New Students / Auditions

All Undergraduate/Transfer/Graduate Students

Acceptance by the University is necessary before an audition is scheduled. Prospective students should note specific procedures and deadlines listed below:

• Complete Admissions process and be accepted by the University (click highlighted “Admissions” for further information).
• Financial Aid. University admissions process must be completed before February 15 (fall entry) and November 1 (spring entry) deadline for financial aid consideration.
• Complete an Audition and be accepted by the Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance (click highlighted “Audition” for further information).
• Talent Scholarship. Department audition process must be completed before March 1 deadline for scholarship eligibility.
• NOTE: Transfer students must complete a minimum 30 credits in music coursework at Marywood. Transfer students in music education or theatre education must have minimum GPA of 3.0 in prior college coursework.
• NOTE: Prospective education majors (music education and theatre education) must have combined SAT Math and Reading score of 970 or above.

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Auditions

Scheduled auditions dates for upcoming academic year 2010-2011:

• Sat. August 29, 2009
• Sat. November 7, 2009
• Sat. November 14, 2009
• Sat. December 12, 2009
• Sat. January 16, 2010
• Mon. January 18, 2010
• Sat. February 13, 2010
• Mon. February 15, 2010
• Mon. February 22, 2010
• EXTRA DATE: Sat. March 27, 2010 (10:00 am-4:00 pm)
• Sat. April 17, 2010

To schedule the audition: Contact MTD department (via email or phone). Include your full name, address, phone number/email, intended degree program, and major instrument. Audition requests should be made at least two weeks prior to desired date. Applicants will receive confirmation by return email (audition time, theory test time).

Undergraduate BM music education, music therapy, and music performance: Audition required. Formal application to all BM degree programs include: (1) audition; (2) placement/skill assessment in written theory, sight-singing, piano; (3) interview (see below for details).

Undergraduate BA musical theatre: Audition required. Formal audition in: (1) singing; (2) acting; and, (3) dancing. Bring comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes for dance component of audition.

Graduate MA in music education: Audition required. Prospective graduate music students also take written music entrance exams in music theory and music history (contact dept chair to schedule exams).

The Audition Day: Appropriate professional attire is expected. For dance auditions, bring comfortable clothes and appropriate dance shoes. Applicants should check in 30 minutes prior to the scheduled audition time. Practice rooms are available for warm up. Bring three typewritten copies of audition program (include name, date, music selections, and composers). NOTE: Please bring original musical scores for the audition committee. Do not photocopy.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL AUDITIONS:

Perform three (3) different selections that best represent one's musicianship and proficiency on the intended major instrument. Applicants requiring an accompanist may bring their own (a University accompanist can be provided upon request). Memorization of audition pieces is recommended.

Voice—three songs (or arias) from the following styles:

1. Italian art song from 17th or 18th century
2. 20th-century English song or an American folk song
3. Sacred song or Broadway song*

*Musical Theatre degree applicants sing three stylistically different songs from Broadway musical genre.

Piano—three contrasting pieces chosen from the following styles:

1. Baroque (2- or 3-part Bach invention; prelude/fugue)
2. Classical (e.g., Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven sonata)
3. Romantic or Contemporary classical work
4. Major/minor scales, arpeggios (4-octaves)

Woodwinds (Flute/Oboe/Clarinet/Bassoon/Saxophone)—three pieces from the following styles:

1. Baroque
2. Classical
3. Romantic or Contemporary (may include pop/jazz)
4. Major/minor scales (2-octaves, slurred)

Brass (Trumpet/French Horn/Trombone/Tuba)

1. One movement from a major sonata or concerto
2. Two contrasting etudes from standard brass repertoire
3. Major/minor scales

Percussion (*Note: prospective percussion majors are expected to demonstrate proficiency in three distinct areas--snare, timpani, and keyboard/marimba.

Applicants should bring their own sticks and mallets. Performance on drum set not required. Those wishing to show drum set proficiency prepare to play in swing, rock, & Latin styles. Instruments provided.

Snare Drum: A concert-style snare drum solo demonstrating concert rolls, flams and ruffs from the following (or equivalent): Whaley, Recital Solos for Snare Drum / Cirone, Portraits in Rhythm / Whaley, Intermediate Musical Studies for Snare Drum

Keyboard Percussion/Mallets: A two-mallet solo from the following (or equivalent): Goldenberg, Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba & Vibraphone (“39 Etudes” section) / McMillan, Masterpieces for Marimba / Whaley, Musical Studies for the Intermediate Mallet Player

• optional: four-mallet solo at the applicant’s level of accomplishment

Timpani: A timpani solo on at least two timpani including rolls from the following (or equivalent): Hochreiner, Etüden für Timpani, Vol. I / Whaley, Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist

• tuning: demonstrate ability to tune timpani from a given piano reference pitch

Acoustic Guitar

1. Two solos in contrasting styles (e.g., one movement from Bach lute suite and a rondo by Giuliani; or a lute piece by Dowland and a miniature by Tarrega)
2. An etude (Sor, Carcassi, or Aguado)
3. Major/minor scales (melodic minor form, 2- or 3-octaves)

Electric Bass Guitar

1. Two contrasting jazz pieces, melody, and improvised bass line/solo, OR
2. An improvised bass line and bass solo
3. Major/minor scales, arpeggios (2-octaves)

Strings (Violin/Viola/Cello)

1. One movement from unaccompanied Bach suite or equivalent
2. Allegro movement from a concerto (any style period)
3. Etude (any style period)
4. Major/minor scales (2-octaves)

Strings (Double Bass)

1. Two contrasting movements from a Baroque sonata
2. One Romantic or Contemporary piece
3. An etude (e.g., Simandl's 30 Etudes or Lee's 12 Studies)
4. Major/minor scales (2-octaves)

Organ—Two pieces from the following styles:

1. Baroque, Romantic, or Contemporary work from standard repertoire
2. Two verses of a traditional hymn: (1) include apropriate introduction; (2) first verse played as written; second verse may be a re-harmonization or improvisation based on first verse.
3. Technical exercises (for manuals and for pedals)

Harp

1. One movement from Baroque or Classical sonata
2. Romantic or Contemporary work from standard repertoire
3. An etude

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Skills Assessment

Sight-Singing and Piano sight-reading placement test: (during audition):
Demonstrate ability in vocal sight-reading (simple folk song level) and piano sight-reading for placement in appropriate course sections.

Music theory placement test:
Written test determines placement in appropriate level of music theory (test covers basic music terms and symbols; treble/bass clef note identification; key signatures and scale construction; identification of common intervals and major/minor triads.

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Interview

During the audition, applicants will interview with audition faculty members. Prospective music therapy and theatre majors will also have the opportunity to meet with respective program directors.

Marywood University scholarship funds are available to students majoring in music. Presidential and Endowed Scholarships from the University, as well as Music Talent Scholarships, are awarded to qualified applicants. Please note the scholarship eligibility cut-off dates when scheduling an audition.

For further information contact:

Patricia Purcell; Dept of Music, Theatre, & Dance
Marywood University
2300 Adams Avenue
Scranton, PA 18509-1598
(570) 348-6268
E-mail: ppurcell@maryu.marywood.edu
Fax : (570) 961-4721