School of MusicStringsStrings Audition

Strings Audition

String Area Audition Requirements (in-person and recorded auditions)

The string area at WSU School of Music auditions students at the undergraduate and graduate levels for all string instruments in both Classical and Jazz performance.

The string area also offers opportunities for music minors and non-majors who will be attending WSU as an undergraduate or graduate student. Students at this level may:

  1. Audition and participate in major ensembles (Classical and Jazz)
  2. Participate in chamber music and chamber ensembles
  3. Receive applied lessons [Participation in a major ensemble or chamber music (where applicable) is required prior to enrolling in applied lessons.]

Please search below for your specific degree and instrument to identify the appropriate requirements for your audition.

Undergraduate Studies

  • BM (Performance)
  • BM (Music Education)
  • BA (Performance)

Undergraduate applicants should prepare all the elements listed below (Technique, Repertoire, and Sight-reading wherever applicable) for the live in-person audition or recorded audition.

Undergraduate applicants are encouraged to consult with the primary instructor in their instruments to clarify any doubts they may have ahead of the audition.

Contact Strings Faculty
Learn more about auditions and apply

Violin

Technique
  • Three-octave scales and arpeggios
  • One etude by Kreutzer
Repertoire
  • One movement from J.S. Bach’s “Sei Solo” (6 Sonatas and Partitas)
  • First movement from a standard violin concerto
  1. Technique:
    • Three-octave scales and arpeggios
    • One etude by Kreutzer
  2. Repertoire:
    • One movement from J.S. Bach’s “Sei Solo” (6 Sonatas and Partitas)
    • First movement from a standard violin concerto
  3. Sight-reading:
    • Not required

Viola

  1. Technique:
    • Three-octave scales and arpeggios
    • One etude by Kreutzer
  2. Sight-reading:
    • Not required

Cello

  1. Technique:
    • 3 octave scale of the applicant’s choice. Separate bows, sixteenth notes, quarter=92
    • A 2-octave arpeggio matching scale choice quarter=75 (slurred in threes, 12/8 time)
    • One etude from either Schroeder 170 Foundational Studies, or from Popper High School of Cello Playing
  2. Repertoire:
    • Concerto, sonata, or solo piece from the standard cello repertoire.
      Examples include (but not are limited to): Haydn C Major Cello Concerto, 1st movement, Boccherini Bb Cello Concerto, 1st movement, J.C. Bach Concerto in C minor (any movement), Brahms b minor sonata, 1st movement, Sammartini G major sonata (1st movement), Beethoven Sonata No. 3, 1st movement, Bach Suites (if chosen, please select two contrasting movements)
  3. Sight-reading:
    • We will provide a piece from standard repertoire for sight reading. The example will likely include tenor clef

Double Bass (Classical)

  1. Technique:
    • 2 octave scale of the applicant’s choice. Separate bows, sixteenth notes, quarter- 80
    • A 2-octave arpeggio matching scale choice quarter=60 (slurred in threes, 12/8 time)
    • An etude or orchestral excerpt from standard repertoire
  2. Repertoire:
    • Concerto, sonata, or solo piece from the standard bass repertoire.
      Examples include (but are not limited to) Capuzzi Bass Concerto (any movement), Dittersdorf Concerto (1st movement), Eccles Sonata (any movement), Marcello Bass Sonatas (originally for cello) 2 contrasting movements
  3. Sight-reading:
    • We will provide a piece from standard repertoire for sight reading

Double Bass (Jazz)

  1. Technique:
  2. Repertoire:
  3. Sight-reading:

Guitar (Classical)

  1. Technique:
    • 12 major scales two-octave range
    • Right-hand arpeggio exercises (formulas 1-12) from Abel Carlevaro’s Book 2
  2. Repertoire:
    • One Etude by M. Carcassi from his Twenty-Five Etudes, Op. 60; or one Fernando Sor’s Twenty Studies edited by Segovia
    • One piece from the standard classical guitar repertoire
  3. Sight-reading:
    • Sight-read a short excerpt in first or second position

Guitar (Jazz)

  1. Technique:
    • Minor blues scale two-octave range in all 12 keys
    • Major scale two-octaves range in all 12 keys
  2. Repertoire:
    • Perform with a backing track two contrasting jazz standards. You will play the head, improvise for 2 choruses, and comp (play chords) for one chorus. You are encouraged to perform one of the heads as a chord-melody.
  3. Sight-reading:
    • Sight-read a short excerpt in first or second position. Sight-read lead-sheet chord symbols.