Admissions: Auditions

Auditions for admission to the Music Department are held from November to April in the Gerald G. Wilmot Hall of Music on the Nazareth Campus. All students must apply prior to auditioning. There is a maximum of 14 students per date.

Theory Placement exams are held at 8:30 a.m. First year examinations normally require one hour; additional time is scheduled for junior year placement. Junior year placement is accomplished by examination only.
Auditions are held after Theory Placement exams, between 9:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Time is provided for warm-up and a brief rehearsal.
A personal interview follows the audition.
Sight-singing and keyboard placement interviews are scheduled within the remaining time.

Upon acceptance to the college and to the Music Department, a program of study will be recommended. Questions may be directed to the Dr. James Douthit, Chair of the Music Department: (585) 389-2701 or jdouthi2@naz.edu

Audition Dates

2008-2009 auditions are as follows:

Friday, November 7
Friday, December 5* (Early decision candidates must audition by this date.)
Friday, January 16
Monday, January 19
Friday, January 30
Friday, February 13
Friday, February 27
Friday, March 13

Friday, March 27
Friday, April 17*

* Transfer Student Preferred Date

To register for a Music Audition you can contact us online at admissions/achieve/applyarts
or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by phone (800) 462-3944 or (585) 389-2860.

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Audition Guidelines

General Music Requirements:
A theory placement exam, as well as sight-singing and piano proficiency exam, will be administered at the time of the audition to determine the appropriate classes for entering students.

A student transferring into the music education Playing the french horn program with an associate's degree, or with four semesters of junior college work but no associate's degree, will usually require a fifth semester for student teaching. Student teaching can only be done during the fall semester.

Specific Requirements:

Piano- Two or three memorized works chosen from the standard Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth Century repertoire. Scales and arpeggios may be requested.

Organ- Sufficient study to perform from works comparable to the Gleason Method of Organ Playing, the Orgelbuchlein of Bach, Fiori Musicali of Frescobaldi, and the Choral Preludes of Brahms.

Voice- The entrance audition demonstrates the student's ability to sing in tune with good quality, correct rhythm, and musical intelligence. Students auditioning for the Bachelor of Music in Music Education, Music Therapy, Music Theory, Music History, and Bachelor of Arts degrees must present three pieces selected from the standard classical vocal repertoire suitable to the candidate's age and ability. Students auditioning for the Bachelor of Music in Performance must present four pieces. Audition repertoire for all degree programs must include at least two languages and contrasting historical styles. All selections must be memorized. Musical theater, jazz, or pop styles are not acceptable.

Brass and Woodwinds- All scales, as well as solo material which demonstrates the practical range of the instrument and a variety of slurring and tonguing techniques. Two solo pieces or movements of contrast in tempi are required.

Guitar- Scales in two or three octaves (Segovia) played with two or more of the following combinations: i m i m/ i a i a/ m a m a/ a m i/ i m a m; studies by Carcassi, Sor, Giuliani, Brouwer, et cetera; two pieces representing contrasting styles, such as works by Milan, Sor, Tarrega, Villa-Lobos, or Brouwer.

Strings-

A 3-octave major scale and related melodic major scale with accompanying major and minor arpeggios of the applicants choice
Two compositions or two contrasting movements from two different compositions. Selections must be of contrasting tempi or different time periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary).
One Movement of an Unaccompanied Suite or Partita by J.S. Bach
One Etude or Technical Study

For specific repertore requirements, please click on the link.

Percussion- A short solo on each of the following instruments: snare drum, marimba, and timpani. Rudiments, scales and arpeggios, and timpani tuning will also be included. As a general guide, NYSMMA level V and VI solos are preferred with level IV acceptable in an area of less experience.

Sample literature includes: Rudimental Swing Solos by Wilcoxen; Portraits in Rhythm by Cirone; Three Dances for Snare Drum by Warren Benson; Violin Sonata in A Minor, movement I or III by Bach; Suite for Xylophone and Orchestra by David Carey; selections from Raggedy Ragtime Rags by Randy Eyles; Juniper by Kristen Shiner McGuire; Suite for Timpani by Dave Mancini; selections from The Solo Timpanist by Vic Firth; Seven Solo Dances for the Advanced Timpanist by George Frock; Sonata for Timpani by John Beck.

Those wishing to play drumset may do so as well during the audition day for the percussion faculty, schedule to be arranged.

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Keyboard Placement
The Piano Placement Exam is used to place students in appropriate piano classes or private piano lessons. It will assess skill levels in sight reading, scales, and harmonization of common melodies.

Theory Placement
On the day of the audition, prospective students are given the "Undergraduate Diagnostic Entrance Examination in Music Theory." The examination lasts one hour. It is used to place students in appropriate music theory classes. This examination consists of music theory rudiments, including note names, intervals, scales, key signatures, triads, meter, and rhythm.

Music Scholarships

As part of the audition for admission to the Music Department, prospective students compete for music scholarships valued at $1,000-$5,000 per year. The scholarships, awarded on the basis of performance ability and musical promise, are independent of financial need; each student auditioning is considered for a scholarship.

Nazareth College is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of School of Music. The Music Therapy program is approved by the American Music Therapy Association.