Entrance Auditions and Requirements
Admission to the music program is highly competitive. If you intend to apply, you must satisfy all entrance requirements:
- Admission to Christopher Newport
- Music program application
- Entrance audition
- Interview
- Two recommendations by music educators
- Entrance exams in music theory and ear-training
Entrance Audition
When you come for your audition you will:
- Perform two works or movements of contrasting style for your instrument; composers should present a portfolio of their works, including recordings, if possible.
- Be tested on your knowledge of music theory and aural skills. Please study the music fundamentals section of Open Music Theory to help you prepare for your audition and first semester at CNU.
Open Music Theory - Participate in an interview if you plan to major in creative studies, composition or music pre-certification.
No auditions or CDs will be heard after the final audition date. All scholarships are awarded at the end of the audition cycle. Remember, composers must submit at least one score and a recording, if available.
If you live more than 250 miles away, you may submit a recorded audition, but we strongly recommend a live audition.
Once you have been accepted to the university and the program, you are automatically eligible for all music scholarships.
Audition Dates
- November 9, 2024
- January 18, 2025
- January 19, 2025
- February 15, 2025
- February 16, 2025
All vocal applicants should prepare two works (arias, solos, art songs, etc.) with one of the works being in a language other than English. A pianist will be provided for voice auditions; however, vocalists may choose to bring their own pianists. It is expected that vocalists will perform from memory.
All instrumental applicants should prepare two works of contrasting style and be prepared to play all major scales (two octaves for instrumentalists, four octaves for pianists) and a chromatic scale. Repertoire may be chosen from sonatas, concerti, solos, etudes and/or orchestral excerpts. Instrumentalists have the option to either bring their own pianist or to perform unaccompanied. Instrumentalists have the option to perform from memory or use their music. Pianists are required to perform their audition from memory.
Below are examples of instrumental works commonly performed at auditions. These are merely suggestions and are not required:
| Instrument | Composer and instrumental work |
|---|---|
| Flute | J.S. Bach — any sonata Poulenc — Sonata Mozart — Concerto in G or D Griffes — Poem |
| Oboe | Marcello — Concerto in C Cimarosa — Concerto in C Handel — sonatas Telemann — Sonata in A |
| Clarinet | Weber — Concertino Weber — Concerto No. 1, mvt. I or II Mozart — Concerto, mvts. I and II or II and III Saint-Saens — Sonata, mvts. I and II |
| Bassoon | Weber — Concerto in F Major Mozart — Concerto in Bb Major Vivaldi — Concerto in A or E Hindemith — Sonata Saint-Saens — Sonata |
| Saxophone | Maurice — Tableaux de Provence Glazounov — Concerto Creston — Sonata Ibert — Concertino da Camera Ferling — 48 Etudes (slow-fast) |
| Instrument | Composer and instrumental work |
|---|---|
| Trumpet | Artunian — Concerto in A flat Hummel — Concerto in E flat Haydn — Concerto in E flat Balay — Prelude and Ballade Goedicke — Concert Etude |
| Horn | Mozart — any concerto in Eb (447, 495 - one mvt.) R. Strauss — Concerto, Op. 11 (one mvt.) |
| Trombone (tenor) | Bordogni/Rochut — Melodious Etudes: any etude Blazhevich Clef Studies — any etude Rimsky-Korsakov — Concerto for Trombone Marcello — Two movements from any sonata Larrson — Concertino for Trombone Saint-Saens — Cavatine |
| Trombone (bass) | Bozza — Allegro and Finale Haydn — Excerpts from Creation Jacob — Cameos (any two contrasting mvts.) Lebedev — Concerto in One Movement Lieb — Concertino Basso Bordogni/Rochut — Melodious Etudes, any etude (at pitch or down one octave) |
| Euphonium | Capuzzi/Catillinet — Andante and Rondo Handel/Little — Suite in A flat Hutchinson — Sonatina Jacob — Fantasia Ross — Partita |
| Tuba | Brahms/Little — Five Songs Wagner — excerpts from Die Meistersinger Marcello/Little — Sonata No. 1 or No. 5 Vaughan Williams — Concerto Hindemith — Sonata Bach/Bell — Air and Bouree |
| Instrument | Composer and instrumental work |
|---|---|
| Violin | Mozart — G Major Handel — Sonata |
| Viola | Handel — B Minor, one mvt. Vivaldi — Sonata (two mvts. in contrasting tempi) Haydn — Concerto in C |
| Cello | Haydn — Concerto in C Major Vivaldi — Sonata |
| Bass | Marcello — Sonatas Capuzzi — Concerto in D Beethoven — Sonatina |
| Guitar | Milan — Pavanas Tarrega — Preludes Bach — Selected mvt. from lute or cello suites Sor — Studies 1-20 |
| Harp |
Solos: Excerpts: |
The applicant should come prepared to show his or her their level of proficiency at snare drum, marimba and timpani. The university will provide instruments and stands, though the student may bring his or her own snare drum, if desired.
Snare Drum
- Standard rudiments.
- A rudimental or orchestral etude of choice.
Suggestions include: Wilcoxon, “Modern Rudimental Swing Solos,” “All American Drummer,” Cirone, “Portraits in Rhythm,” or Delecluse, “12 Etudes.”
Marimba
- Major scales: two octaves up and down, in all 12 keys.
- A solo or etude of choice, two or four mallets.
Suggestions include: Garwood Whaley, “Fundamental Studies for Mallets,” Rebecca Kite, “Anthology of Lute and Guitar Music for Marimba,” a Bach transcription, or any work composed for marimba.
Timpani
- Tuning: A and D, then F and C, using only an A tuning fork as a pitch reference.
- A solo or etude of choice, using two, three or four drums.
Suggestions include: Hochrainer, “Etudes for Timpani (Books 1-6),” Peters, “Fundamental Method for Timpani,” or Goodman, “Modern Method for Timpani.”
The applicant should also be prepared to sight read on each instrument.
Piano
- Major scales in four octaves
- One work from the Baroque/Classical era (Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert)
- One work from the 19th century (Mendelssohn, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Schumann)
- One work from the 20th or 21st century
The audition should be memorized.
Organ
- One work by J. S. Bach, such as an extended chorale prelude, prelude and fugue, or trio sonata.
- One work or one movement from a multi-movement work from the 19th century (Franck, Widor, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Reger, etc.).
- One work from the 20th or 21st centuries (Dupré, Messiaen, Hindemith, Albright, Bolcolm, Guillou, Baker, etc.)
Memorization is optional.
All students interested in composition should bring to their required interview a portfolio of at least three representative, original compositions. Arrangements will not be accepted. A recording or MIDI realization is recommended but not mandatory.
All students interested in creative studies are required to complete an interview. During this interview, the student will be asked questions about their use of technology, media, music and artistic projects they have and more. Students may bring a portfolio, but it is not mandatory.