Perform two contrasting selections demonstrating technical aspects (left hand accuracy, shifting and bowing skills) and expressive playing (bow control and vibrato) as well as general musicianship. String players should be prepared to perform major scales up to four sharps and four flats in two or three octaves. There may be sight reading. Additional information regarding the audition will be mailed with the audition confirmation letter.

Select a major scale (up to four sharps or four flats) in two or three octaves. Demonstrate your ability to walk a bass line to the 12 bar blues in Bb; improvise over the same. Perform one jazz tune walking to the changes and then perform an improvised solo. Suggested tunes: Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa, Blue Monk, Nowʼs the Time, Take the A Train, Body and Soul, Anthropology. Accompaniment by combo or CD is recommended but not required.

Otterbein University Department of Music Audition Requirements for students studying guitar at Otterbein will concentrate in either Classical Guitar (acoustic, nylon string, fingerstyle) or Commercial Music /Contemporary (electric) styles.

Classical Requirements

1. Scales: Any 2-octave major scales, using two different left hand fingering patterns.
   Quarter notes at mm=80, i-m alternation free stroke or rest stroke.
2. Sightreading
3. Two solo pieces, one from each of the lists below:
   List #1:
   • Number 3 or 7 from 25 Melodic and Progressive Studies, Op 60, by Matteo Carcassi
   • Number 8 or 17 from Exercises, Op 35 by Fernando Sor
   • Any of the 6 Pavanes by Luis Milan
   • Any movement from the J.S. Bach solo lute works (BWV 995-1000, 1006a) or ‘cello suite transcription

   List #2:

   • Number 1 or 6 from Etudes Sencillos by Leo Brouwer!
   • Any movement from 8 Discernments by Andrew York
   • Any of the solo guitar works by Heitor Villa-Lobos
   • Any of the Preludes by Manuel Ponce

Other comparable selections may be substituted with prior approval from the Department of Music.

Commercial Music /Contemporary Requirements

1. Scales: Any 2-octave major scales, using two different left hand fingering patterns.
   Quarter notes at mm=8
2. Sightreading from a lead sheet, including melody and standard chord chart.
3. Performance of a jazz tune with provided accompaniment, including melody, comping, and improvised solo.
   Suggested tunes:
   • Autumn Leaves
   • Blue Bossa
   • Blue Monk
   • Now’s the Time!!Take the A Train
   • Body and Soul!!Anthropology
   • See The Real Book, vol I 6th edition by Hal Leonard Publications edition for other choices, HL 240292
4. Any selection from Jazz Guitar Standards Chord Melody Solos, by Mel Bay Publications, WMB011B CD.
   Transcriptions from Chet Atkins/Nashville styles, modern acoustic fingerstylists (Michael Hedges, Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, etc.), or classical guitar repertoire (see choices above for Classical Auditionees) are also acceptable.

Guitar parts extracted from songs or original compositions are not acceptable.

Other comparable selections may be substituted with prior approval from the Department of Music.

Students auditioning to be music majors with a flute emphasis should prepare the following:

1. Bb major scale (2 octaves, articulated); one other major scale of your choice (2 octaves, articulated)
2. Chromatic scale (3 octaves, articulated)
3. Two contrasting solos or etudes

Suggested etude books include:

• Anderson, 18 Etudes for Flute (op. 41)
• Cavally, Melodious and Progressive Studies for Flute
• Voxman, Selected Studies for Flute

Suggested solos include:

• Any OMEA Class A or B solo
• Moyse, Flute Music by French Composers (any solo)
• Voxman, Concert and Contest Collection (any solo)

Participation Award auditionees should prepare the following:

1. Bb major scale (2 octaves, articulated); one other major scale of your choice (2 octaves, articulated)
2. Chromatic scale (2 octaves, articulated)
3. Two contrasting solos or etudes (OMEA list A, B, or C preferred)

1. Scales: D Major, 2 octaves; D-flat Major, 2 octaves; Chromatic scale demonstrating playable range of the instrument.
2. One etude from any of the following or equivalent: Barret, Melodious Studies; Ferling, 48 Famous Studies; Sellner, Progressive Studies.
3. One movement of a solo piece from the following or equivalent: Handel, Sonata No. 1 or Concerto No. 2 in B-flat; Emil Paladihe, Solo De Concert; Marcello, Concerto (any); Hindemith Sonata.

Prepare a solo with two contrasting movements/sections, or a solo movement/section and a contrasting etude.

Select two major scales (2 octaves; one articulated, one slurred)

Classical Requirements
Preferred audition performance on Eb alto and/or Bb tenor; additional submissions on Bb soprano or Eb baritone are welcome but not required. Scale requirements are the same for each instrument.

Prepare a solo with two contrasting movements/sections, or a solo movement/section and a contrasting etude.

Scales: D major (2 octaves, slurred), F major (2 octaves, slurred), chromatic scale starting on low C (2 octaves, slurred).

Commercial Music Requirements
Preferred audition performance on Eb alto and/or Bb tenor; additional submissions on Bb soprano or Eb baritone are welcome but not required. Scale requirements are the same for each instrument.

Performance of one of the selected tunes following this format: melody, improvised solo (2 choruses), melody.

Selected Tunes from Real Book, Vol. 1, 6th Edition
Afro Blue
Blue Bossa
Blue Monk
Equinox
Footprints
Impressions

Sight Reading from a lead sheet

Scales: Chromatic Scale demonstrating full playable range (low Bb to high F/F#). D, F, Bb, and C Major (2 octaves, slurred)

Select two major scales (2 octaves; each scale slurred and articulated)

C.M.v Weber, Concerto for Bassoon in F Major (op. 75), Movement 1
** (available through imslp)

Two contrasting etudes from:

• Weissenborn, Bassoon Studies (op. 8)
• Milde, 50 Concert Studies
• Jancourt, 26 Melodic Studies (op. 15)
• Orefici, 20 Melodic Studies

Either or both etudes may be substituted by solos or movements of solos in contrasting styles

Prepare a solo with two contrasting movements/sections, or a solo movement/section and a contrasting etude.

Select two major scales (2 octaves when possible; one articulated, one slurred)

Music majors should prepare one solo or etude for at least two of the following: snare drum, keyboards, or timpani. One of these pieces should be from the OMEA Class A or B Solo list.

Please demonstrate the following technical exercises:

• Snare Drum: An extended orchestral style roll, soft-loud-soft; one flam or drag rudiment of your choice (40 PAS, slow-fast-slow)
• Keyboard: One major scale of your choice (2 octaves), Chromatic scale (2 octaves)

Drum set (optional addition to above requirements): demonstrate various styles (rock/funk, swing, mambo, bossa nova) and trade 4’s with yourself in a given style.

Suggested Repertoire:

Snare Drum:

• M. Peters, Intermediate Solos for Snare Drum (selected from etudes 8-18 or 21-25)
• C. Wilcoxon, Modern Rudimental Swing Solos
• A. Cirone, Portraits in Rhythm

Keyboards:

• 4 mallet:
  • M. Ford, Marimba: Technique Through Music (any solo)
  • M. Peters, Yellow After the Rain or Sea Refractions
• 2 mallet
  • M. Goldenberg, Modern School for Xylophone (selected from etudes 5-9, 14-21, or 28-33)
  • GF Handel, Six Sonatas for Violin (any single movement)
  • JS Bach, Violin Concerto in A minor BWV-1041 (1: Allegro moderato or 3: Allegro assai)

Timpani:

• V. Firth, the Solo Timpanist
• R. Carroll, Exercises, Etudes, and Solos for the Timpani
• M. Peters, Fundamental Method for Timpani (etudes found in chapters 3 or 4)

Participation Award auditionees should prepare the following:

1. Same technical exercises as above
2. G. Whaley, Audition Etudes (2 selections)
   • One etude for snare drum (selected from etudes 7-12)
   • One etude for keyboards (selected from etudes 2-9)

Classical

Two pieces, preferably memorized, in contrasting styles (for example, a Bach Prelude and Fugue and a movement of a classical sonata). A third contrasting piece is optional. All major and harmonic minor scales. Sightreading will be included in the audition. Please bring music resume and repertoire list.

Commercial Styles

Choose 2 Major and 2 harmonic minor scales: four octaves, hands together. Perform two prepared Commercial music selections in contrasting styles (swing, Latin, ballad), which demonstrate the ability to play melodies in the right hand and provide a jazz style accompaniment in the left hand (chord voicings, walking or stride bass). These selections must be memorized. Examples would be: Satin Doll, Take The “A” Train, Autumn Leaves, or other compositions from published jazz “fake” books. Additionally, please be prepared to perform a memorized blues composition that demonstrates the ability to improvise and a classical piano composition played by memory.

Classical Requirements
Prepare two memorized pieces in contrasting styles. One piece should be performed in a foreign language. Selections from the art song and operatic repertoires should be emphasized, although one folk song arrangement or musical theatre piece may be included. Students auditioning for the Bachelor of Music in Performance degree must present classical repertory.

Commercial Music Requirements
Two prepared commercial music pieces that are contrasting in nature. Genres to choose from: pop, jazz, R&B, country or rock. One of the two songs can be an original song if desired. No music theatre permitted. All selections should be memorized. Please bring sheet music in the correct key for the audition.

Students interested in the music theory and composition concentration should plan to audition on their primary instrument or voice. In addition, they may submit a portfolio of original compositions prior to their audition for scholarship consideration.  Portfolios should consist of the following:

1. Two or three pieces in varying styles and/or instrumentation that would provide an idea of compositional range.  Pieces without a score are acceptable (like a pop song or electronic composition), but please submit at least one piece that is written using standard musical notation.
2. Please also provide recordings of these pieces when possible.  Live recordings are best, but MIDI playback is acceptable.

Send scores (PDF) and audio files (mp3) and direct any questions to Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz.