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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 are the audition requirements for the Voice area. For full details—including application requirements and audition dates—please visit our Application & Auditions page.

Audition requirements are updated each September for the upcoming application cycle.

Live auditions will be held on campus in San Francisco. All Opera (AD) applicants invited to final auditions must audition live on our campus in San Francisco. For all other degree levels, virtual auditions via video recording are available upon request once the audition scheduling module opens. Additional details are available on the Application & Auditions page.

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.

If you have questions about your song selections within these requirements, please first consult with your current private teacher or other mentor.

Undergraduate Prescreening
  • One Italian aria or song such as those found in the Anthology of Italian Song of the 17th and 18th Centuries
  • One art song originally written in English (not a translation)
  • One selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)
Graduate Prescreening
  • One operatic aria (any language)
  • One contrasting art song (any language)
  • One selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)
PSC Prescreening
  • One operatic aria
  • Two contrasting art songs
  • One selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)

Three operatic arias of contrasting languages and styles.

Please note, all Opera Studies applicants invited to final auditions must need to attend in person auditions on-campus in San Francisco, CA. We will likely offer one audition date as a full AD Opera Audition day. This date will be posted by mid-November.
 

Final Audition Requirements

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

If you have questions about your song selections within these requirements, please first consult with your current private teacher or other mentor.

Repertoire Requirements

Repertoire for the final audition will include 3 total pieces from each of the categories below.

  • 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 selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)
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.

Repertoire Assessment

Repertoire for the final audition will include 6 total pieces from each of the categories below and must include selections in German, French, and Italian.

  • Two operatic arias in contrasting styles
  • Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English.
  • One selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)
Musicianship Assessment 

All graduate 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.

Repertoire Requirements

Repertoire for the final audition will include 7 total pieces from each of the categories below and must include selections in German, French, and Italian.

  • Three operatic arias in contrasting styles
  • Three art songs in contrasting styles in three different languages, one of which must be English.
  • One selection of the applicant’s choice (art song, aria, or musical theater)
Repertoire Requirements

Repertoire for the final audition will include a monologue and 5 musical selections from the categories below.

  • Four operatic arias of contrasting languages and styles. One selection must be in English.
  • One musical theater selection
  • One monologue from a published work, 30-45 seconds in length
AD Opera Live Auditions (Required)

Please note, all Opera Studies applicants invited to final auditions must need to attend in person auditions on-campus in San Francisco, CA. We will likely offer one audition date as a full AD Opera Audition day. This date will be posted by mid-November.

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