Audition Repertoire Requirements

Three contrasting selections, in varying styles and a minimum of two languages. (RCM Grade 8 level or higher, or equivalent Contemporary Commercial Music - CCM).

• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student's technical development, vocal range, and ability to communicate through singing.
• All pieces to be performed from memory.
• All pieces must be performed with a collaborative pianist. If specific to the chosen repertoire, one piece may be performed with an acoustic instrument such as a guitar or lute, or be performed acapella.

Three contrasting pieces. 

• At least one of the three selections should be a classical work from the RCM Grade 6 guitar level or higher.
• If the other selections are not classical, then a jazz, flamenco or “new-acoustic” arrangement would be appropriate.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• Pieces should be performed from memory.
  

Three selections at the RCM Grade 9 level or higher.      

• The selections should be from three out of four of the following stylistic periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• All pieces to be performed from memory.

Three selections at RCM grade 8 level or higher.

• One of the three selections should be a work by J.S. Bach.
• The remaining two selections should be contrasting works from different periods (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20^th Century, or 21^st Century).
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• Pieces do not have to be performed from memory.
  

Three contrasting selections at the RCM Grade 9 level or higher.

• The three selections should include: one movement from any standard concerto; one movement from a Solo Sonata or Partita by J. S. Bach; and one selection of the applicant's choice.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• All pieces to be performed from memory, except in the case of a sonata.

Three contrasting selections

• The three selections should include: one movement from any standard concerto; one movement from a Solo Suite by J. S. Bach; and one selection of the applicant's choice.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.

Two contrasting selections.

• One selection should be two movements from a Baroque sonata.
• The other selection should be an etude from one of: Simandl, 30 Etudes; Bille, New Method, Bk. 2; or Bille, 18 Studies.
• As well, students should be prepared to play all scales in two octaves.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.

Four contrasting selections at the RCM Grade 7 or 8 level or higher.

• Two of the four selections should include one fast and one slow movement of a Baroque Sonata (Bach, Handel, Telemann, Vivaldi, Blavet, Loeillet, for example)
• The remaining two selections should include a study of the student's choice and a contrasting piece of the student’s choice.
  
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• Pieces do not have to be performed from memory.
• Students should also play a minimum of all major and minor harmonic scales and major and minor chords up to 4 sharps and 4 flats. You have the option to record all of the scales and arpeggios, but we'd like to hear at least up to 4 flats and 4 sharps as a minimum.  
• C major, A harmonic minor
• D major, B harmonic minor
• A major, F# harmonic minor
• E major, C# harmonic minor
• F major, D harmonic minor
• Bb major, G harmonic minor
• Eb major, C harmonic minor
• Ab major, F harmonic minor
• All major and minor chords, or up to 4 flats and sharps.

Three contrasting selections at the RCM Grade 8 level or higher.

• The three selections should include two contrasting selections from the standard clarinet repertoire and one study of student’s choice.
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• Students should also be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in two or three octaves, ascending and descending, and in various articulations. Refer to the RCM repertoire for articulation and tempo guidelines.
  
• For video auditions, students should play only the following scales and arpeggios, ascending and descending:
  • F major scale – two or three octaves, all slurred, then all tongued
  • Eb major arpeggio – two or three octaves, all slurred
  • D minor melodic scale – two octaves, two notes, slurred and two tongued
  • E minor harmonic scale – two or three octaves, all slurred
  • C minor arpeggio – two octaves, two notes, slurred then one tongued
  • Chromatic scale starting on low E – three octaves

Three contrasting selections at the RCM Grade 8 level or higher. 

• The three selections should include two pieces that show technical ability and musicality, as well as one study.
• Students should also be prepared to play all major and minor scales, two octaves, all slurred and all tongued, unless otherwise indicated below:
  • D flat major – two octaves, slurred
    E major – two octaves, tongued
    d minor harmonic – two octaves, slurred
    b minor melodic – two octaves, tongued
• Pieces do not have to be played from memory

Three contrasting selections at the RCM Grade 8 level or higher.

• The three selections should include: any two pieces for bassoon and piano, in contrasting style, as well as one study from Weisenborn 50 Advanced Studies, Op. 8 or Milde 50 Concert Studies, Op. 26
• Students should also be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in two octaves
  
• Pieces chosen should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.
• Pieces do not have to be played from memory.

Candidates should play three contrasting pieces including etudes, excerpts and songs that incorporate improvisation. Students will be judged on:

• Overall musicality
• Tone (sound)
  
• Instrumental techniques

Accent is on total performance, not technique. Sometimes a high level in one area will override weakness in another. Students should also have a rudimentary knowledge of scales, chords and theory and be able to sight read at a reasonable level.

Two contrasting selections at the RCM grade 8 level or higher.

• Selections should include one lyrical piece and one piece emphasizing articulation and technical ability.

Three contrasting selections at the RCM grade 8 level or higher.

• The three selections should include contrasting solo works (or movements), etudes and/or orchestral excerpts (suggested works are listed below). 
• Pieces chosen Applicants should demonstrate (or show good potential for): a full, healthy tone; a minimum range of two and a half octaves from C one octave below middle C up to A on the first ledger line at the top of the treble staff; a good sense of intonation; and overall musicality.

Suggested Solo Works include but are not limited to:

• Beethoven: “Sonata, op. 17”
• Glazounov: “Reveries”
• Gliere: “Intermezzo”
• Gounod: “Six pieces melodiques”
• Haydn: any Horn Concerto
• Mason Jones, (Ed.): any solo from “Solos for the Horn Player”

Suggested Etude Books include but are not limited to:

• Kopprasch: Sixty Selected Studies for French Horn (Book I or II)
• Concone: Lyrical Studies for Trumpet or Horn
• Maxine-Alphonse: Deux cents Etudes Nouvelles (Books I to VI)

Suggested excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire include but are not limited to:

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, Scherzo (1st Horn solo); Symphony No. 7, 1st mv't (1st or 2nd horn); Symphony No. 8, Trio (1st or 2nd Horn); Symphony No. 9, Adagio (4th Horn solo)
• Brahms: Symphony No 1, 2nd mv't (1st Horn solo); Symphony No. 2, end of 1st mv't (1st Horn solo)
• Mendelssohn: Nocturne from A Midsummer Night's Dream (1st Horn solo)
• Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess (1st Horn solo)
• Shostakovitch: Symphony No. 5, 1st mv't (low tutti)
• Stauss: Till Eulenspiegel (opening 1st Horn solos)
• Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, 2nd mv't (1st Horn solo)

Three contrasting selections at the RCM grade 8 level or higher.

• The three selections should include 1. a vocalise from either Marco Bordogni or Giuseppe Concone to demonstrate lyrical playing; 2. a solo of your own choosing (with piano accompaniment) that you feel best represents your overall abilities; and 3. an etude that demonstrates technical abilities, such as Bordner: Second Book of Practical Studies, Bona: Rhythmical Articulations, Parts II and III, Voxman: Selected Studies, or Slama/Brown: 66 Etudes in all keys.
• The selections should demonstrate contrasting styles and a full range of abilities on the instrument, including excellent tone in all registers, good technique, and overall musicality.
• Students should also be prepared to play all major, minor and chromatic scales, at a moderate tempo (consistent tone, intonation and articulation should be prioritized before tempo)
• Pieces do not have to be played from memory.

Three contrasting selections at the RCM grade 8 level or higher.

• The selected repertoire should demonstrate an open and beautiful sound in all registers, clean attacks, good intonation, good musicianship, and a solid foundation in technical development.

For the euphonium, the three selections should include:

• a solo or etude that demonstrates a lyrical, "bel canto" style playing (such as the vocalises of Marco Bordogni or Guiseppe Concone).
• an etude or accompanied solo that demonstrates technical abilities (such as Kopprasch, Arban, Tyrrell, or any other equivalent material).
• a solo from the traditional repertoire that best represents your abilities.
• Audition material should include at least one piece with piano accompaniment from the traditional repertoire.

For the tuba, the three selections should include:

• an accompanied solo or etude that demonstrates a lyrical, "bel canto" style playing (such as the vocalises of Marco Bordogni or Guiseppe Concone).
• an etude or accompanied solo that demonstrates technical abilities (such as Kopprasch, Arban, Tyrrell, or any other equivalent material).
• a solo from the traditional repertoire that best represents your abilities.
• The selected repertoire should demonstrate an open and beautiful sound in all registers, clean attacks, good intonation, good musicianship, and a solid foundation in technical development.

Three contrasting selections.

• The prepared pieces should demonstrate facility on all three of the following categories of instruments:
  • Snare drum (reading, rolls, articulation)
    Marimba, xylophone, and/or glockenspiel (reading), 2 mallets, 4 mallets if desired (not required)
    Timpani (tuning, reading)
• Students may choose to include a fourth selection that demonstrates ability on a drum set.
• Pieces selected should illustrate the student’s technical and musical abilities.

Two solo selections at the late intermediate to advanced level as well as the two orchestral excerpts listed below.

• The two selections may be individual movements from a sonata or suite, and must be played from memory. Scores must be provided to the audition committee.
• As an option, one of the solos may be your original arrangement of a piece from the jazz standard or Broadway repertoire. The arrangement must include a modulation. The arrangement must be your own, not taken from a publication or recording. This piece would not have to be memorized - you may use a chart for the audition. A copy of your score or chart must be provided to the audition committee.

Orchestral excerpts:

• Benjamin Britten “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” Variation I
• Rimsky Korsakoff “Fandango Asturiano” from “Capriccio Espagnol” starting at letter S and ending at 10 bars after letter T.

The excerpts do not need to be performed from memory

Students wishing to study an instrument or voice in their first two years before studying Composition should follow the audition procedures for that idiom.

Students wishing to begin composition study in their first year of BMus must submit the following:

• A portfolio of scores and recordings for at least two original compositions that total at least 5 to 7 minutes. While students may submit their own arrangements of music written by other composers in addition to their original compositions, they will be primarily assessed on their original compositions. Of these original works, at least one of the compositions should be notated in Western musical notation. If a live recording of a work is not available, a MIDI/electronic rendering of a work will be acceptable.
  
• Short program notes (approx. 100 words) explaining the inspiration or process behind the compositions.
• A short essay (300-500 words) outlining your career and creative aspirations and why you believe studies in composition will help you achieve these goals.