Pre-Screening Requirements
The School of Music will require a pre-screening recording for candidates in the areas of piano, strings, and voice.
Preliminary Recordings for Piano Auditions
All students who wish to audition in piano at the University of Minnesota must first submit a preliminary DVD of their playing. Auditions for fall semester entrance are held on January 23 and February 6, but students who wish to enter in spring semester must audition on December 12. Please observe the following guidelines:
- All preliminary DVDs must be received along with completed applications no later than November 1. However, students who wish to be considered for a Graduate School Jumbo Fellowship, as well as any students applying for entrance in spring semester, must submit their preliminary DVDs and applications by October 15 in order to be considered for the December Auditions.
- Students who plan to audition in December will be notified by November 15 of their status. All others will be notified by December 15 as to whether or not they have been selected to perform a live audition.
- Students who are unable to travel to campus on an audition day for a live audition may instead submit a DVD of the required repertoire (in additional to the preliminary DVD). The final DVDs must be received no later than the Friday before the final audition date. (Audio recordings will no longer be accepted in place of a live audition.)
Requirements for the Preliminary DVD
- Preliminary recordings for all applicants should include the following repertoire, all performed from memory:
--at least one movement of a classical sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven
--at least one additional work or movement in a contrasting style - No editing of the DVD is permitted. Each selection must be performed from beginning to end in one take.
- The recording should be recent (made within the past 12 months) and should be playable on a DVD player (not just on a computer).
- The DVD must be accompanied by a completed form showing the candidate’s name, degree objective, state of residence, titles of selections with composer’s names, grade point average, and TOEFL score.
Preliminary Recordings for String Auditions
All students who wish to audition in Strings (violin, viola, cello, and bass) at the University of Minnesota must first submit a preliminary DVD of their playing. Auditions for fall semester entrance are held on January 23 and February 6, but students who wish to enter in spring semester must audition on December 12. Please, observe the following guidelines:
- All preliminary DVDs (hard disk only, no edits), must be received along with completed applications no later than November 1. However, students who wish to be considered for a Graduate School Jumbo fellowship, as well as any students applying for entrance in spring semester, must submit their preliminary DVDs and applications by October 15 in order to be considered for the December Auditions.
- Students who plan to audition in December will be notified by November 15 of their status. All others will be notified by December 15 as to whether or not they have been selected to perform a live audition.
- Students who are unable to travel to campus on an audition day for a live audition may instead submit a DVD of the required repertoire (in addition to the preliminary DVD). The final DVDs must be received no later than the Friday before the final audition date.
Audio recordings will no longer be accepted in place of a live audition. - Recordings of recent performances may be used (e.g. senior recital)
Preliminary Repertoire Requirements
Preliminary recordings for all applicants should include:
2 selections (contrasting in style and techniques)
For example: exposition of a concerto and a movement from the Bach’s or other solo piece or Etude. One of the selections must be memorized.
Preliminary Recordings for Voice Auditions
All students who wish to audition in Voice at the University of Minnesota must first submit a preliminary DVD of their singing. Auditions for fall semester entrance are held on January 23 and February 6, but students who wish to enter in spring semester must audition on December 12. Please, observe the following guidelines:
- All preliminary DVDs (hard disk only, no edits), must be received along with completed applications no later than November 1. However, students who wish to be considered for a Graduate School Jumbo fellowship, as well as any students applying for entrance in spring semester, must submit their preliminary DVDs and applications by October 15 in order to be considered for the December Auditions.
- Students who plan to audition in December will be notified by November 15 of their status. All others will be notified by December 15 as to whether or not they have been selected to perform a live audition.
- A high quality DVD that is playable on a DVD player (not a computer) is required for pre-screening. The voice faculty will not accept audio auditions only.
- An insert or accompanying page including the candidates name, voice type, desired degree objective, state of residence, titles of selections with composer’s name, grade point average and TOEFL score (if applicable) must accompany the DVD. This information must also be clearly spoken by the candidate and recorded at the beginning of the DVD.
- All vocal selections must be accompanied by a piano, chamber ensemble or orchestra. No accompaniment with electronic piano, CD or tape will be considered. No editing of the DVD is permitted. The singer must perform each song in one take from beginning to end.
- Repertoire submitted on the DVD must have been performed within three months prior to the application deadline date.
Preliminary Repertoire Requirements
Undergraduate: Two memorized selections of classical vocal repertoire one of which must be in English.
Graduate (M.M. and D.M.A. candidates): Four memorized selections from the classical vocal repertoire. One selection may be an opera or oratorio aria and one selection must be in English. Repertoire should demonstrate facility in various languages and periods of classical vocal composition.