (measures 9-28)
    • Excerpt 2 Options
      • Franck Symphony in d minor, mvmt 2, 1st horn (measures 29-48)
      • Ravel Pavane, 1st horn (measures 1-11)
      • Schumann Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish", mvmt 4, 1st horn (measures 1-8)
    • Excerpt 3 Options
      • Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, mvmt 1, 1st horn (reh 17-21)
      • Strauss Don Quixote, Var. VII, 2nd horn (reh 57 to 5 after reh 58)
      • Strauss Ein Heldenleben, 2nd horn (4 after reh 3 to 2 after reh 5)
    • Excerpt 4 Options
      • Beethoven Symphony No. 9, mvmt 3, 4th horn (measures 83-121)
      • Mahler Symphony No. 1, mvmt 3, 2nd horn (4 after reh 13 to reh 15)
      • Strauss Don Quixote, Var. VIII, 4th horn (5 before reh 59 to 8 after reh 62)
    • Excerpt 5 Options
      • Bach Mass in b minor, Quoniam (measures 1-13)
      • Strauss Ein Heldenleben, 1st horn (beginning to reh 2)
      • Wagner Götterdämmerung (short call)
  • You may be asked to sight-read a short selection.

 

Undergraduate

  • Charlier Étude No. 2 (beginning to the 13th bar of the Meno mosso)
  • One technical etude (Arban, Bitsch, Bousquet, Brandt, etc)
  • Adagio from Aleksandra Pakhmutova's Concerto for Trumpet (two before 16 to six after 17)*
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3 Offstage call
    • Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition Opening solo
  • Transfer Applicants only - Additional orchestral excerpts:
    • Mahler Symphony No 5 Opening solo
    • Respighi Pines of Rome Offstage solo
    • Stravinsky Petrouchka (1947 version) Ballerina Dance (1 bar before Reh. 134 to Reh. 139)
  • Optional: If there is an additional solo work you would like to perform, please list it in your final audition repertoire.

Graduate and Postgraduate

  • Charlier Étude No. 2
  • One technical etude (Arban, Bitsch, Bousquet, Brandt, etc)
  • First movement exposition of Haydn or Hummel Concerto
  • Adagio from Aleksandra Pakhmutova's Concerto for Trumpet (two before 16 to six after 17)*
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3 Offstage call
    • Mahler Symphony No 5 Opening solo
    • Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition Opening solo
    • Respighi Pines of Rome Offstage solo
    • Stravinsky Petrouchka (1947 version) Ballerina Dance (1 bar before Reh. 134 to Reh. 139)
  • Optional: If there is an additional solo work you would like to perform, please list it in your final audition repertoire.

*Excerpt is provided within the application on the Audition Details tab. Select trumpet as your instrument area for access.

Undergraduate

  • One solo of choice with contrasting sections
  • Two contrasting études of choice (one lyrical and one technical)
  • Three major scales of 2-3 octaves, with at least one in a sharp key. They may be played as eighth notes at a tempo of 120.

Graduate and Postgraduate

  • One of the following solos:
    • Frank Martin Ballade
    • Ferdinand David Concertino, mvt. 1
    • Paul Hindemith Sonate
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Berlioz Hungarian March (second trombone, Reh 3 to 2nd measure of Reh 5)
    • Mahler Symphony No. 3 (first trombone, first and second solos)
    • Mozart "Tuba Mirum" from Requiem
    • Ravel Bolero (Reh 10 solo)
    • Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3 (first trombone, mvt 1, Reh Q to R)
    • Strauss Ein Heldenleben (second trombone, Reh 60-66)
    • Tower Fanfare for an Uncommon Woman (first trombone, bar 45-80)*
    • Wagner Ride of the Valkyries (second trombone, B major section)

*Excerpt is provided within the application on the Audition Details tab. Select trombone as your instrument area for access.

Undergraduate

  • Two contrasting études from J. Rochut Melodious Études, Book 1
  • One solo of choice with contrasting sections
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
    • Brahms Symphony No. 1
    • Schubert Symphony in C Major
    • Berlioz Hungarian March
  • Sight-reading

Graduate and Postgraduate

  • Sarabande from Bach Cello Suite No. 5, or piece of student’s choice with contrasting sections
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Haydn The Creation, No. 26
    • Kodály Háry János Suite, mvt. 4
    • Rossini La gazza ladra Overture
    • Schumann Symphony No. 3, mvt. 4
    • Strauss Ein Heldenleben
    • Wagner Das Rheingold "Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla"
    • Wagner Tannhäuser Overture

Undergraduate

  • One étude
  • One legato study (such as Rochut)
  • Two contrasting movements or works from solo repertoire
  • Transfer students only: Three orchestral excerpts

Graduate and Postgraduate

  • Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba, mvt. 1, or equivalent piece of student’s choice
  • Orchestral excerpts:
    • Berlioz Rakóczy March
    • Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
    • Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis
    • Stravinsky Petrushka
    • Wagner Die Meistersinger or Ride of the Valkyries Overture

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