Scholarship Audition Information

In keeping with the rich tradition of liberal arts at Albion College, the Music Department does not require auditions to become a music major, and non-major students may audition for a music scholarship. Any student interested in being a music major may do so. Music Department auditions at Albion College are intended solely for the purpose of scholarships. All students are eligible for scholarships, regardless of their major.

Scholarship Auditions

Scholarship Auditions will begin October 1 of a student’s senior year. 

Scholarship Submission Deadlines

December 1 (High school seniors) - Priority scholarship consideration

March 15 (High school seniors) - General scholarship consideration

Scholarship Audition Steps

Music Scholarship candidates will:

1. Apply and be accepted to Albion College
2. Submit the Fine Arts Interest Form
3. Audition on campus for the Music Faculty

Prepare for Audition

To begin the audition process, please complete the Fine Arts Interest Form. Admitted seniors will be contacted regarding audition submission and to schedule an interview. Please note that students must be admitted to Albion before submitting a music audition. For questions regarding your audition, please contact the Office of Admission at .

Music Scholarship Expectations

If awarded a Music Scholarship, the student is required to perform in one of the department's major ensembles (concert choir/Briton singers, jazz ensemble, marching band/symphonic band, or symphony orchestra) in order to receive funds each year. Although students are assigned to one of these ensembles based on their abilities and the ensemble's needs, the Music Department encourages all students to participate in more than one.

Once awarded, all scholarships are guaranteed for all four years of college provided all requirements are fulfilled and the student is in good standing in the department. Our financial aid office works to supplement music scholarships with other kinds of aid to make an Albion education more affordable.

Audition Expectations

Below is a suggested list of repertoire for each instrument. While we encourage students to perform music which best showcases their abilities, this will provide an example of the type of audition the Albion College Music Department expects from incoming first-year and transfer students. In addition to the prepared materials, a brief sight-reading exercise is expected.

Audition Suggestions

Select an instrument/voice to see the suggestions, or scroll down.

Voice

Solos: Prepare two or three songs. English text required. French, German, and Italian encouraged only if currently studying privately. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). Art songs, opera arias, folk songs, and musical theatre are all acceptable repertoire.

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Piano

Scales: Major and harmonic minor scales (full range), through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Bach, J.S. - Two or Three Part Inventions. Any.
• Bach, J.S. - Suite. Any.
• Beethoven - Sonata. Any sonata, any movement.
• Haydn - Sonata. Any sonata, any movement.
• Mozart - Sonata. Any sonata, any movement.
• Chopin - Any piece.
• Debussy - Any piece.
• Liszt - Any piece.

Pop music and show tunes are strongly discouraged.

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Organ

Scales: Play on Piano (or Organ) major and harmonic minor scales through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: two solos on organ from following, or of comparable difficulty:

• J.S. Bach Prelude and Fugues
• any selection by Pachelbel, Buxtehude, Franck
• any selection from "First Organ Book" by Leupold

If student has had extensive piano experience but little or no organ experience, the following may be substituted:

• J.S. Bach Two or Three Part Inventions
• Movement from a sonata by Beethoven, Haydn, or Mozart any
• selection by Chopin, Debussy, Liszt

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Harp

Scales: Major and harmonic minor scales (full range), through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Corelli - Giga
• Dussek - Sonatina IV
• Grandjany - Fantasie on a Theme by Haydn
• Hasselmanns - Brook
• Naderman - Sonata I

Recommended Ensemble Pieces:

• Grandjany - Aria in Classic Style
• Dittersdorf - Concerto for Harp. 1st movement.
• Mozart - Concerto for Harp and Flute. 1st movement.

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Violin

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two to three octaves where practical) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Accolay - Concerto
• Bach - Concerto No. 1 in a-minor
• Bach - Concerto in E Major
• Bach - Partita. One movement from any partita.
• Handel - Sonata. Any.
• Kreisler - Preludium and Allegro
• Mozart - Concerto. Any.
• Viotti - Concerto No. 23
• Vivaldi - Concerto in g-minor
• Vivaldi - Concerto in e-minor

Recommended Etudes:

• Kayser
• Kreutzer - 42 Studies. Any.
• Sitt
• Whistler - Prep to Kreutzer. Any.
• Wohlfahrt, Op. 45

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Viola

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two to three octaves where practical) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Bach - Cello Suite. Any movement.
• Marais - Four French Dances
• Marcello - Sonata in G-Major
• Telemann - Concerto in G-Major
• Vivaldi - Concerto in d-minor

Recommended Etudes:

• Kayser
• Kreutzer - 42 Studies. Any.
• Sitt
• Whistler - Prep to Kreutzer. Any.
• Wohlfahrt, Op. 45

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Cello

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two to three octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Bach, J.S. - Cello Suites 1, 2, or 3. Any movement.
• Bach, J.S. - Prelude. Any.
• Breval - Sonata in G-Major. Any movement.
• Dvorak - Concerto. Any movement.
• Elgar - Concerto. 1st or 2nd movement.
• Haydn - Concerto in C-Major. 3rd movement.
• Haydn - Concerto in D-Major. 1st or 3rd movement.
• Saint-Saens - Concerto. Any movement.

Recommended Etudes:

• Grutzmacher - Book 2 (Nos. 13 through 24). Any.
• Popper - High School of Cello Playing

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String Bass

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two to three octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Capuzzi - Concerto in F. Any movement.
• Corelli - Sonata. Any.
• Johnson - Lento and Zapateado
• Marcello - Sonata. Any.

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Guitar

Scales: Major and minor scales (two octaves) in two positions. Play two of your choice.

Solos & Etudes: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Tarrega - Lagrima
• Tarrega - Adelita
• Carcassi - All.
• Bach - Jesu Joy of Man's Desire
• Brouwer - Estudios Sencillos 1 - 5

Fingerstyle: pieces from Andrew York, Andy McKee, Roger Hudson, and similar composers.

Etudes:

• Giuliani - 120 Right Hand Studies
• Carcassi - 25 Studies

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Flute

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Bach - Sonatas. Any.
• Bloch - Suite Modale
• Cavally - 24 Short Concert Pieces. Any.
• Handel - Sonatas. Any.
• Hindemith - Sonata. Any movement.
• Mozart - Concertos in D-Major or G-Major. Any two movements.
• Various - Flute Music by French Composers. Any piece.

Recommended Etudes:

• Andersen - Op. 41. 21 or higher.
• Berbiquier - 18 Studies
• Boehm
• Cavally - Melodius and Progressive Studies
• Kohler

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Oboe

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two octaves preferably) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Albinoni - Concerto. Any movement.
• Handel - Concerto. Any movement.
• Hindemith - Sonata. Any movement.
• Schumann - Three Romances
• Telemann - Any Sonata.
• Vivaldi - Concerto. Any movement.

Recommended Etudes: Barrett - Any melodic study.

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Clarinet

Scales: Major and harmonic minor scales (up to two octaves where practical) through 3 sharps and 3 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Hindemith - Sonata. Any two movements.
• Mozart - Clarinet Concerto, K. 622. 2nd movement, and either 1st or 3rd movement.
• Rabaud - Solo de Concours
• Schumann - Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73. Any two movements.
• Weber - Concertino

Recommended Etudes:

• Cavallini - 32 Caprices
• Rose - 32 Etudes
• Rose - 40 Studies

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Saxophone

Scales: Major and harmonic minor scales (two octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: One solo or one etude required, but both are encouraged. These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Bozza - Impromptu et Danse
• Bozza - Improvisation et Caprice
• Creston - Sonata. Any movement.
• Debussy/Rousseau - Rhapsody
• Eugene Bozz - Aria
• Alexander Glazunov - Concerto (excerpt)
• William Grant Still - Romance
• Heiden - Sonata
• Hindemith - Sonata
• Ibert - Concertino da Camera

NOTE: Original solo saxophone literature is preferred.

Recommended Etudes:

• Ferling/Mule - 48 Studies
• Berbiguier/Mule - 18 Studies

Students may also opt to perform a jazz audition, in place of or in addition to, a traditional audition. If choosing a jazz audition, students can play an improvised solo (two choruses) over chord changes in a blues-style or a jazz standard such as might be found in a Real Book.

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Bassoon

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two to three octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Galliard - Sonata. Any.
• Hindemith - Sonata. Any movement.
• Mozart - Concerto, K. 191. Any movement.
• Philips - Concertpiece
• Stevens - Three Pieces. Any movement.
• Weber - Concerto. Any movement.

Recommended Etudes:

• Milde - Concert Studies. Any.
• Weissenborn - 50 Bassoon Studies or Practical Method for Bassoon. Any.

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Trumpet

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (up to two octaves where practical) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos (with or without accompaniment):

• Balay - Prelude et Ballade, or similar piece.
• Barat - Any piece.
• Clarke - Bride of the Waves, or similar piece.
• Haydn - Concerto in E-flat. Any two movements.
• Hindemith - Sonata. Any two movements.
• Hummel - Concerto. Any two movements.
• Kennan - Sonata. Any two movements.

Recommended Etudes:

• Arban - Characteristic Studies. Any study.
• Clarke - Any characteristic etude or study.
• Hering - Any etude.

Students may also opt to perform a jazz audition, in place of or in addition to, a traditional audition. If choosing a jazz audition, students can play an improvised solo (two choruses) over chord changes in a blues-style or a jazz standard such as might be found in a Real Book.

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French Horn

Scales:  Major and melodic minor scales (two octaves) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Dukas - Villanelle
• Heiden - Sonata
• Hindemith - Sonata
• Mozart - Concertos 1, 2, 3, or 4, or Concerto Rondo. Any 2 movements.
• Saint-Saens - Romance

Recommended Etudes:

• Kopprasch
• Maxime-Alphonse

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Trombone

Scales: All major and melodic minor scales through 3 sharps and 3 flats (two octaves where possible). Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Barat - Andante and Allegro
• David - Concertino
• Grondahl - Concerto. Any movement.
• Guilmant - Morceau Symphonique
• Jacob - Concerto. Any movement.

Recommended Etudes: (anything by)

• Blazhevich
• Rochut
• Tyrrell

Students may also opt to perform a jazz audition, in place of or in addition to, a traditional audition. If choosing a jazz audition, students can play an improvised solo (two choruses) over chord changes in a blues-style or a jazz standard such as might be found in a Real Book.

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Euphonium

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two octaves when possible) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Barat - Introduction and Dance
• Guilmant - Morceau Symphonique
• Mozart - Concerto for Bassoon. 1st or 3rd movement.

Recommended Etudes:

• Arban
• Fink
• Rochut
• Tyrell
• Voxman

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Tuba

Scales: Major and melodic minor scales (two octaves where possible) through 4 sharps and 4 flats. Play two of your choice.

Solos: Select two total to prepare. One from each category or two from one category. Must be contrasting (technical and lyrical). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted.

Recommended Solos:

• Curnow - Concertino
• Gregson - Tuba Concerto. 1st movement.
• Haddad - Suite for Tuba. 1st movement.
• Vaughan-Williams - Concerto in f-minor

Recommended Etudes:

• Arban
• Blazevich
• Bordogni
• Fink
• Tyrell

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Percussion

Solos: Select two total to prepare (one pitched and one non-pitched). These are recommendations only. Other solos or etudes of equal difficulty may be substituted. Solos with 2 mallets are required. 4 mallets are optional. The timpani skill level test is also required of students interested in music as a major.

Recommended Snare Solos/Etudes:

Symphonic

• Cirone - Portraits in Rhythm
• Delecleuse - Methode or Douze Etudes
• Peters - Intermediate Studies for Snare

Rudimental

• Markovich - Any individual solos
• Pratt - 14 Modern Contest Solos
• Wolcoxon - All-American Drummer

NOTE: A multiple percussion work may be substituted for the rudimental snare drum demonstration. Arrangements must be made in advance if there are additional instruments needed for a set-up. It is recommended that the student bring their own smaller instruments.

Recommended Mallet Solos:

Four Mallet (optional)

• Abe - Works for Marimba
• Gomez - Any.
• Musser - Any transcriptions.
• Peters - Any.
• Zivovic - Funny Mallet Series

Two Mallet (required)

• Bach, J.S. or other baroque/classical - transcriptions for flute, violin, or cello.
• Breuer
• Goldenberg - Modern School for Xylophone
• Green - Any rags.
• Joplin - Any rags.

Timpani Skill Level Test

Demonstrate current ability to match/sing pitches and scales, tune timpani without the aid of a tuner, basic timpani stroke, dampening technique, rolling (single stroke), knowledge of drum sizes and ranges.

NOTE: These skills are not required for acceptance, but are part of the audition to assess current ability level. However, the ability to sing and match pitches is required of music students in general and part of the timpani curriculum for percussion students.

Recommended Timpani Etudes (optional):

• Goodman - Modern Method for Timpani
• Peters - Fundamental Method for Timpani

Drum set (optional)

It is recommended to demonstrate as many drumming styles as to your current ability level - i.e.: rock, jazz/swing, funk, Latin. You may also choose to perform a transcription of a jazz tune or of another style which accurately represents your current ability level.

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