How to Have a Successful Performance Audition What is an
audition? An audition is a kind of trial performance in which a
musician demonstrates his or her skill. Auditions are required
by almost all music departments and schools in the United States
as a means to evaluate the prospective student's potential to
succeed as a music major in that school's music programs.
Auditions are generally 10 to 15 minutes long, and consist of
the performance of certain required repertoire (published by the
school in its application materials). Many schools also test the
applicant's technical ability with scales and arpeggii (among
other things), and may also require a bit of sight reading.
Requirements vary from school to school and from instrument to
instrument. Who will hear my audition? The composition of the
audition committee varies from school to school. Most are made
up of two or three faculty members, sometimes representing more
than the applicant's performance discipline. At Brevard College,
for instance, an auditio