You are now in the main content area

Audition Requirements

Body: 

All applicants to all Music programs (BA, BFA, BA/BEd concurrent) must perform an entrance audition in their principal instrument or in voice. Audition requirements for each instrument and for voice are listed below. All auditions are for classical voice and orchestral instruments excepting jazz for the following instruments: bass, guitar, piano, saxophone, trumpet and voice. Jazz audition requirements are listed below under Jazz. Copies of the music should be provided for the audition panel.

Successful applicants will be enrolled in MUSC 1406 Applied Major I or MUSC 1455 Applied Major Performance I. Students whose performance level is close to but just under the Grade VIII R.C.M.T. (Royal Conservatory of Music at Toronto) performance level may be requested to take MUSC 1401 Applied Music Proficiency I as a preparatory courses to MUSC 1406 at the discretion of the Music Department. MUSC 1401 may count towards their BA degree as a non-music elective.  

All performers are required to play or sing two pieces in contrasting styles. All instrumentalists are required to play technical exercises or scales appropriate to their instrument.

Audition Form

No audition is required for students enrolling in the Major in Music Studies program. Students may opt to audition in their second year should they wish to transfer to the BA in Music or the Major in Music.

Download the Audition Form

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play two contrasting pieces at the Conservatory Grade VIII level, one from List A and one from List B. Recommended pieces are:
    • List A:
      • *Marcello - Sonata in E minor (all movements)
      • *Vivaldi - Sonata No. 1 in B-flat major, RV 47 (all movements)
    • List B:
      • *Alay - Morceau de concours, op. 57
      • *Gervaise - Dance Suite (arr. David Werden) 
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios and a chromatic scale on B-flat, all one octave excepting F major (two octaves).
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level

*Embouchure control, articulations, and tone quality must be at a level of maturity comparable to the grade level standard.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play any two contrasting pieces and a study at the Conservatory Grade VIII level.  Here are a few recommendations, but other selections from the RCM clarinet syllabus are also acceptable:
    • List A:
      • * Schumann - Fantasy Piece No. 1 (any edition, but also available in Solos for the Clarinet Player, pub. Schirmer)
      • * Wagner - Adagio for Clarinet (Solos for the Clarinet Player)
      • * L. Spohr - Adagio from Concerto No. 1 (Solos for the Clarinet Player)
    • List B:
      • * Handel - Concerto in G minor, Adagio and Allegro (Solos for the Clarinet Player)
      • * G. Tartini - Concertino, first and second movements (pub; Boosey and Hawkes)
      • * M. Starokodomsky - At the Brook (Solos for the Clarinet Player, pub. Schirmer)
  • Studies:
    • * C. Rose - 40 Studies, Book 1, pub. International Music Company: choose one of #6, #8, #9 or #15
  • Play several major and minor scales and arpeggios as well as a chromatic scale, in a minimum two octave range.
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play any two contrasting pieces and a study at the Conservatory Grade VIII level.  Here are a few recommendations, but other selections from the RCM flute syllabus are also acceptable upon approval (see link below for more information):
    • List A:
      • J.S. Bach - Sonata in E-flat major, movements 1 and 2
      • G.F. Handel - Sonata in F major, two contrasting movements
      • Mozart - Andante in C major, K. 315
    • List B:
      • G. Fauré - Sicilienne from Pelléas et Mélisande
      • C.W. von Gluck - Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirits
      • B. Godard - Suite, Op. 166, movements 1 and 2
    • Studies:
      • E. Koehler - Studies, Op. 33, Book 1, No. 1 - 7
      • G. Gariboldi - Twenty Studies, Op. 132, any one
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios and a chromatic scale, minimum two octave range.
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level. 

Audition material should include two contrasting solo pieces from the traditional repertoire for the candidate's instrument. This piece should demonstrate the ability to play in a lyrical manner and to articulate clearly in both legato and staccato styles.

Solo works from the standard horn repertoire of a level of RCM Grade 8 or higher. These include but are not limited to:

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerti 1, 2, 3 and 4, movements 1 and 3
  • Richard Strauss: 1st Horn Concerto
  • Franz Strauss: Nocturno
  • Franz Joseph Haydn: Horn Concerto No. 2, movements 1 and 3
  • Luigi Cherubini: Sonata No. 1 in F major
  • Camille Saint-Saens: Romance, and Morceau de concert, op.94
  • Alexandr Glazounov: Reveries
  • Reinhold Gliere: Reveries
  • Carl Nielsen: Canto Serioso
  • Emmanuel Chabrier: Larghetto
  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Sonata for Horn and Piano in F major
  • Eugene Bozza: En Foret
  • Gilbert Vinter: Hunter’s Moon
  • Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Horn in F and Piano
  • Paul Dukas: Villanelle

https://www.rcmusic.com/sites/default/files/files/S19_BrassSyl_2003_SECURED.pdf

One technical étude is also required. Recommended sources for study/étude include, but are not restricted to: Kopprasch, Maxime Alphonse Books 1 and 2, Kling. Prepare one étude that demonstrates your highest level of technical ability.

Also, scales in two octaves, as well as their arpeggios may be asked in the following keys:

Major: C, D ,F, B-flat and E-flat  major and their relative minors (a, b, c, d, g), in both harmonic and melodic modes.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play two pieces of contrasting styles of approximately Grade VII to VIII Conservatory (RCM) level of difficulty
  • Play any of the technical requirements as outlined for Grade VII or VIII (RCM)
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade IV-VI level

Bass (electric and acoustic), Voice, Guitar, Piano, Saxophone & Trumpet only

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play three contrasting pieces from the jazz idiom: (e.g.,swing, blues, ballad)
  • These should include performance of the melody as well as improvisation.
  • Play one study or etude demonstrating your highest technical ability.
  • Sight-read jazz material of medium difficulty.

Special requirements:

Bass players will be asked to demonstrate their ability to improvise bass lines in the appropriate style for each piece. They will also be asked to play various arpeggios on major, minor and dominant 7th chords. Bassists may audition on Electric Bass but should note that it is necessary to study Acoustic Bass in the 3rd and 4th year levels.

Pianists & Guitarists must play one of the 3 pieces unaccompanied and will be assessed on their ability to comp on jazz tunes as well as play the melody and improvise.

Saxophone & Trumpet players will be asked to play various scales and arpeggios (i.e., major and minor up to four sharps and four flats and a chromatic scale from the lowest note to your highest as well as arpeggios on major, minor and dominant 7th chords.)

*Instruments for auditions will be provided. Prospective students shall audition on snare drum, timpani, and any keyboard mallet instrument. Applicant should be prepared to play pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play a piece on each of the three following instruments: snare drum, timpani, and mallet keyboard. The pieces should be a study, solo, a brief excerpt from the standard repertoire, or any pieces the candidate has performed in the past.
  • Tune two timpani from a given pitch.
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios, one octave on a mallet keyboard.

N.B.
For examples of studies and repertoire, please refer to the following method books:
Modern Method for Snare Drum by Morris Goldenberg
Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, Vibraphone by Morris Goldenberg
Method of Technique and repertoire for the Modern Timpanist by Friese Lepak

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play two pieces in contrasting styles of at least Grade VIII RCM Conservatory Level from List A, B or C
    • One piece should be memorized. 
  • Play several scales and arpeggios of any chosen keys in 4 octaves (excepting C Major).
  • Sight-reading material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Demonstrate a performing ability equal to the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII.
  • Prepare two pieces of contrasting character from different historical periods. The pieces need not be memorized. No technical exercises are required, but the student will be asked to sight read a piece of organ music using pedals.
  • Organ auditions are held in St. Andrew's United Church. It is recommended that the student, when arranging the audition date, request practice time in the church.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play any two contrasting pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level. Please refer to the RCM Syllabus for more information.
    • Recommended pieces are:
      • Handel - Sonata No. 3
      • Bozza - Petite Gavotte
      • Bach - Sicilienne and Allegro (Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player)
      • Mussorgsky - The Old Castle (Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player)
      • Rachmaninoff - Vocalise, Opl. 34, No. 14 (Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player)
  • Play several major scale and arpeggio two octaves (excepting G and A) up to three sharps and three flats and a chromatic scale from low B-flat to the highest F.
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play any two contrasting pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level.
    • Recommended pieces are:
      • Handel – Concerto in g minor (any two movements)
      • Porpora – Sinfonia
      • Saint-Saëns – Allegro Apassionata, Op. 43 (Solos for the Tenor Saxophone Player)
      • Moszkowski – Spanish Dance no. 2, Op. 12 (Solos for the Tenor Saxophone Player)
      • Bach – Two Bourrées (Solos for the Tenor Saxophone Player)
  • Play several major scale and arpeggio two octaves (excepting G and A) up to three sharps and three flats and a chromatic scale from low B-flat to the highest F.
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play two pieces in contrasting styles at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level. The pieces need not be memorized.
  • Play technical requirements (scales, arpeggios, double stops). The Grade VIII Conservatory Canada syllabus or The Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto may be consulted as a guide to the minimum level required.
  • Sight-read material at the Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to: 

  • Play any two contrasting pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level. Choose one piece from recommended List A and one from List B.
    Recommended pieces are:
    • List A:
      • *Galliard - Sonata No. 1, movements 1 and 2
      • *Marcello - Sonata in E minor, movements 1 and 4
      • *Vivaldi - Sonata No. 1 in B-flat major, RV 47
    • List B:
      • *McKay - Concert Solo Sonatine
      • *Ropartz - Andante et allegro
      • Still - Romance
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios from the flat keys or C major and a chromatic scale on B-flat, all one octave excepting F major (two octaves).
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.
  • N.B. Slide trombone only is acceptable as an applied major instrument. For Bass Trombone audition pieces, select any two at the RCM Grade VIII level, one from List A and one from List B as found in The Royal Conservatory of Music Brass Syllabus.
  • The rest of the audition is the same as for Tenor Trombone (listed above).

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play any two contrasting pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level.
    Recommended pieces are:
    • Bissell - Little Suite
    • Corelli - Sonata in F
    • Fitzgerald - Introduction and Fantasy
    • Goedicke - Concert Study Op. 49
    • Porrino - Preludio, Aria e Scherzo.
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios and a chromatic scale on B-flat concert, all one octave only.
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Play two pieces at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level. Please choose one piece from List A and one from List B.
    Recommended pieces are:
    • List A:
      • *Beethoven - Variations on a Theme from Judas Maccabaeus (arr. William J. Bell)
      • *Bach, J.S. - Air and Bourrée (arr. William J. Bell)
      • *Galliard - Sonata no. 6 (arr. Wesley Jacobs)
    • List B:  
      • *Bernstein - Waltz for Mippi III (in Solos for the Tuba Player)
      • *Harley - Sonatina
      • *Jacob - Six Little Tuba Pieces
      • *Troje-Miller - Sonata Classica
  • Play several major scales and arpeggios from the flat keys or C major and a chromatic scale on B-flat, all one octave excepting F major (two octaves).
  • Sight-read material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.

Applicants must be prepared to:

  • Sing two songs of contrasting nature at the RCM Conservatory Grade VIII level. At least one of these songs must be in a language other than English. Both songs should be memorized. 
  • Sight-sing material at the Conservatory Grade VI level.