Audition Requirements

The Admission Audition

Applicants to all UW-Eau Claire music degrees, the music therapy degree, and the music minor must complete an admission, placement, and scholarship audition before enrolling in music courses. The audition is held four times each year for applicants seeking fall semester admission--in November, January, February and early spring-- and is designed to assess the applicant's ability to successfully pursue college-level studies in music, to offer the applicant an opportunity to audition for departmental scholarship assistance, and to better acquaint the applicant with UW-Eau Claire music programs and facilities.

Each audition consists of three components: 1) an admission, placement and scholarship audition in the applicant's performance area--piano, organ, harpsichord, voice, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, or percussion; 2) an aural perception test; and 3) keyboard placement. Each audition day also includes an information session for applicants and parents. Applicants to the BME degree must audition on a wind, percussion or string instrument or voice.

To register for an audition, select one of the four scheduled dates and complete and send the audition registration form. The department will send confirmation of the date you select and an audition day schedule. A letter of recommendation also must be secured from a high school director or other appropriate music instructor and mailed to the Admissions Coordinator of the Music Department or presented on audition day.

Applicants will be notified by mail within one month of the audition of their music admission status and of any scholarship offer made by the department. Admission to UW-Eau Claire does not guarantee eligibility either to pursue a major or minor in music or for private study in any applied music area. Students planning to major or minor in music or major in music therapy must successfully complete all components of the audition to be admitted for study in these degree programs. Acceptance will depend on musical ability demonstrated at the audition and on available studio space. Applicants are encouraged to audition early since both studio space and scholarship availability may be limited by early spring.

Preparation for Audition Day

Prepare the following for the Performance Placement and Scholarship Audition:

Piano, Organ, Harpsichord

Three prepared solos
(piano--at least two from memory)
Sightreading

Voice

One song in a foreign language, from memory
One classical song in English, from memory (folk, popular, Broadway songs are not acceptable)
Sightreading

Strings

Three prepared solos
Major scales
Sightreading

Woodwinds and Brass

One prepared solo (memorization optional)
Major scales
Sightreading

Percussion

One prepared solo (memorization optional)--concert snare drum (NOT marching/rudimental), keyboard/mallet percussion, timpani, or multiple percussion. A drumset solo may be used as well, but ONLY IN ADDITION TO another solo on one of the instruments listed previously.
Major scales and arpeggios
Sightreading in all areas of percussion

Solos comparable to those in Class A on the State Contest list generally represent an expected level of proficiency. Popular and folk literature are not acceptable. Accompanists for instrumentalists are not required; applicants may bring accompanists if desired. Voice applicants using UW-Eau Claire accompanists must send to the Coordinator of the Voice Division a copy of each song two weeks prior to the audition date.

Aural Perception Test
The aural perception test includes vocal pitch matching and singing a melody at sight.

Keyboard Placement
The keyboard placement is an important diagnostic tool; consequently, all applicants--except those auditioning on piano, organ, or harpsichord--must appear for keyboard placement. Those without a keyboard background will be placed in beginning class piano. For applicants with keyboard ability, the placement includes 1) a prepared piece, 2) sight-reading, and 3) major scales.