Auditions

We invite you to audition to be part of School of Music. Prior to audition, students need to apply and be accepted to the University of Nevada, Reno. All prospective students are required to audition to receive acceptance into our program. Talent scholarships are available and students are encouraged to apply for consideration.

Ways to audition

The School of Music priority audition deadline has passed. You may still audition for program acceptance. Please contact mvmiller@unr.edu for further assistance.

Applying and audition steps

Don't forget you need to apply and be admitted to the University of Nevada, Reno as an undergraduate student prior to auditioning for consideration as a student in the School of Music.

  1. Apply to the University of Nevada, Reno
  2. Audition for the School of Music: Either call (775) 784-6145 to reserve your live audition time, or upload your audition videos to the School of Music scholarship application in step 3. 
  3. Apply for School of Music scholarships
  4. Take the theory placement examination

Audition requirements

  • Bass
    • Any two or three-octave scale
    • A short piece or a movement from a sonata or concerto
  • Bassoon
    • A Chromatic scale encompassing your full range
    • Two octave C, F and A major scales
    • Two pieces of contrasting character, approximately five minutes in total duration. One should contain lyrical, melodic material primarily in the range just above the bass clef. The other should demonstrate your finger agility and articulation.

    Example repertoire:

    Your audition material from Honor Band or All-State, pieces you prepared for Solo and Ensemble competitions, or other pieces you feel best demonstrate your current abilities, material from your current school band or orchestra pieces — if you haven’t yet studied any solo works.

  • Cello
    • Any two or three-octave scale.
    • One movement from a J. S. Bach Suite for Solo Cello
    • A contrasting short piece or a movement from a sonata or concerto
  • Clarinet

    Scales: Knowledge of all major and minor scales - for recorded auditions, please choose the four that best demonstrate your range and ability.

    Solos: Please select two contrasting solos, etudes, or movements that best demonstrate your ability.

    Example repertoire: 

    • D'Rivera - Cape Cod Files
    • Larsen - Dancing Solo
    • Mozart - Clarinet Concerto 
    • Rose - 32 Etudes
    • Weber - Concertino 
  • Composition

    Students auditioning to enter the Bachelor of Music in Composition degree program should submit at least three sample compositions. One sample may be an arrangement; however, two of the submissions must be original compositions. All compositions, unless totally electronic in medium, must be submitted in score form accompanied by recordings, either live or computer-generated MIDI.

    In addition to submitting sample compositions, students must also complete an audition on their primary instrument or voice type.

    Portfolios and recordings can be sent to:

    Jean-Paul Perrotte
    jperrotte@unr.edu
    Associate Professor of Composition
    Director of Electro-Acoustic Lab

  • Euphonium
    • Two major scales (two octaves where feasible)
    • A Chromatic scale (encompassing your full range, slurred or tongued)
    • Two contrasting musical selections from a sonata, concerto or etude that highlight your technical proficiency and melodic lyricism

    Example repertoire:

    • Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique
    • Barat: Andante and Allegro
    • An etude from Tyrell 40 progressive studies for Trombone (Euphonium), an etude from Borgdoni (Rochut) Melodious Etudes, an etude from Voxman Selected Studies)
  • Flute
    • Three major scales (two octaves, tongued up and slurred down)
    • Chromatic scale, three octaves if possible, tongued
    • Two musical selections from a sonata, concerto, etude, or orchestral work that highlight your technical proficiency and melodic lyricism

    Example repertoire:

    • Mozart: Concerto in G
    • Faure: Fantasie
    • Any sonata by Bach, Telemann, or Handel
    • An etude from Melodious and Progressive Studies ed. Robert Cavally, Book 1, 2, or 3 (Southern Music company)
    • Standard Orchestral Flute Excerpts
  • Harp
    • A four-octave scale in any key with related four-octave arpeggios
    • Two pieces of contrasting styles that best show performer's level of technical and musical skill
    • Any standard repertoire orchestral excerpt
  • Horn
    • Two major scales (two octaves where feasible)
    • A Chromatic scale (encompassing your full range, slurred or tongued)
    • Two musical selections from a sonata, concerto, etude, or orchestral work that highlight your technical proficiency and melodic lyricism
    • Sight reading may be requested for live auditions

    Example repertoire:

    • Mozart: Horn Concertos 1-4, or Concert Rondo
    • Strauss: Horn Concerto 1 , Gliere: Concerto op. 91
    • Saint-Saens: Morceau de Concert
    • F. Strauss: Nocturno or Concerto op. 8
    • Krohl: Laudatio, Standard Orchestral Horn Excerpts, Honor Band or All-State Audition Repertoire)
  • Jazz

    Live option: Perform two jazz standards with rhythm section (provided); play the melody and take a solo on each selection.

    • Optional: One original composition or one non-jazz piece of your choice.

    Video option: Perform two jazz standards with rhythm section accompaniment or with recorded play-along; play the melody and take a solo on each selection.

    • Optional: One original composition or one non-jazz piece of your choice. This can be a solo recording, or a recording with other musicians.

  • Oboe
    • Two major scales, preferably slurred
    • A single work, or two contrasting short works (one of which could be an etude or ensemble excerpt), totaling no more than eight minutes, which demonstrate technical proficiency, sound production and phrasing
  • Percussion
    • Two mallet solo or etude (marimba or xylophone) without accompaniment. Additionally, a four-mallet marimba solo is not required, but encouraged.
    • Snare drum solo or etude. (Concert style is required, but an additional marching/rudimental style solo is encouraged).
    • Timpani solo or etude (2, 3, or 4 drum).

    Examples of two-mallet solos for marimba/xylophone and four-mallet marimba solos:

    • Etudes from Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, Vibraphone by Morris Goldenberg (two mallet)
    • Etudes from Fundamental Method for Mallets by Mitchell Peters (two-mallet)
    • Masterpieces for Marimba arranged by Thomas McMillan (two-mallet)
    • Mitchell Peters 4 mallet marimba solos like Yellow After the Rain and Sea Refractions (four-mallet)
    • Solos from Image by Bart Quartier (4 mallet)
    • Solos from Marimba: Technique Through Music by Mark Ford (4 mallet)

    Examples of concert snare drum and rudimental solos:

    • Portraits in Rhythm by Anthony Cirone
    • Intermediate Snare Drum Studies by Mitchell Peters
    • 14 Modern Contest Solos by John S. Pratt
    • The All-American Drummer by Charley Wilcoxon

    Examples of timpani etudes/solos found in the following method books:

    • Fundamental Method for Timpani by Mitchell Peters
    • Timpani Method by Alfred Friese and Alexander Lepak
    • Modern Method for Timpani by Saul Goodman
    • The Solo Timpanist by Vic Firth
  • Piano

    Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance

    Students auditioning in person should prepare a program of at least 15 minutes of stylistically diverse, musically and pianistically challenging music comparable to the examples below. Those submitting video auditions should submit at least 20 minutes of music.

    • A J.S. Bach Prelude and Fugue (or similarly complex baroque work by Handel or Scarlatti)
    • A sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Clementi, Beethoven, Hummel, or Schubert
    • Works by Romantic, Impressionist and/or 20th/21st century composers

    All pieces must be performed from memory. Exceptions may be permitted only in the case of some 20th/21st century pieces.

    Bachelor of Music in Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Music Minor

    • Students auditioning should present two pieces of contrasting styles that best show their level of technical and musical skill.
  • Saxophone
    • Two major scales, preferably slurred
    • A single work, or two contrasting short works (one of which could be an etude or ensemble excerpt), totaling no more than eight minutes, which demonstrate technical proficiency, sound production and phrasing
  • Tenor and Bass Trombone
    • Two major scales (two octaves where feasible)
    • Two contrasting musical selections from a sonata, concerto, or etude that highlight your technical proficiency and melodic lyricism

    Example repertoire:

    • Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique
    • Barat: Andante and Allegro
    • An etude from Tyrell 40 progressive studies from trombone
    • An etude from Borgdoni (Rochut) Melodious Etudes for Trombone
    • An etude from Voxman Selected Studies
  • Trumpet
    • Two Major Scales (two octaves when possible)
    • A Chromatic Scale (encompassing your full range, slurred or tongued)
    • Two contrasting musical selections to be chosen from a movement of a concerto, sonata, etude, or ensemble excerpt. These selections should highlight your technical proficiency and melodic lyricism

    Example repertoire:

    • Arutiunian: Trumpet Concerto in Ab Major
    • Arutiunian: Elegy, Arban: Characteristic Studies
    • Balay: Petite Piece Concertante
    • Geodecke: Concert Etude
    • Haydn: Trumpet Concerto in Eb Major
    • Hummel: Trumpet, Concerto in Eb Major
    • Kennan: Sonata for Piano and Trumpet
    • Ropartz: Andante et Allegro
    • Turrin: Caprice, Voxman: Etude from the Selected Studies for Cornet or Trumpet, All-State Etudes)

  • Tuba
    • Two Major Scales (two octaves)
    • A technical solo or etude
    • A lyrical solo or etude

    Example repertoire:

    • Grigoriev: Studies for Tuba
    • Bordogni: Legato Etudes Vol. 1
    • Blazhevich: 70 Studies for Tuba
    • Tyrell: 40 Advanced Studies for Tuba
    • Hofmeister: 60 Studies for Tuba
    • Woodruff: 24 Artistic Studies for Tuba
    • Haddad: Suite for Tuba
    • Hindemith: Sonata for Bass Tuba
    • Vaughn Williams: Concerto for Bass Tuba, Mvmt. 1
    • Holmes: Lento, Wilder: Suite No. 1 for Tuba
    • Marcello: Sonata in F–Major
    • Bach: Air and Bourree
    • Dowling: His Majesty the Tuba)

  • Violin and Viola
    • Major, melodic and harmonic minor scales and major and minor arpeggios (2 or 3 octaves - your choice). Choose 2 keys, one from List A and one from List B:
    • Violin:
      • List A: G, A, B-flat, B, C, D
      • List B: A-flat, D-flat, E-flat, E, F, F#
    • Viola:
      • List A: C, D, E-flat, E, F, G
      • List B: D-flat, F#, A-flat, A, B-flat, B
    • Two contrasting repertoire movements/selections such as unaccompanied works, concerti, or concert pieces (they should differ in tempo and historical period).   No orchestral excerpts or chamber music.

    Applicants are encouraged to consult with Dr. Maureen Yuen (maureeny@unr.edu) with questions about repertoire selection's technical requirements.

  • Voice

    General requirements:

    • All music must be memorized.
    • BM and BME Majors must include at least two contrasting Western European classical art songs or arias in their audition.
    • The third piece can be Western European classical or from another genre (e.g., Folk, Latin, Jazz, Musical Theater, Pop/Rock, Worship Music, etc.).
    • Solo choral parts are not acceptable audition material.
    • For live auditions, please provide sheet music for your pianist.
    • For video auditions, perform with either a live accompanist or an instrumental-only backing track.

    Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance (BM) and Bachelor of Music in Music Education (BME): Perform three contrasting pieces.  One of your art songs/arias must be in a language other than English.

    Bachelor of Arts in Music (BA): Perform two pieces from contrasting genres.

    Music Minor: Perform one piece of your choice. 

    Suggested Audition Material: Please consult with your voice teacher or choral director to select an appropriate repertoire for your audition.

    Suggested books that contain repertoire for University-level auditions include:

    • First book, First Book Part II, and First Book Part III of (Soprano0Bass) Solos; Hal Leonard
    • Standard Vocal Literature (Soprano-Bass); Hal Leonard
    • Gateway to German Lieder; Alfred Publishing
    • French Song Anthology; Hal Leonard
    • 26 Italian Songs and Arias; Alfred Publishing
    • Twenty-four Italian Songs and Arias; G. Schirmer
    • Folk songs for Solo Singers; Althouse
    • The Singer's Anthology of American Standards/Musical Theatre/Pop Rock Ballads; Hal Leonard

    Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre: Students interested in auditioning for the Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre degree should visit the Music Theatre degree page for more information and audition requirements.

Music scholarships

The Department of Music offers talent scholarships to incoming undergraduate students. For consideration, students must be admitted University students and submit a scholarship application.

Scholarships

Academic majors

The Department of Music offers three bachelor's degree programs, a Bachelor of Music (Applied Music), a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) and a Bachelor of Arts (Music).

Academic majors

Ensembles

The Department of Music provides multiple ensemble opportunities, from Marching Band to jazz ensembles, for students to hone their musical craft.

Ensembles