Conservatory Admission

Emphasis Requirements and Professors

• Bassoon

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 virtual auditions, please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of your audition you will be asked to play scales and sight reading.

  Major scales in all keys, at least 2 octaves. Chromatic scale demonstrating applicant's complete range (preferably at least 3 octaves). Two contrasting solos; possible choices include movements from Mozart, Weber or Vivaldi bassoon concertos or Telemann Sonata in f minor; one of the solos may be an etude from Weissenborn, Milde, Gambaro or equivalent. Sight-reading.

  Bassoon Betsy Sturdevant 

• Clarinet

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 virtual auditions, please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of your audition you will be asked to play scales and sight reading.

  Major and chromatic scales in two octaves. One etude from any of the following studies: Melodious and Progressive Studies Book I or II; Rose 32 Etudes; Rose 40 Etudes. A solo piece comparable to the following: Mozart, Concerto K. 622 (movements 1 or 3); von Weber, Concertino; Cavallini, Adagio and Tarantella; Poulenc, Sonata (movements 1 or 3). Sight-reading.

  Clarinet Dr. Gail L. Zugger

• Composition

  Composition applicants must submit a portfolio of representative original compositions, with the expectation of three to four works of contrasting style. Composition majors should submit both their composition portfolio to Summer Slusher, the Coordinator of Conservatory recruitment at sslusher@capital.edu, prior to the audition date, and an audition application for their primary instrument. The portfolio should include notated scores of all acoustic compositions (in PDF format) and recorded representations (live performances or computer realizations) of all pieces. In addition to the composition audition/interview, you will be scheduled to audition on your primary instrument.

   

• Double Bass

  One solo or movement from a large work such as a sonata or concerto. One etude from any standard technique book. Major and minor scales through four sharps and four flats. Sight-reading.

  Double Bass Nick Barnaby

• Euphonium

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 auditions please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of you audition you may be asked to play scales, sight reading, or a short portion of your pre-recorded material.

  All major and chromatic scales, one octave. One etude from Rochut, Melodious Etudes or Tyrell 40 Progressive Etudes or equivalent, and a solo piece equivalent to or from the following: Blazhevich, Concert Piece No. 5; Barat, Andante and Allegro; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique. Sight-reading.

  Euphonium Dr. Thomas Zugger and Tony Zilincik

• Flute

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 virtual auditions, please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of your audition you will be asked to play scales and sight reading.

  Two-octave major scales and arpeggios, all keys; three-octaves for C and chromatic. Two contrasting solos from different style periods. Possible solos from various periods are Bach, Handel or Telemann sonatas or suites (Baroque); Mozart, Quantz or Stamitz concerti (classical); Chaminade Concertino, Faure Fantasie, Poulenc Sonata, Doppler Fantasie (Romantic); the Debussy Syrinx, Hindemith Sonata, works by Muczynski or Hoover (contemporary). Sight-reading. Optional: Minor scales [natural, melodic, and/or harmonic] and arpeggios.

  Flute Dr. Lisa A. Jelle 

• Guitar

  Major scales, one or two octaves using at least two fingerings. Two solo pieces any style. Sight-reading melodies. Demonstrate improvisational skills and chord progressions if jazz/contemporary guitar major.

  Guitar Stan Smith 
  Guitar Doug Neel

• Harp

  Major and minor scales in all keys. Two contrasting solos and two orchestral excerpts preferable, including one cadenza, e.g. “Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake” or Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Sight-reading.

  Harp Jude Mollenhauer

• Horn

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 auditions please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of you audition you may be asked to play scales, sight reading, or a short portion of your pre-recorded material.

  All major and chromatic scales, one octave. Major arpeggios, legato and articulated. Two contrasting etudes from Kopprasch, Alphonse, Gallay or a comparable etude of the student’s choice. One solo movement from a concerto or sonata by Mozart, Franz Strauss, Richard Strauss, Hindemith or Heiden or a solo of comparable difficulty. Sight-reading.

  Horn Kimberly McCann 

• Jazz Contemporary Bass

  Minimum one-octave major scales – all keys. Chromatic scale, minimum two octaves, starting with low F. Walking bass pattern over a 12-bar blues progression in B-fl at or F. Two selections must be chosen from the following: "Misty,” “Autumn Leaves,” “A-Train,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Satin Doll” or “Gone With The Wind.” Preparation of the two selections should be as follows: melody, bass line, solo (improvisation) optional. The two selections must be performed in contrasting styles (i.e. walking 4/4 swing style vs. bossa or ballad). The student also must prepare one selection of his or her choice. Sight-reading.

  Jazz Contemporary Bass Roger Hines 

• Jazz Piano Contemporary Keyboard

  In order to assure the best virtual audition experience for Fall 2021/Spring 2021, we require the piano applicants to submit a video recording of the repertoire portion: performance of two solo jazz piano selections of contrasting style/tempo (medium, ballad, Latin, etc.).  The video should show both hands and must be unedited.

   The Skills (scales/arpeggios) and sight reading portion will take place live on the audition day through Zoom. 

  Major and minor scales, hands together in four octaves. Ability to play a prepared melody and accompaniment for two contrasting selections in the popular/jazz idiom. Realization of popular/jazz chord progressions at sight. Any prepared classical literature. Demonstrate improvisational skills.

  Jazz Piano/Contemporary Keyboard Tony Bonardi

• Oboe

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 virtual auditions, please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of your audition you will be asked to play scales and sight reading.

  Major and minor scales in two octaves. A study from one of the following or equivalent: Barret, Melodious Studies; Ferling, 48 Famous Studies; Sellner, Progressive Studies. A solo piece from the following or the equivalent: Handel, Sonata No. 1 or Concerto No. 2 in B-fl at; Emil Paladilhe, Solo De Concert; Haydn, Concerto in C. Sight-reading.

  Oboe Melissa Stevens   

• Organ

  A minimum of two selections (three preferred) of contrasting styles or periods. One from the following or the equivalent: Prelude in G Minor, Prelude in F Major from J.S. Bach Eight Little Preludes and Fugues. Sight-read one hymn. Applicants who have not previously studied organ should play a Bach two-part invention or a comparable piece on the piano.

  Organ Chad Baker 

• Percussion

  CU Percussion Audition Requirements 20-21

  Given the nature of access to percussion equipment for the purpose of an audition we will aim to be as flexible as possible to accommodate your audition.  

  Applicant should demonstrate ability in a minimum of three of the following five areas via live Zoom audition, or video submission:

  1) snare drum: solo or etude; 

  2) mallet percussion: solo or etude using two, three or four mallets; 

  3) timpani: contest solo, orchestral excerpts, or etude of moderate difficulty; 

  4) drum set: demonstrate basic style concepts of drum set drumming and may prepare a short solo to demonstrate improvisational skills; 

  5) multiple percussion: solo or etude of moderate difficulty. 

  Due to limitations of distribution of music and access to equipment, there will be an adjustment to sight reading on keyboards and snare drum.

  Upon completion of submitting or performing your prepared material or live audition, you will be contacted to set up a 24-hour window that is convenient for you and accessing equipment.  We will then send you short etudes, one on keyboard and one on snare drum, to be prepared and resubmitted within 24 hours.

  Whether you chose to perform live via Zoom or submit a pre-recorded video we as a faculty will still schedule a 30 min audition window where we will review your performance or videos.  We will use this time to get to know you better, and you to get to know the faculty better.

  Applicant should demonstrate ability in a minimum of three of the following five areas: snare drum: solo or etude; mallet percussion: solo or etude using two, three or four mallets; timpani: contest solo, orchestral excerpts, or etude of moderate difficulty; drum set: demonstrate basic style concepts of drum set drumming and may prepare a short solo to demonstrate improvisational skills; multiple percussion: solo or etude of moderate difficulty. Student also should be prepared to sight-read and play rudiments and scales. Students should supply sticks, mallets and literature. Demonstrate improvisational skills if appropriate.

  Percussion Robert Breithaupt (area head), Eric Paton and Ryan Kilgore

• Piano

  In order to assure the best virtual audition experience, we require the piano applicants to submit a video recording of the Repertoire portion: performance of three contrasting pieces. The video should show both hands and must be unedited.

  The Scales/Arpeggios and Sightreading portion will take place live on the audition day through Zoom.

  All major and harmonic minor scales and arpeggios in four octaves. Repertoire from three contrasting styles or periods (Baroque, Classical - one movement from a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven, Romantic or Contemporary). All pieces must be memorized. Sight-reading.

  Piano Tianshu Wang (area head) and Orlay Alonso

• Saxophone

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 virtual auditions, please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of your audition you will be asked to play scales and sight reading.

  Major and chromatic scales, two octaves or full range. Minor scales optional. An OMEA Class A or comparable contest-level solo such as the Maurice Tableaux de Provence, Heiden Solo or Sonata, Creston Sonata, Sonatas by Bach or Handel, Ibert Concertino da camera, etc. Jazz saxophonists may present two contrasting selections (such as medium swing, ballad, straight-eighth, be-bop, etc.) with improvisation, in place of or in addition to the above materials. A play-along CD is recommended for jazz auditions. All wind players will be asked to sight-read as part of the audition.

  Saxophone Dr. Michael Cox
  
• Trombone

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 auditions please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of you audition you may be asked to play scales, sight reading, or a short portion of your pre-recorded material.

  All major and chromatic scales. One etude from Rochut, Melodious Etudes, Book 1; or Tyrell, Blume, Kopprasch or equivalent and a contrasting solo composition equivalent to Barat, Andante and Allegro; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique; Rimsky-Korsakov, Concerto. Jazz trombone players may present two contrasting selections (such as medium swing, ballad, straight-eighth, be-bop, etc.) with improvisation, in place of or in addition to the above materials. A play-along CD is recommended for jazz auditions. All brass players will be asked to sight-read as part of the audition.

  Trombone and Euphonium Dr. Thomas Zugger, Tony Weikel

  Jazz Trombone Professor Ryan Hamilton

  
  
• Trumpet

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 auditions please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of you audition you may be asked to play scales, sight reading, or a short portion of your pre-recorded material.

  Major and chromatic scales, minor scales optional. Two contrasting etudes from: Brandt, Concone, Goldman, Small, Vannettelbosch, Voxman or a comparable etude of applicant’s choice. One solo selection from a concerto or sonata by Arutiunian, Haydn, Hindemith, Hummel, Kennan, Stevens or a comparable solo of the applicant’s choice. Jazz trumpet players may present two contrasting selections (such as medium swing, ballad, straight-eighth, be-bop, etc.) with improvisation, in place of or in addition to the above materials. A play-along CD is recommended for jazz auditions. All brass players will be asked to sight-read as part of the audition.

  Trumpet Lance Witty

• Tuba

  **For fall 20 and spring 2021 auditions please pre-record your selected solo and etude repertoire. During the remote “live” portion of you audition you may be asked to play scales, sight reading, or a short portion of your pre-recorded material.

  All major and chromatic scales one octave. Two contrasting studies from one of the following or the equivalent: Blazhevich, Grigoriev, Vasiliev, Bordogni, Rochut. A solo piece from the following or the equivalent: Bach/Bell, Air and Bourree; Beversdorf, Sonata for Tuba; Capuzzi/Catilinet, Andante and Rondo; Catozzi, Beelzebub; Nelhybel, Suite. Sight-reading.

  Tuba Tony Zilincik
  
• Viola

  One solo or movement from a large work such as a sonata or concerto. One etude from any standard technique book. Major and minor scales through four sharps and four flats. Sight-reading.

  Viola Kenichiro Matsuda
  

• Violin

  One solo or movement from a large work such as a sonata or concerto. One etude from any standard technique book. Major and minor scales through four sharps and four flats. Sight-reading.

  Violin Erin Gilliland

• Violoncello

  One solo or movement from a large work such as a sonata or concerto. One etude from any standard technique book. Major and minor scales through four sharps and four flats. Sight-reading.

  Cello Joseph Mueller

• Voice

  General Vocal Audition Requirements and Information:

  • All materials must be memorized.
  • Sight-reading and tonal memory will be included in the audition process.
  • An accompanist will be provided.
  • Pop songs and contemporary religious songs are not appropriate for entrance auditions.

  Voice Area Virtual Audition Requirements

  Major Specific Vocal Audition Requirements:

  • Bachelor of Music - Vocal Performance: Two selections in contrasting styles, including a foreign language selection. Applicants who have an interest in opera may perform an appropriate aria from that repertoire.
    
  • Bachelor of Music - Vocal Performance with emphasis in Musical Theater and Opera: Two selections in contrasting style including traditional music (aria, art song) and one selection from the American Musical Theater repertoire. In addition, a one-minute memorized spoken monologue from a play or musical production. 
    
  • Bachelor of Music - Music Education, Music Industry, Music Technology, Composition or Bachelor of Arts in Music: Two selections in contrasting styles, at least one of which is chosen from traditional repertoire. A foreign language selection may be used.

  Voice Chad Payton (Area Head), Jacqueline Barlow-Ware, Dione Bennett, Josh Borths (Director of Opera & Musical Theater), Lynda Hasseler (Director of Choral Activities), Lynn Roseberry and Sharon Stohrer