Audition Requirements for the School of Music

You have two options for your admissions audition:

• Match pitch with voice to be accepted in a choral ensemble; or
• Pass an instrumental audition to be accepted into an instrumental ensemble.

Students in the traditional music concentration are required to audition on an instrument and have a brief test to match pitch with voice. You are not required to take a theory placement test.

Students wishing to audition as a string major should prepare the following:

• Two 3-octave major scales (2 octaves for double bass)
• One movement from a solo Bach sonata or partita (or similar)
• One movement from a standard concerto or sonata

You must also take a theory placement test.

For more information, contact the Orchestra and Strings coordinator, Michael Blaney by phone at 337-482-6050 or by email at blaney@louisiana.edu.

Instrumentalists two etudes or solo works in contrasting styles. They will also be tested on major scales and sight reading. You must also take a theory placement test. For more information, contact the Band Instruments (Wind Ensemble) coordinator, Dr. William Hochkeppel, by phone at 337-482-5669 or by email at hochkeppel@louisiana.edu.

Auditions for percussionists who intend to major in music should include one solo or etude of the student’s choice on each of the three main instruments, rudimental and/or concert snare drum, keyboard percussion, and timpani. Students should be prepared to sight read on snare drum and keyboard percussion as well as play major scales on keyboards and perform the following rudiments open-closed-open on snare drum:

• Double Stroke Open Roll
• Paradiddle
• Flam Accent
• Single Drag Tap

A free copy of the rudiments can be found on the Percussive Arts Society website.

You must also take a theory placement test.

For more information, contact the Percussion coordinator, Troy Breaux, by phone at 337-482-5212 or by email at tbreaux@louisiana.edu.

Non-music majors wishing to audition for the Pride of Acadiana and/or the Ragin' Cajun Drum Line should go to the marching band auditions page for information.

Jazz Percussion

Potential Jazz majors should be prepared to demonstrate time keeping and soloing skills in as many of the following styles as possible: swing (jazz, bebop) both slow and up- tempo, shuffle, rock and funk, 6/8 rock and funk shuffle, Latin styles such as bossa nova, samba, mambo, songo, Mozambique, etc. Jazz Majors should also be prepared for chart reading. It is not required, but would be advantageous to demonstrate skills on snare drum, keyboard percussion, and timpani as stated above.

You must also take a theory placement test.

 Jazz Trumpet & Saxophone

• Play two contrasting jazz pieces; One of the two pieces should be a blues
  • Improvise over the blues piece
  • Improvising over the second piece is optional
• Play major scales
• Play chromatic scale
• Sight reading

You must also take a theory placement test.

If there are items here that you cannot fulfill, we recommend that you audition anyway. It's still possible to pass the audition if you're strong in other areas.

For more information, contact Dr. Paul Morton by phone at 337-482-5216 or by email at morton@louisiana.edu.

Jazz Trombone

• Two jazz standards:
  • Perform a blues standard with backing track; Improvise over changes
  • Perform a jazz standard with backing track (bebop, rhythm changes, ii/V/I); Improvise over changes
• Scales
  • Major scales, two octaves
  • Blues scale, one octave (B♭, F, G, C, A)
  • Chromatic scale, full operational range (at least two octaves)
• Sight reading

You must also take a theory placement test.

For more information, contact Dr. Benjamin Yates at benjamin.yates@louisiana.edu. 

Incoming Freshmen & Transfer Students

Must be prepared to sing - from memory - two songs in contrasting styles and languages, one in English and preferably one in Italian. Those auditioning will also perform a sight singing exercise similar to that used in All-State Choir auditions. The Theory Placement Test will also be given at this time.

All incoming voice students, transfer students, and returning music students must also meet the above audition requirements. Students will be evaluated for acceptance and placement in their requested major.

Graduate Students

Graduate students auditioning for the M.M. in Voice Performance, Performance/Pedagogy or Vocal Music Education are required to sing an Art Song in each of the standard languages – English, Italian, French, and German – and an operatic aria from the standard repertoire. Additionally they will be given an exam in German, French and Italian diction. At their audition, students will be evaluated for placement in undergraduate music courses for remediation when necessary.

Alternate Certification in Vocal Music Education

Those wishing to pursue Alternate Certification in Vocal Music Education must sing from memory five songs: one art song each in English, French, German, and Italian and one operatic or oratorio aria. The level of evaluation will be that of a music education Barrier Jury. Accurate pronunciation of all languages and a solid vocal technique of posture, breath, freedom and beauty of vocal tone must be demonstrated for acceptance into the Vocal Alternate Certification program.

For more information, contact the Voice coordinator, Mr. Shawn Roy, by phone at 337-482-5939 or by email at opera@louisiana.edu.

Requirements for choral conducting at the graduate level include:

• A conducting audition on campus with either the UL Chorale or Chamber Singers
• A choral literature test and an interview
• Applicants must also be prepared to sing one selection of their choice, in a language of their choice

For more information, please contact Dr. William Plummer at choir@louisiana.edu. 

Undergraduate Theory/Composition Admission Requirements

No audition is required to declare an Undergraduate Theory/Composition major; however, majors must pass Theory I and II (MUS 120 and 130) to take composition lessons. Majors are also required to take applied lessons, so an audition should be scheduled for your instrument or voice, and you must also take the theory placement test at your audition. 

Scholarship awards are available for students who demonstrate outstanding achievement in Theory/Composition. To be considered for a composition scholarship, portfolios (scores and recordings) comprising at least two contrasting pieces should be submitted to Dr. Wesley Bradford at wesley.bradford@louisiana.edu. 

Graduate Theory/Composition Admission Requirements

The following are required to be accepted into the theory/composition program:

• a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• GRE scores acceptable to the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Graduate School
• a scholarly paper in music theory and/or analysis (approximately 5 pages minimum)
• samples of written compositions and audio recordings, if you want to focus on acoustic composition (not required of students intending to write a theoretical thesis)
• audio and/or audio/visual recordings of work, if you want to focus on music media (not required of students intending to write a theoretical thesis)
• a sufficient score on the graduate music theory placement exam
• a sufficient score on an aural skills exam (for students applying to become a graduate assistant in music theory)
• a keyboard test (for students applying to become a graduate assistant in music theory)
   

Classical Piano

For students enrolling in the Music Performance, Music Pedagogy, Music Media, or Theory/Composition concentrations who wish to audition as a piano major should prepare the following:

Repertoire

• Pianists should perform three works in contrasting styles from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, or Contemporary eras.
• Students applying for the Performance concentration should works from the late intermediate to advanced levels and at least one work in the advanced level.
• Students applying for Pedagogy concentration should perform works from the late intermediate to advanced levels.
• Students applying for the Music Media and Theory/Composition concentrations may perform works that are considered intermediate.
• Memorization is strongly encouraged, but is required for students applying for the Performance concentration.

Technique

• Applicants for the Performance and Pedagogy concentrations should also be able to play scales and arpeggios in C, D, E, F, G, A, B major and minor. These should be performed at least two o
• All other auditioners will be asked to play scales and arpeggios for the keys of C, D, E, F, G, A, B major. These should be performed two octaves, hands together.

Sight Reading

Auditioners will be asked to sight-read a piano piece rated at approximately the early intermediate level.

Theory

You must also take the theory placement test.

For more information, contact the Keyboard Studies coordinator, Dr. Chan Kiat Lim, by phone at 337-482-5209 or by email at chankiatlim@louisiana.edu. 
 

Jazz Piano

Jazz piano requires students to possess certain skills to pass the audition. If you have strong skills in some areas but lack others, you are still encouraged to audition and may be accepted provisionally. In this case, you will be re-evaluated after one semester of jazz piano lessons to determine whether you have chosen an appropriate field of study.

Skills

• Be able to play six different major scales in both hands
• Have basic music reading ability on the piano in both treble and bass clefs
• Have a basic knowledge of jazz chord construction—be able to construct a seventh chord, a major seventh chord, and a minor seventh chord
• Be able to play two songs that demonstrate the ability to improvise

Theory

Know the key signatures of the following major keys:

C, G, D, A, E, F, B♭, E♭, A♭

Understand 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures as well as whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and sixteenth notes.

For more information, contact the Jazz Piano coordinator, Dr. Garth Alper, by phone at 337-482-6016 or by email at garth@louisiana.edu.

Prospective music majors are also required to take the theory placement test.

Horn

• All major scales in two octaves, the chromatic scale
• An exercise to sightread
• Two contrasting selections (two different movements from a solo work or two contrasting
  etudes (something technical and something slow & lyric)

Suggested Repertoire

• The All-State/Honor Band Etude
• Etudes from Sixty Selected Studies for French Horn by Kopprasch
• Two different movements from any of the Mozart Horn Concerti (one slow one fast
• Dukas Villanell
• Saint-Saens Morceau de Concert

Contact Catherine Roche-Wallace if you have any questions about the horn audition process.

Trumpet

• All major scales and chromatic from memory. Range depends on the instrument.
• Two pieces of contrasting styles. All-State requirements work well, but there are many works to choose from.
• Sight reading.

Contact Paul Morton if you have any questions about the trumpet audition process.

Trombone & Low Brass

• Major scales and chromatic scale in the full range of the instrument
• Sixteenth notes, quarter note = 72 bpm
• LMEA scale sheets acceptable
• Memorized major scales preferred

Two contrasting solo selections:

• 1 lyrical solo/ 1 technical solo
• Solo literature preferred, no piano accompaniment required
• *Contrasting etudes will be accepted
• LMEA etudes accepted

Sight Reading

• Sight reading will come from level II and III etude books appropriate to the instrument

Concert instruments required for auditions (no marching instruments).

• Large-bore trombones preferred
• Large-bore independent bass trombones preferred
• Four-valve euphoniums preferred (baritones accepted)
• Four-valve tubas preferred

Euphonium players

Please have the audition prepared in bass clef. Students reading in B-flat treble clef will be assigned remedial level work until clef reading is proficient.

Contact Dr. Benjamin Yates with questions about trombone and low brass auditions.
 

Personal auditions are preferred for classical and jazz guitar auditions. If you are far from Lafayette, audio or video formats are acceptable for a pre-audition. Upon passing the pre-audition screening, you will receive a letter of invitation to schedule an on-campus audition. Students wishing to transfer to higher levels should consult the area coordinator before preparing for their audition.

Classical Guitar

Bachelor of Music (BM) — Performance, Music Media, Theory/Composition

All applicants must demonstrate abilities in the following areas.

• Ferdinando Carulli, Mateo Carcassi, Mauro Giuliani, Fernando Sor, Dionisio Aguado, Julio Sagrearas, etc., and/or
• Leo Brouwer — Estudios Sencillos 1-10; Heitor Villa-Lobos — Preludes/Etudes
• Aaron Shearer, Learning the Classic Guitar — Studies from book 2 or works of equivalent or greater difficulty

Fingerboard Harmony

General knowledge of major & minor triads and dominant 7th chords. Basic understanding of diatonic harmony as well as chord and key relationships.

Scales

Two octave major and harmonic minor scales through the key circle demonstrating at least two differing fingerings for each [as opposed to one fingering pattern moved to various positions on the fingerboard.

Sight Reading

You will play a work no longer than one page demonstrating the ability to present the most basic harmonic and melodic elements of guitar music at sight.

Repertoire

All incoming applicants should prepare and perform from memory three pieces in contrasting style. 

You must also take the theory placement test.

For more information, contact the Guitar coordinator, Jeffrey George, by phone at 337-482-6016 or by email at guitar@louisiana.edu.

Jazz Guitar

Bachelor of Music (BM) — Jazz Studies, Music Media, Theory/Composition

All applicants must demonstrate abilities in the following areas.

Fingerboard Harmony

Competency in voicings for major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chords and possession of a general understanding of diatonic harmony as well as chord and key relationships

Scales

Two-octave Major, minor (dorian) and dominant (mixolydian) scales demonstrating at least two different fingerings for each – as opposed to one fingering pattern moved to various positions.

Repertoire

Considerable flexibility is permitted in the choice of audition material. Guitarists admitted to the undergraduate program should demonstrate a degree of technical fluency and musical awareness appropriate to the level of audition literature.

All incoming applicants should prepare and perform from memory three jazz standards of varying tempos and styles (ballad chord solo, blues or medium tempo standard, up tempo standard or bebop, fusion or funk, etc.) with a rhythm section or pre-recorded track (Jamey Aebersold or the equivalent). Examples of possible tune choices might include Satin Doll, Billie's Bounce, Oleo, Yesterdays, and/or Footprints. Be sure to include passages containing comping and soloing

Sight Reading

A candidate will play from sight single melodic lines and lead sheet-style chord changes.

You must also take the theory placement test.

All jazz guitar performance majors must study both classical (two semesters) and jazz guitar and must have the appropriate instruments.

For more information, contact the Guitar coordinator, Jeffrey George, by phone at 337-482-6016 or by email at guitar@louisiana.edu.