Music Department Audition & Scholarship Information
Students wishing to major or minor in music and talented non-majors desiring consideration for music scholarships are required to complete an entrance audition. Students who wish to participate in the ensembles of the Asbury College Music Department (choir, band, orchestra, etc.) but who do not wish to be considered for scholarships do not need to audition for those groups until they arrive on campus.
Any student may complete an entrance audition if they desire to be considered for the performance scholarships awarded to the most musically talented prospective students. The following audition information, then, pertains to those who wish to major or minor in music or to those whose advanced performing skill might make them eligible for performance scholarships. Auditions completed by March 1st have greatest advantage in consideration for music scholarships, but all auditions completed prior to the start of the classes will receive consideration. Please see the attached pdf file for additional scholarship information.
Scholarships.pdfAuditions on campus are generally held during weekends which are planned for high school students interested in visiting the Asbury College campus. Prospective students should let the Admissions Office know of their interest in scheduling an audition. For 2007-2008, on-campus auditions will be scheduled on the following dates:
- Nov. 9, 2007
- Nov. 16, 2007
- Jan. 25, 2007
- Feb. 22, 2008
- April 18, 2008
Applicants unable to be present for an audition at the college should request permission to submit a taped audition. Auditions may be accepted in one of the following formats: DVD, VHS, or VHS-C. (If a student is unable to provide one of these formats, he/she may contact the Coordinator of Instrumental, Keyboard, or Vocal Studies for additional information. This contact information is included along with the audition guidlines below.) All audition materials should be addressed to: Music Department Chair, Asbury College, 1 Macklem Drive, Wilmore, KY 40390.
Though taped auditions are acceptable, prospective students should be aware that the quality of recorded auditions is generally such that it may be difficult to compare them favorably to on-campus auditions, giving the latter a possible advantage for scholarship consideration.
A student who is unable to complete a successful performance audition may also begin a music major or minor with probationary standing. Musical probation is monitored by the Chair of the Music Department. Students may be removed from musical probation upon the recommendation of the studio instructor after receiving a minimum of a B average in the private lesson grade combined with a minimum of a B average in the semester jury examination graded by a minimum of three music faculty members. A student may remain on musical probation, however, for no more than two semesters. (Note that this section pertains to musical probation only. Academic probation is based upon entering test scores and/or grade point average, monitored through the office of the Associate Academic Dean.)
All students who wish to major or minor in music must have the approval of the music faculty. A student who successfully passes the entrance audition is generally admitted to the music program through the completion of a music minor or the sophomore level of the music major. At the end of the sophomore year of private study, an advancement exam will determine eligibility for upperclassman standing.
Prospective students performing an audition on campus generally prepare solo literature in the classic tradition of Western music and also perform one or two sight-reading excerpts. Auditionees should use the following repertoire guidelines in preparing literature for audition. (Students who are unable to demonstrate appropriate repertoire standards may be considered for entrance to musical studies but may be ineligible for scholarship consideration.) We also realize that, on occasion, students wish to demonstrate proficiency on more than one instrument. Students with such skills are welcome to perform auditions on multiple instruments.
Instrumental Audition Guidelines
A. Wind Instruments
Students should be prepared to perform major scales through four sharps and four flats, chromatic scales covering the entire range of the instrument, and selected solos representing at least two styles of music (ex.: Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Twentieth Century). In addition, students will perform a short sight-reading excerpt.
B. String Instruments
Students should be prepared to perform major scales through four sharps and four flats and selected solos representing at least two styles of music (ex.: Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Twentieth Century). In addition, students will perform a short sight-reading excerpt.
B. Percussion Instruments
The percussion audition will be in two parts. On the snare drum the student will play a solo (rudimental or orchestral), a long roll (crescendo and diminuendo) and rudiments. On a melody percussion instrument (bells, marimba or xylophone) the student will play all major scales through three flats and three sharps and a solo demonstrating at least two-mallet technique. Students are also welcome to include timpani literature in auditions. In addition to prepared solo literature, students will also perform a short sight-reading excerpt.
Please contact Professor Glen Flanigan, Coordinator of Instrumental Studies, for further assistance with any matter related to instrumental auditions.
Organ Audition Guidelines
An entering organ student should demonstrate proficiency on the piano in at least two stylistic periods (ex.: Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Twentieth Century) with levels of difficulty equal to the following:
- A two-part invention by J.S. Bach
- A standard sonata by Mozart, Haydn, or Beethoven
- A waltz by Chopin
- A piano composition by Bartok, Kabalevsky, etc.
Students who wish to be admitted to the study of organ may or may not have had previous training on the instrument. For those who have had private organ studies, the following are suggested as sample audition pieces: a prelude and fugue from "Eight Little Preludes and Fugues" by J.S. Bach (Krebs); a chorale prelude from "The Liturgical Year" by J.S. Bach.
Please contact Dr. Donald Zent, Coordinator of Keyboard Studies, for additional assistance on any matter related to keyboard auditions.
Piano Audition Guidelines
Students should be prepared to perform several major scales (hands together, four octaves) and solo piano literature representing two stylistic periods (ex. Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Twentieth Century). The piano literature should either equal or exceed the level of challenge of works listed here:
- Baroque -- J.S. Bach, Two-Part Invention No. 13 in A Minor;
- Classic -- Beethoven, movement III of Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13;
- Romantic -- Brahms, Rhapsody in G Minor, Op. 79, No. 2;
- Twentieth Century -- Debussy, Arabesque No. 1 in E Major.
Other appropriate literature might be found in early advanced anthologies, such as the following:
- Aqay, Denes, ed. Volume 47, Early Advanced Classics to Moderns, New York: Consolidated Music Publishers, 1969;
- Bigler, Carole; and Lloyd-Watts, Valery, ed. Recital Winners, Volume Two, Van Nuys, CA: Alfred, 1993;
- Olson, Lynn Freeman, Applause, Book Two, Van Nuys, CA: Alfred 1986.
Please contact Dr. Donald Zent, Coordinator of Keyboard Studies, for additional assistance on any matter related to keyboard auditions.
Vocal Audition Guidelines
Students auditioning as a vocal major or minor should demonstrate an ability to sing art songs in two contrasting musical styles or from two contrasting periods of musical history, preferably (1) an English-language art song and (2) an art song sung in Italian or another foreign language. Musical Theatre majors, however, are encouraged to sing a musical theatre selection as one of the audition pieces. Tonal quality, pitch perception and poetic sense will be evaluated along with general musicianship. Following the presentation of the two prepared pieces, students will also perform two sight-singing excerpts - an unaccompanied, single-line melody and a choral excerpt for which an accompanist will play the choral parts not being sung by the vocalist.
An accompanist will be provided for vocalists who send or fax copies of their musical literature at least two weeks in advance of the audition date. (Please be very careful to check that all staffs of the accompaniment are photocopied correctly. Large scores may need to be reduced slightly to fit on a standard-sized page.) A short rehearsal with the accompanist will be scheduled prior to the vocal audition. Tape accompaniments are not acceptable.
Please consult Professor Virginia Bowles, Coordinator of Vocal Studies, for additional assistance on any matter regarding vocal auditions.