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. Jazz pianists are required to submit a prescreen by ​January 6. Classical pianists are not required to submit a prescreen.

For jazz applicants, please scroll to the bottom of this page and click the Jazz Piano drop-down box for audition requirements.

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 apply for both programs. To do so, contact musicadmissions@depaul.edu​​. 

Please see the audition requirements below.

We encourage all applicants, if at all possible, to audition in-person.  

  • Live audition dates are scheduled during the weekends in February. Review list of audition dates by instrument here.
  • ​Recorded video auditions are available by request and must be submitted by February 1 to your Blue Demon Domain (for undergraduates) or your application portal (for graduates/post-masters), in the “edit portfolio" section. To enable the recorded audition submission, contact musicadmissions@depaul.edu.

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 (Music Education, Composition, Bachelor of Arts, Sound Recording Technology - Performance Track and Performing Arts Management - Bachelor of Music)

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)
 
Recorded Interview Questions (only applicable to those who select a recorded submission to audition)
​Please upload a video that is no longer than 2-3 minutes and responds to the below questions:
What is your musical background?
Why are you applying to DePaul?​

Prescreen Repertoire:

Prescreens are due by January 6 and only video formats will be accepted. You must first submit your application in order to receive the login information to upload your pre-screen.

Choose and perform one (1) composition from each of the following categories: 

Blues (medium tempo) 

Rhythm changes (medium tempo)

American songbook (a standard, ballad tempo)

Up-tempo swing (a standard or a song from the jazz lexicon)

Format: One chorus melody, two choruses chordal accompaniment, two choruses solo improvisation, one chorus melody. At least one of these four (4) pieces shall be performed as a solo piano performance.

 

Live Audition Repertoire:

We encourage all applicants, if at all possible, to audition in-person.  

  • Live audition dates are scheduled during the weekends in February. Review list of audition dates by instrument here.

  • Recorded video auditions are available by request and must be submitted by February 1 to your Blue Demon Domain (for undergraduates) or your application portal (for graduates/post-masters), in the “edit portfolio" section. To enable the recorded audition submission, contact musicadmissions@depaul.edu. 

1) "Au Privave" (or "C-Jam Blues", "Bag's Groove", "Billie's Bounce", "Now's The Time", "Blue Monk", "Blues For Alice") 

Format: One chorus melody, two choruses comping, and four choruses solo improvisation

2) Choose one composition from each of the following lists of styles to be performed as a solo piano performance or to be performed with a bass and drum recording (be prepared for both possibilities):

BALLAD (these are possible selections, or choose your own)

"My Foolish Heart" (Victor Young)

"Almost Like Being in Love" (Lowe/Lerner)

"Angel Eyes" (Dennis/Brent)

MED TEMPO WALTZ 

"Up Jumped Spring" - Freddie Hubbard  

"Little B’s Poem" - Bobby Hutcherson 

"Bluesette" - Toots Thielman

UPTEMPO

"Four" - Miles Davis

"Grooving High" - Dizzy Gillespie

"Hot House" - Tadd Dameron

 

Recorded Interview Questions (only applicable to those who select a recorded submission to audition)

Please upload a video that is no longer than 2-3 minutes and responds to the below questions:

 

  • What is your musical background?

  • Who were and are your teachers?

  • Who are the jazz artists who you listen to the most?

  • Who are the jazz artists who have influenced you?

  • Why are you applying to DePaul? 

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