Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion
For details on requirements, click on the instrument on which you will be auditioning.
Majors are not offered and auditions are not heard in classical saxophone or euphonium.
Flute
Two or three selections—including movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo pieces—of contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempi.
Oboe
Oberlin Conservatory News for Oboists
Two or three selections—including movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo pieces—of contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempi. Oboists should also perform one of the Sixteen Grand Studies of Barret.
Clarinet
First movement of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto; Stravinsky’s Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet, Movement II; two contrasting études from C. Rose’s 32 Studies; two standard clarinet orchestral excerpts of contrasting styles; major and minor scales and sight reading are also required.
Bassoon
Two or three selections—including movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo pieces—of contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempi. Bassoonists should include one of the Milde Concert Studies.
Trumpet
Two or three selections—including movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo pieces—of contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempi.
Horn
- first movement from Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 2, 3 or 4
- first movement from Strauss' Concerto No. 1.
Orchestral excerpts include:
- first horn solo from Till Eulenspeigel (two calls in F)
- the second movement solo from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5
- the solo from Brahms' Symphony No. 3, slow movement.
Tenor Trombone
A solo of your choice; Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies for Trombone, No. 7 and No. 13; orchestral excerpts including Wagner's Tannhauser, the opening solo, Berlioz "Hungarian March" from Damnation of Faust, the "Tuba Mirim" from Mozart's Requiem, and Ravel's Bolero, the solo.
Bass Trombone
A solo of your choice; Bach's Cello Suite, No. 5, Sarabande; orchestral excerpts including Haydn's Creation, Berlioz's "Hungarian March" from Damnation of Faust, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
Tuba
Two or three selections—including movements from sonatas, concertos, and other solo pieces—of contrasting styles from standard repertoires; major and minor scales. Compositions chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability in phrasing, sustained playing, and technical facility, including legato and staccato at varied tempi.
The Percussion Audition includes all three areas:
Marimba, Xylophone
- One composition, or movement from a composition, of your choice with four mallets and another with two mallets.
- A variety of major and minor scales.
- Sight reading with two mallets.
Snare Drum
- Two études or compositions of diverse styles demonstrating musicality as well as technical ability.
- Sight reading.
Timpani
- One composition or movement from a composition.
- Demonstration of tuning ability. (Mr. Rosen will ask you to match pitches and tune various intervals from given pitches.)
Preferably, the compositions should be works written specifically for the instrument, rather than transcriptions.
