MUSIC DEPARTMENT ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Applicants must be accepted both academically by the College and musically by the Music Department. An in-person performance audition is required of all applicants to the music program. The evaluation of your audition by the faculty will be the most important factor in granting admission to the department. A placement test in music theory will be given on audition day. If you are unable to participate on the date scheduled by the College please call the music department secretary, Adele Scioscia, at (973) 618-3326 to make other arrangements.
Listed below are the audition requirements for each instrument and for voice:
VOICE: The basic requirement is the demonstration of vocal potential. The student should prepare two contrasting songs, including at least one art song in any language. It is suggested that both songs be memorized. An accompanist will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own.
WOODWINDS: A sonata or concert piece of moderate difficulty. Major, minor and chromatic scales covering the complete range of the instrument, tongued and slurred.
BRASS: A movement of a sonata or concerto of moderate difficulty. Major, minor and chromatic scales, tongued and slurred.
STRINGS: A movement of a sonata or concerto of moderate difficulty. Scales and arpeggios.
PERCUSSION: Demonstration of an ability to read notation at a moderate level. Demonstration of snare drum rudiments. Demonstration of a basic technical knowledge of the mallet instruments. Elementary exercises for timpani.
PIANO: Three compositions: a two-part invention by J.S. Bach or an equivalent baroque keyboard work, and allegro movement of a classical sonata, a work by a romantic or contemporary composer. At least one selection must be played from memory. Major and minor scales and arpeggios. Sight reading: a hymn, an easy classical composition and/or an easy vocal accompaniment.
ORGAN: The student must have a piano background of Bach two-part inventions and Mozart or early Beethoven sonatas. It is desirable for the student to perform, on the organ, a baroque composition, such as a four-part Bach chorale or other hymn tune of the student's choice played with pedal, a romantic work and a modern work. Major and minor scales and arpeggios.
CLASSICAL GUITAR: Segovia scales, major and minor; one etude by Sor (Segovia edition), Carcassi or Aguado. Two concert pieces of the student's own choosing from either pre-baroque (De Visee, Sanz, Milan, etc.), baroque (Bach, Weiss, etc.) or romantic Spanish (Tarrega - ex. Adelita; Llobet - ex. El Testament d'Amelia).
JAZZ GUITAR: 5 positions of major scales, 5 pentatonic positions. Two forms of major7, minor7, dominant7, diminshed7, minor7 and flat5 chords. A prepared standard tune playing both melody and chords (separately or together). Improvisation on a blues progression.