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Orchestral Instrument Requirements

Strings:

Woodwinds:

Brass:

Timpani and Percussion

Strings

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Violin

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Applicants will play from memory:

  1. a complete concerto by Mozart
  2. a complete sonata or partita for violin alone by J. S. Bach
  3. a caprice by Paganini
  4. another complete standard concerto for violin

Viola

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Applicants will play:

  1. a complete suite for cello, or a complete sonata or partita for violin alone by J. S. Bach
  2. one of the following concertos, complete:
    • Bartók
    • Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
    • Penderecki
    • Piston
    • Rózsa
    • Walton
  3. one movement of an unaccompanied work by Hindemith or Reger
  4. one of the following works, complete:
    • Bax, Sonata
    • Bloch, Suite (1919)
    • Brahms, Sonatas, Op. 120, No. 1 or No. 2
    • Clarke, Sonata
    • Franck, Sonata
    • Hindemith, Sonata, Op. 11, No. 4
    • Rochberg, Sonata
    • Schubert, Arpeggione
    • Schumann, Märchenbilder
    • Shostakovich, Sonata
    • Shulman, Theme and Variations
    • Vieuxtemps, Sonata, Op. 36

Everything except selection #4 is to be played from memory.

Cello

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Applicants will play:

  1. a complete J. S. Bach suite
  2. one of the following concertos, complete:
    • Barber
    • Dvorak
    • Elgar
    • Haydn in C or D
    • Lalo
    • Prokofiev, Sinfonia Concertante
    • Saint-Saëns No. 1
    • Schumann
    • Shostakovich No. 1
    • Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations
    • Walton
  3. an étude from Popper, Op. 73, or an étude by Piatti
  4. one of the sonatas by Beethoven or Brahms, complete.

Everything except the Beethoven or Brahms is to be played from memory.

Double bass

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Applicants will play from memory:

  1. a three-octave B-flat major scale with arpeggios
  2. a movement from one of the six cello suites by J. S. Bach (transcriptions permitted) or a solo work of the applicant’s choice
  3. the first two movements (with appropriate cadenzas included) of a major bass concerto or equivalent works that show the applicant’s abilities.

In addition two prepared excerpts from the standard orchestral literature will be required (music may be used for this portion).

Harp

All string applicants must be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios in fluent tempo.

Applicants will play:

  1. one Baroque piece
  2. one Romantic piece from the major harp repertoire
  3. one Impressionistic piece or 20th-century piece from the major harp repertoire

In addition two prepared excerpts from the standard orchestral literature will be required (music may be used for this portion).

All works should be prepared in their entirety and memorized (except the orchestral excerpts). Applicants will be accepted for audition depending on the level of their audition program.

Woodwinds

In addition to fulfilling the requirements of individual woodwind majors listed below, all applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Flute

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Applicants will play:

  1. three complete prepared pieces (all movements) in contrasting tempo and style
  2. two orchestral excerpts

Applicants should perform from memory if possible.

Oboe

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Applicants will play:

  1. one movement of a concerto or sonata
  2. a fast étude by Ferling
  3. the third movement of the Mozart oboe quartet
  4. a slow aria of J. S. Bach.

Applicants must also be able to read an orchestral excerpt, and they may be given a written examination concerning their general knowledge of music. In honor of the seventh director of the Curtis Institute of Music, each year one new or current oboe student will be named the John de Lancie Scholar.

Clarinet

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Applicants will play:

  1. the Mozart clarinet concerto
  2. two contrasting pieces from the Rose Thirty-two Études
  3. a prepared piece of the applicant’s choice
  4. a 20th-century piece of the applicant's choice

Bassoon

All applicants should possess a good ear and a sense of rhythm and tone. They will demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate sight-reading ability with material chosen by the instructor.

Applicants will play from memory:

  1. the first two movements of any one of the following concertos:
    • Mozart, Concerto in B-flat major, K. 191
    • Weber, Concerto in F major, Op. 75
    • Hummel, Concerto in F major
  2. all major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves where possible
  3. an étude of the applicant’s choice (music may be used for this portion)
  4. at least two orchestral excerpts of contrasting style (music may be used for this portion)

Brass

In addition to fulfilling the specific requirements below, applicants should possess physical aptitude for the chosen instrument, a good ear, a sense of rhythm, and the ability to read at sight.

Trumpet

Applicants will play:

  1. two contrasting études from Bousquet and Charlier or equivalent
  2. one movement of a sonata or a complete single movement work from the standard repertoire
  3. one complete concerto: Haydn, Hummel, Arutunian or equivalent
  4. 3-5 contrasting orchestral excerpts

Applicants must display at least rudimentary knowledge of transposition.

Horn

Applicants will read an orchestral excerpt and demonstrate familiarity with all major and minor scales and arpeggios. In addition applicants will play:

  1. one movement of a concerto or sonata
  2. one étude by Kopprasch and one by Gallay
  3. the following orchestral excerpts:
    • the last movement of Brahms’s Symphony No. 1
    • the second-horn part from the trio of the third movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3
    • the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5
    • R. Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel
    • Ravel’s Pavane
    • the short call from Wagner’s Siegfried’s Rheinfahrt
    • the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7
    • the third movement of Brahms’s Symphony No. 3

Trombone

Auditions will be held for tenor trombone and/or bass trombone, depending on the opening. Applicants will play:

  1. one complete concerto, sonata, or other substantial solo work
  2. one technical étude by Kopprasch, Tyrell, or Blazhevich
  3. at least two orchestral excerpts of contrasting style.

Applicants may be asked to play all major and minor scales and to read at sight in alto, tenor, and bass clefs.

Tuba

Applicants will play:

  1. two contrasting études from Bordogni, Kopprasch, or equivalent
  2. three orchestral excerpts of contrasting style
  3. the complete Vaughan Williams concerto

The applicant may be asked to play all major and minor scales and to read additional orchestral excerpts at sight. It is strongly recommended that the applicant be proficient on both contrabass and bass tuba.

 

Timpani and Percussion

Applicants should demonstrate a knowledge of the fundamental techniques of percussion and timpani. They will be examined on timpani pitch recognition and technical skills such as rolls. They should be prepared to perform:

  1. one study on timpani
  2. one two-mallet work on marimba or xylophone
  3. one four-mallet work on marimba
  4. two studies on snare drum—classical and rudimental.

Applicants will also be expected to demonstrate their ability to sight-read. Applicants must possess a good ear and be able to sing and recognize all intervals.

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