School of Music > Admission & Aid > Auditions > Undergraduate/Teacher Licensure > Piano

Auditions: Undergraduate - Piano

Pianists may choose to perform either a classical or jazz audition. Applicants who wish to schedule both may do so.

Successful applicants will be assigned to the applied studios within the category (classical or jazz) for which they have auditioned. If an applicant wishes to study in both the jazz and classical studios they must participate in both a classical and jazz audition.

Please see the audition requirements below.

Classical

Classical Piano Performance Majors

Candidates intending to major in Piano Performance must prepare one selection from EACH of the following categories. Memorization is required.
  • One prelude and fugue from J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier
  • A complete Classical sonata; e.g. Clementi, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.
  • One Romantic work from the 19th century/early 20th century 
  • One virtuoso etude; e.g. music by Chopin, Czerny, Clementi, Moshkowsky, Mosheles (excluding Chopin’s Opus 10, Nos. 3 and 6; Opus 25, No. 7; and the Trois nouvelles études)

Non-performance Majors

Candidates intending to major in something other than Piano Performance must prepare one selection from EACH of the following categories. Memorization is preferred but not required. Candidates performing with music are required to use published editions—photocopies are not acceptable. Student compositions or pieces in popular styles are not acceptable for the purpose of this audition.​​
  • One work by J.S. Bach, excluding the Anna Magdalena Notebook
  • One movement of a Classical sonata; e.g. music by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.
  • One 19th or 20th century selection of the candidate’s choice (excluding student compositions or pieces in popular styles)

Jazz

All jazz applicants (regardless of intended major) are required to submit a pre-audition screening video through our upload page by December 1. Pre-screenings must be in video format. All videos received after December 1 will only be considered based on the availability of audition times.

Pre-Screening Requirements

Choose one composition from the following list:
Format: One chorus melody, two choruses chordal accompaniment, two choruses solo improvisation, one chorus melody. Tempo = 200.

  • Au Privare (Charlie Parker)
  • Ornithology (Charlie Parker)

Choose one composition from the following list to be performed in a solo piano style:
Format: First A section rubato, introduce tempo on second A section and continue through one full chorus. Tempo = 72.

  • In a Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington)
  • Body and Soul (Johnny Green)
  • Skylark (Hoagy Carmichael)

Live Audition Requirements

  • Au Privare (Charlie Parker) (pre-recorded rhythm track will be provided)
    • Format: One chorus melody, two choruses comping, and four choruses solo improvisation
  • Choose one composition from the following to be performed in a solo piano style:
    • In a Sentimental Mood (Duke Ellington)
    • Body and Soul (Johnny Green)
    • My Foolish Heard (Victor Young)
  • Sight-read a selected section of a big band chart
  • Etude Op. 10, No. 3 (Chopin) - performance length to be determined by faculty
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