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Woodwind Auditions

Collegiate Apply / Request Information

Woodwind Auditions

Collegiate Apply / Request Information

Welcome, woodwind students! 

Below, you'll find the audition requirements for the woodwind area. For full audition and application information, please visit the Application & Auditions page. If you have questions about your repertoire selections within these requirements, please first consult with your current private teacher or other mentor.

Audition Dates

All live auditions will be held on-campus in San Francisco. Please visit the Application & Auditions page to view dates. 

Audition Requirements

For all Woodwind applicants:

  • There are no prescreening requirements.
  • Works with piano are not required to be performed with a pianist or piano recording. A piano will not be provided at live auditions.
  • Repertoire does not need to be memorized.
Degree Level Requirements
Undergraduate
  • One étude from either Rose 32 or Rose 40 Études for Clarinet
  • Two contrasting movements from a concerto by Mozart, Stamitz, or Weber, or a piece of equivalent difficulty. We encourage you to perform a work by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group to fulfill this requirement.
Graduate and Postgraduate
  • One étude from Uhl, Jeanjean, or a Kovach Hommage
  • Two of the following works:
    • Copland's Concerto (opening through end of cadenza)
    • Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody
    • D'Rivera's "Lecuonerias" from Cape Cod Files
    • Nielsen's Concerto Op. 57 (opening through end of cadenza)
    • Stravinsky's Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet
    • Tower's Wings
  • Three orchestral excerpts
Degree LevelRequirements
Undergraduate
  • 1st and 2nd movement expositions of the Mozart Concerto in G or D Major, with cadenzas
  • One choice from the following French pieces: Chaminade Concertino, Enesco Cantabile et Presto, Fauré Fantaisie, Gaubert Fantaisie, Gaubert Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando, Ganne Andante et Scherzo, Büsser Prélude et Scherzo, Périlhou Ballade
  • A Baroque work of your choice  
  • Three standard orchestral excerpts of your choice 
Graduate and Postgraduate
  • 1st and 2nd movements of the Mozart Concerto in G or D Major, with cadenzas
  • Two contrasting movements of a concerto by Nielsen, Ibert, Reinecke or Jolivet or a sonata by Prokofiev, Reinecke, Liebermann or equivalent difficulty
  • A work of your choice for solo flute, composed after 1950
  • Five orchestral excerpts 
    • Bach St. Matthew's Passion Aria "Aus Liebe"
    • Brahms Symphony No.4
    • Ravel Daphnis et Chloé
    • Debussy Prélude à l'aprés-midi d'un Faune
    • Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis

Postgraduate - Auxiliary Winds PSC Only

  • Vivaldi Concerto in C Major, RV 443, Mvmts I and II
  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Mvmt III
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 9
  • Berlioz Damnation of Faust, Menuet des Follets
  • Mahler Symphony No. 2, Mvmt IV Reh 4 and Mvmt V Reh 30-31
  • Rossini Semiramide Overture
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 6, Mvmt I Reh 8-10 and Mvmt II Reh 72-74
  • On Flute: Expositions from Mvmts I and II of a Mozart Flute Concerto (G or D)
Degree Level Requirements
Undergraduate
  • One selection from Barret's 40 Progressive Melodies
  • One étude from Barret's 15 Grand Studies or Ferling Etudes
  • Marina Dranishnikova's A Poeme for Oboe and Piano
  • One movement from a standard baroque or classical concert piece
  • One movement from a standard romantic or modern concert piece
  • Three standard orchestral excerpts
Graduate and Postgraduate
  • One selection from Barret's 40 Progressive Melodies
  • One étude from Barret's 15 Grand Studies or Ferling Etudes
  • Marina Dranishnikova's A Poeme for Oboe and Piano
  • One movement from a standard baroque or classical concert piece
  • One movement from a standard romantic or modern concert piece
  • Six standard orchestral excerpts

Postgraduate - Auxiliary Winds PSC Only

  • Hindemith English Horn Sonata
  • Bach Cantata No. 1 "Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen", 1-34
  • Berlioz Rob Roy Overture, two measures before Reh 7 to five measures before Reh 9
  • Berlioz Rob Roy Overture, both Largetto Espressivo solos
  • Dvorak New World Symphony
  • Debussy Nocturnes, Fetes
  • Ravel Piano Concerto in G
  • On Oboe: One movement of a standard concert piece, any era

Postgraduate - Auxiliary Winds PSC Only

  • Two movements of a Bach cello suite (transposed or concert pitch)
  • One solo piece written after 1980
  • Four bass clarinet orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice
  • On Clarinet: One piece from the Graduate clarinet audition repertoire list
Degree Level Requirements
Undergraduate
  • Scales
    • One major
    • One minor
    • One chromatic
  • Telemann Sonata in F minor, movements I and II
  • One selection from Milde Scale Studies or Weissenborn Advanced Studies, or other works of equivalent difficulty
  • One solo work of your choice that demonstrates your current level of advancement musically and technically. We encourage you to perform a work by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group to fulfill this requirement.
  • Transfer undergraduate applicants only: Three orchestral excerpts
Graduate and Postgraduate
  • Three orchestral excerpts
  • Two contrasting movements selected from within the repertoire below:
    • Mozart Concerto
    • Vivaldi Concerto
    • Weber Concerto
    • Hummel Concerto
    • Bach cello suites
    • Saint-Saëns Sonata
  • One solo work of your choice that demonstrates your current level of advancement musically and technically. We encourage you to perform a work by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group to fulfill this requirement.

Postgraduate - Auxiliary Winds PSC Only

  • Bach Cello Suite  No. 1, Minuets 1 and 2
  • Schulhoff Bass Nightingale, Meloncolia
  • Orchestral Excerpts
    • Beethoven Symphony No. 5, Mvmt. IV, Beginning to repeat
    • Shostakovish Symphony No. 5, Mvmt. II solos
    • Ravel Ma Mere L'Oye, Mvmt IV, Beauty and the Beast
    • Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand, opening solo
  • On Bassoon: Expositions from Mvmts I and II of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto
  • On Contra or Bassoon: One solo work of your choice that demonstrates your current level of advancement musically and technically. We encourage you to perform a work by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group to fulfill this requirement.

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