Violin
Scales: Major, three octaves
Arpeggios: Major, three octaves
Etudes: One selection from a Paganini Caprice
Repertoire: Two selections as outlined below
Bach: Adagio or Grave and Fugue from the G minor, A minor, or C Major sonatas; or an entire Partita
The first movement of a Romantic concerto, i.e. Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Mendelssohn
Viola
Scales: Major and melodic minor, three octaves
Arpeggios: Major and minor, three octaves
Repertoire:
A Bach unaccompanied suite for cello
A movement of a concerto by Bartók or Walton or Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher
Cello
Scales: Major and minor, three octaves
Arpeggios: Major and minor, three octaves
Repertoire:
Two movements from any Bach unaccompanied suite (memorized)
Two contrasting movements from major solo works or concertos representing two different eras
Double Bass
Scales: Major and melodic minor, three octaves
Repertoire:
A movement from any Bach suite for cello
Two movements from a major concerto, e.g. Dragonetti, Koussevitsky, or Bottesini
Orchestral Excerpts: Any two of the following:
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Scherzo and Trio
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Recitative
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro, Overture
Prokofiev: Lt. Kiji Suite, solo
Verdi: Othello, solo
Flute
Scales: Major, minor, and chromatic, throughout the range of the instrument
Arpeggios: Major and minor throughout the range of the instrument
Repertoire:
One movement with cadenza from Mozart concertos in D or G
One movement or work from the 20th century
A movement or work of your choice
Orchestral Excerpts: Three contrasting excerpts of your choice
Oboe
Scales: Major and melodic minor, throughout the range of the instrument
Arpeggios: Major and minor, throughout the range of the instrument
Repertoire: Three contrasting movements from major solo works or concertos, representing three different musical eras.
Clarinet
Scales: Major, minor, and chromatic throughout the range of the instrument
Arpeggios: Major and minor, throughout the range of the instrument
Repertoire:
One movement from a major 18th or 19th century concerto, e.g. Mozart, Weber, or similar
One movement or work from the 20th century
A movement or work of your choice
Orchestral Excerpts: Three contrasting excerpts of your choice
Bassoon
Scales: All major and minor, both slurred and articulated in three octaves. (Scales in C#, D, and Eb should be prepared in two octaves.)
Repertoire: One movement from a major 18th or 19th century concerto, e.g. Mozart, Weber, or similar.
One movement or work from the 20th or 21st century, e.g. Nielsen Concerto, Corigliano Concerto, Stravinsky 3 Pieces or similar.
A movement or work of your choice (should contrast in style and tempo from other solo works being performed.)
Orchestral Excerpts: Three contrasting excerpts of your choice
Saxophone
Scales: Major and melodic minor, throughout the range of the instrument
Arpeggios: Major and minor, throughout the range of the instrument
Repertoire: Three contrasting movements from major solo works or concertos, representing three different musical eras.
Horn
Scales: Major and melodic minor, two octaves
Arpeggios: Major and minor triads, over the full range of the instrument
Etudes: None
Repertoire: Four selections as outlined below
One movement of a concerto by Strauss, Hindemith, Jacob, or Weber
One movement of a major work by Hindemith, Dukas, Schuman, Bozza, or Britten
Two contrasting excerpts from: Till Eulenspiegel, Tchaikovsky Symphony 5, Brahms Symphony 1 or 3, Shostakovich Symphony 5, Beethoven Symphony 3, Siegfried’s Rhine Journey
including transposition
Trumpet
Scales: Major and melodic minor, two octaves; chromatic low F-sharp to high B-flat on B-flat trumpet.
Arpeggios: Major and minor triads, over the full range of the instrument
Etudes: Two contrasting etudes from Arban, Bousquet, Brandt, Charlier, Goldman, Sachse, or Smith Top Tones
Repertoire: Three contrasting movements from Arutunian, Haydn, Hummel, Neruda or Telemann Concertos; Halsey Stevens, Hindemith or Kennan Sonatas; or Honneger Intrada
including transposition
Trombone
Scales: Major and melodic minor, at least two octaves; chromatic from valve low E-flat to high B-flat
Arpeggios: Major and minor triads, at least two octaves
Etudes: One each from
Rochut Melodius Etudes, Book 2
Marcel Bitsch Advanced Etudes
Repertoire:
Two movements from any standard concerto (e.g. Lars Eric Larsson, Ferdinand David; Launy Grondahl; Henri Tomasi; Paul Creston Fantasy; etc.)
Several standard orchestral excerpts (e.g. Ravel: Bolero; Mozart: Tuba Mirum solo from the Requiem; Rossini: William Tell Overture; Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel; Wagner: Ride of the Valkyrie; Saint-Saens: Third Symphony Adagio)
Tuba
Scales: Major and natural, harmonic, and melodic minor, whole-tone, and chromatic; staccato and legato
Arpeggios: Major and minor triads
Etudes: Two contrasting etudes from Rochut: volume I and II; Blazhevich: volume I and II, Kopprasch: Studies, Arban: Studies, Vasiliev: Melodious Etudes
Repertoire: Carnival of Venice; one concerto movement, memorized: e.g. Strauss: horn concerto no. 1 or no. 2, transcription of a J.S. Bach flute or cello concerto; orchestral repertoire examples from Torchinsky: 20th-century Orchestra Studies or Brown: Orchestral Excerpts
Piano
Repertoire: Four or five contrasting works from different eras. At least two works must be memorized.
Repertoire examples:
Prelude and Fugue from Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, or an English Suite
A mature work by Haydn, J. Dussek, Weber, Beethoven, or Schubert
A concerto or sonata by Mozart
A Romantic, Late Romantic, or twentieth-century sonata or other large-scale work, i.e. Chopin: Ballade, or Schumann: Papillion
Character pieces or etudes by Szymanowski, Martinu, Janacek, Schoenberg, Webern, Ligeti, Bartok, Faure, Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen, Scriabin, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, or Stravinsky
A serious work composed since 1950
Performers should be able to provide insight into historic and theoretical aspects of all works performed.
Guitar
Repertoire: Four contrasting works selected from the following examples:
Renaissance work at the level of Sanz, Narvaez, or Mudarra
Baroque work at the level of Weiss or Bach
Classical work at the level of Sor, Giulani, or Mertz
Romantic or Spanish work at the level of Tarrega, Moreno-Torroba, Albeniz, or Granados
20th century work at the level of Martin, Henze, or Britten
A concerto by Rodrigo, Villa-Lobos, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, or Ponce
Harp
Scales and arpeggios in all keys and pedal settings
Two works chosen from:
1) 1st movement of Handel: Concerto in B-flat, Mozart: Concerto for Flute and Harp, Debussy: Dances, Ravel: Introduction & Allegro
2) A movement from a sonata by Hindemith, Houdy, Hovhaness, another major 20th century work, or major work by Grandjandy or Salzedo
Percussion
Technique and Repertoire: Demonstration of ability on snare drum, timpani, and marimba. Examples-
Snare: One etude; One orchestral excerpt from the 20th century
Timpani: One movement from a major solo work or concerto (e.g. Carter's Eight Pieces for Four Timpani, Millhaud's Concerto for Percussion); Excerpts from two orchestral works (e.g. a Tchaikovsky Symphony, Strauss's Electra, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Britten's Phaedra)
Marimba: Major, minor, and chromatic scales; One movement from a major work
Battery (optional): One movement or excerpt for percussion battery (e.g. Stravinsky's L'histoire du Soldat, Bartók's Concerto for Two Pianos and Percussion, Carter's Double Concerto)
Voice
Repertoire: Four pieces from contrasting periods (Baroque, Romantic, contemporary, etc) and of contrasting moods, one each in Italian, French, German, and English. Performers should select the pieces that best show his/her voice, musicianship, communication, and personality. All selections should be in a classical style; pop, jazz, and contemporary musical theater are not appropriate. All selections must be memorized. The student may be asked to explain the meaning of the selections.
Sight-Reading: Students may be asked to sight-sing a simple melody.
Repertoire list: Students should bring a list of pieces that she/he has performed or studied.
Orchestra or Wind Ensemble Conducting
Auditions in two rounds:
Round One
Send one copy of a DVD of a recent conducting experience
o Send copies, not originals, as the recordings will not be returned
o DVD must be NTSC standard, playable on U.S. videosystems
o DVD should show a front view of the conductor from a reasonable distance, and ideally demonstrate a varied selection of repertoire
o On DVD case (and on a separate sheet) please include your name, a repertoire list (with counter numbers), and the performance date
• The instrumental CD or cassette/live audition is required, not optional. Please prepare this recording to the best of your ability.
• Enclose a current resume
Selected Candidates may be invited for a live audition (Round 2) with the SFSU Orchestra or Wind Ensemble. Details will be forwarded when appropriate
Choral Conducting
The audition will take place on campus with one of the university's choral ensembles. Two to three pieces will be selected and prepared in advance. One of the pieces will be familiar to the choir, and the other(s) will be new.
Auditions typically take place between February and April, though it is possible to arrange auditions for other times. Though on-campus auditions are strongly preferred, students unable to come to campus may audition by videotape by arrangement.
Contact Dr. Ginwala at cginwala@sfsu.edu, or (415) 405-0486 for more information.
MA Composition
Submit a portfolio of the following materials:
-Two to four scores for different instrumental/vocal ensembles
(Recordings are helpful, but not required)
-Two sealed letters of recommendation
-School of Music and Dance application
Deadline: Portfolios must arrive by April 1 to receive full consideration for the following fall semester.
Send materials to:
Graduate Composition Coordinator
School of Music and Dance
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132
*All auditions include sight-reading
Students unable to attend a live audition may submit a recording for admission consideration; recordings must be received by the SMD office by November 15th for Spring admission, and March 15th for Fall admission.
