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Voice / Opera Studies Auditions

Collegiate Apply / Request Information

Voice / Opera Studies Auditions

Collegiate Apply / Request Information

Welcome, voice & opera students! 

Below, you'll find the audition requirements for the voice and opera area. For additional details and application information, please visit the Application & Auditions page. If you have questions about your song 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. Opera studies students must attend live auditions.

Prescreen Audition Requirements

All voice and opera studies applicants are required to submit unedited audiovisual recordings fulfilling the prescreening requirements listed below with the application. Applicants will be informed if they are invited to attend an audition or have been denied in prescreening.

  • One Italian aria or song such as those found in the Anthology of Italian Song of the 17th and 18th Centuries
  • One song originally written in English (not a translation)
  • One song of the applicant's choice
  • One operatic aria (any language)
  • One contrasting art song (any language)
  • One song of the applicant's choice
  • One operatic aria
  • Two contrasting art songs
  • One song of the applicant's choice

Three operatic arias of contrasting languages and styles


 

Final Audition Requirements

You may use the same songs from prescreening to fulfill Final Audition requirements. Artist Diploma applicants must attend a live on-campus audition in San Francisco.

If you have a work composed by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group in your repertoire, we encourage you to perform it to fulfill one of these requirements.

  • One Italian aria or song such as those found in the Anthology of Italian Song of the 17th and 18th Centuries
  • One song in English (not a translation)
  • One song of the applicant's choice

 

Musicianship Assessment

All undergraduate applicants must complete a brief sight-reading assessment on the day of the audition. This will be administered by a member of SFCM's Department of Musicianship and Music Theory, who will evaluate your ability to sight-read simple melodies and rhythms. The results will be shared with the Voice Department but will not affect your admission decision - they are solely for voice faculty to understand the musicianship level of admitted students who choose to enroll, and how voice faculty can best instruct these students with recital and ensemble repertoire preparation.

The arias and songs must include pieces in German, French, and Italian. One of the selected works must be composed by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group.

  • Two operatic arias in contrasting styles
  • Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English.
  • One song of the applicant's choice

 

Musicianship Assessment 

All applicants must complete a brief sight-reading assessment on the day of the audition. This will be administered by a member of SFCM's Department of Musicianship and Music Theory, who will evaluate your ability to sight-read simple melodies and rhythms. The results will be shared with the Voice Department but will not affect your admission decision - they are solely for voice faculty to understand the musicianship level of admitted students who choose to enroll, and how voice faculty can best instruct these students with recital and ensemble repertoire preparation.

The arias and songs must include pieces in German, French, and Italian. One of the selected works must be composed by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group.

  • Three operatic arias in contrasting styles
  • Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English.
  • One song of the applicant's choice

Artist Diploma applicants must attend a live on-campus audition in San Francisco.

The arias must be in contrasting languages and styles, and one must be in English. One of the selected works must be composed by a woman and/or person from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group.

  • Four operatic arias of contrasting languages and styles. One must be in English.
  • One art song or musical theatre piece
  • One monologue from a published work, 30-45 seconds in length

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