Auditions / Scholarships

Please contact Dr. Eliezer Yanson Jr. (eyanson@jsu.edu) for any questions you may have.  Please contact Dr. Nathan Wight (nwight@jsu.edu) for any questions you may have regarding the Opera.

Vocal, Choral, and Opera Areas - Music Education Major / Performance Major / Music Minor / General Music

1. Sing two contrasting selections. Both selections must be sung from memory. One song must be from the standard classical song or aria repertoire. The second song may also be selected from the classical song and aria repertoire or from the legit musical theater repertoire typically associated with the “Golden Age” of Broadway. Transfer students should sing one song in a foreign language and one song in English.
2. Please choose music that shows your voice at its best, something you like to sing and feel comfortable performing. We are listening for vocal quality, expressiveness, musical competence, and, above all, potential. You must sing with piano accompaniment.  An accompanist will be provided.
3. During your scheduled audition, you will be asked to sing a short sight-reading/ear-training exercise.

*Those auditioning for admission as a Music Performance Major should perform more advanced music selections.

Song Resources/Suggestions

• IMSLP—public domain music website
• Art Song Central—public domain music website
• 24/26/28 Italian Songs and Arias
  • Caro mio ben
  • Vittoria, mio core
  • Per la gloria
  • Amarilli, mia bella
  • Se tu, m’ami

And many others in these books:

• Folk Songs for the Solo Singers Anthologies
• First/Second Book of Soprano/Mezzo, Tenor/Baritone/Bass Solos
• Standard Vocal Literature for Soprano/Mezzo, Tenor/Baritone/Bass Solos
• Some Composers: Purcell, Handel, Mozart, Schubert, Faure, Quilter, Vaughan-Williams, Donaudy, Barber, Copland, Dowland and others
• Legit Musicals/Golden Age—Examples include
  • My Fair Lady
  • Sound of Music
  • Oklahoma
  • Carousel
  • Cinderella
  • Scarlet Pimpernel
  • Into the Woods
  • Some Disney: Aladdin/Little Mermaid/etc.
• If in doubt, please contact a voice faculty member directly!

Instrumental (Brass, Woodwinds):

Music Education Major / Music Minor / General Music

1. Play two contrasting etudes (lyrical and technical) for no more than one minute each.
2. Prepare all major scaled with arpeggios. (You will be asked to play two random major scales - must be memorized).
3. Chromatic Scale
4. Sight-reading

Woodwind - Music Performance Major:

1. Two major solos from the standard instrument repertoire. Approved solo list 
2. All major scales
   • Follow high school all-state guidelines
3. Full-range chromatic scale
4. Extended sight reading

Percussion - Music Education Major / Performance Major / Music Minor / General Music

1. Perform a solo on the snare drum, timpani, and a mallet instrument.
2. Be prepared to play all major scales (two octaves) with arpeggios.
3. Be prepared to play any of the 40 PAS rudiments on the snare drum.
4. Sight Reading on the snare, timpani, and a mallet instrument.
5. OPTIONAL-Demonstrate a variety of styles on the drumset (rock, funk, jazz, Latin, etc.).

Strings - Music Education Major / Performance Major / Music Minor / General Music

1. Two major scales and two minor scales (3 octaves) of your choice.
2. One concerto or sonata (fast movement).
3. One etude of your choice.

For more information please contact the faculty member for your instrument:

Woodwinds:

• Flute: Dr. Jeremy Benson (jlbenson@jsu.edu)
• Clarinet: Mark Brandon (mbrandon@jsu.edu)
• Saxophone: Dr. Tony Logsdon (jlogsdon@jsu.edu)
• Double Reeds: Eryn Oft (coft@jsu.edu)

Brass:

• Trumpet: Dr. Chris Probst (cprobst@jsu.edu)
• Horn: Jeff Solomon (jsolomon@jsu.edu)
• Trombone/Bass Trombone: Dr. Casey Thomas (cwthomas@jsu.edu)
• Euphonium: Jason Casanova (jcasanova@jsu.edu)
• Tuba: Chris Hosmer (chosmer@jsu.edu)

Percussion:

• Clint Gillespie (cgillesp@jsu.edu)
• Dr. Matthew Jordan (mgjordan@jsu.edu)

Strings:

• Dr. Jeremy Benson (jlbenson@jsu.edu)

Piano - Music Education Major / Performance Major / Music Minor / General Music

1. Perform two contrasting piano pieces from the standard repertoire.  Pieces must be played by memory. 
2. Demonstrate your current knowledge of chords and scales.
3. Sight-read a short piece of music.

For more information, contact Dr. Wendy Freeland.

• • Now's The Time
  • Blue Monk
  • Billie's Bounce
  • Straight No Chaser

• Rhythm Changes:

• • Oleo
  • Anthropology
  • Flintstones

• Standards:                                    

• • There Will Never Be Another You
  • Green Dolphin Street
  • There Is No Greater Love
  • All of Me
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Just Friends
  • Yardbird Suite
  • My One and Only Love
  • Maiden Voyage
  • Impressions