Prospective Students

Auditions and Requirements: Fall 2010
Download application form and guidelines

Auditions are by appointment only.
Contact music@colum.edu to schedule an audition appointment.

Note: You must have an application for admission on file with Columbia's Office of Admissions to be able to audition. You must apply as a full-time music major to be eligible to receive the Music Department Scholarship award. You may apply online for admission on Columbia College's web site.

General Requirements

Students should prepare for their auditions with music that best represents their current abilities. Students auditioning for Jazz Studies or the Contemporary, Urban and Popular Music program have additional requirements (see Jazz Studies Requirements or Contemporary, Urban and Popular Music Requirements).

Composition

Present samples of your compositions; provide scores and/or recordings, if available. Bring two copies of each sample.

Vocal Performance and Jazz Vocal Performance

Perform two selections in contrasting styles – one song of your choice and the second chosen from the list below; sight-read (not required for Columbia College Chorus), and improvise if appropriate. Bring two copies of each of your selections.

Classical

17th & 18th century Italian songs & arias: Schirmer, Alfred Publishing Company
Any from the following (must be a solo song or aria): Bach, Barber, Copland, Debussy, Fauré, Mozart, Puccini, Purcell, Schubert, Vaughan Williams
Folk song arrangements by Britten, Niles

Pop/Contemporary Styles

Songs of: Harold Arlen, Donald Fagen/Walter Becker, Tony Hatch, Donny Hathaway, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Billy Joel, Elton John, Carole King, Lennon/McCartney, Lieber/Stoller, Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell, Harry Nilsson, Dolly Parton, Astor Piazzolla, J. Robbie Robertson, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, James Taylor, Jimmy Webb, Stevie Wonder, Hank Williams

Musical Theater

Songs of: Leonard Bernstein, Jerry Bock, Kander & Ebb, Lerner/Loewe, Rice & Mencken, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Harvey Schmidt, Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Meredith Willson

Jazz

Hoagy Carmichael, Vernon Duke, Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen or Kurt Weill and any other established jazz standards from musical theatre repertory

American Patriotic Anthems

America the Beautiful
Lift Every Voice
My Country ‘Tis of Thee
The Star Spangled Banner

Instrumental Performance

Bring your instrument (other than piano or drums); prepare two selections in contrasting styles; bring two copies of each of your selections. 10 minute time limit; Required scales; (12 major scales) Sight reading.

Please note that the following are only suggested pieces; any standard work of comparable quality is acceptable. Students not having the skills to perform such music should prepare an audition best representing their abilities. Students auditioning for jazz studies have additional requirements noted below:

Guitar: Classical - prepare two short classical pieces of contrasting styles. Electric Bass - prepare two short pieces of varying styles; demonstrate ability to play changes in swing, latin, funk. Rock Fusion - prepare two pieces in varying styles; demonstrate familiarity with chromatic bar chord concept; demonstrate twelve-bar blues progression and improvisation; demonstrate funk/shuffle comping patterns

Piano: perform a piece of your choice in any style (from music or from memory); perform a second piece in any contrasting style that you have learned from reading music; sight read a short excerpt; demonstrate your current level of technique in scales, cadence chords, exercises, etc. Bring two copies of each of your selections.

Flute/Piccolo: Melodious and Progressive Studies - Book II, rev. Robert Cavally; Southern Music - Etude #5, Moderato, Meas. 1-64, (pp. 20-21); Etude by Kummer, Meas. 1-Fine, (p.51)

Clarinet-Eb/Bb Soprano: 32 Etudes for Clarinet, C. Rose; Carl Fischer - Etude #15 - Adagio, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 16); Etude #26 - Allegro furioso, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 26)

Saxophone: 27 Virtuoso Studies for Saxophone or Oboe, L. Bassi trans. Gerardo Iasilli; Carl Fischer - Etude #7 - Largo sostenuto, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 16); Etude #16 - Marziale, Meas. 1-Fine, (pp. 36-37)

Trumpet: Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet, J.B. Arban, ed. Edwin F. Goldman and Walter M. Smith; Carl Fischer - Etude #8 - Allegro moderato, (14 Characteristic Studies), Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 292); Etude #1 - (12 Celebrated Fantasies & Airs), Intro and Theme, (p. 301)

Trombone: Selected Studies for Trombone, H. Voxman; Rubank, Inc. - Etude in GMajor - Andante con moto by Blazhevich, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 26) Etude in A Minor - Allegretto by Vobaron, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 21)

Bass Trombone: Concert Etudes for Tuba (or Bass Trombone), David Uber; R. King Music/Alphonse Leduc & Co. - Etude #8 - Andante con moto, Meas. 1-17, (p. 12); Etude #13 - Allegretto grazioso, Meas. 1-40, (p. 17) Euphonium BC: Arban's Famous Method for Trombone, J.B. Arban, ed. Charles L. Randall and Simone Mantia; Carl Fischer - Etude #8 - Allegro moderato, (14 Characteristic Studies), Meas. 1-Fine, (pp. 214-215); Cavatina, (12 Celebrated Fantasies & Airs), Intro and Theme, (p. 255)

Tuba: 70 Studies for BBb Tuba Volume I, Vladislav Blazhevich; R. King Music Etude #9 - Andante cantabile, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 8); Etude #8 - Veloce, Meas. 1-Fine, (p. 7)

Keyboard Percussion: Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone, Morris Goldenberg; Chappell and Co. - Etude #5 - Allegro, Meas. 1-31, (p. 64)

Multiple Percussion: Portraits in Multiple Percussion, Anthony J. Cirone; Belwin Mills (1996) - Etude #1, Meas. 38-64, (p. 3)

Jazz Studies

10-minute time limit. Bring your instrument (other than piano or drums); prepare two selections in contrasting styles; bring two copies of each of your selections. You will be asked to sight read and improvise.

Please note: the following are only suggested pieces; any standard work of comparable quality is acceptable. Students should prepare an audition best representing their abilities.

Now’s The Time, C. Parker; Blue Monk, T. Monk; So What, M. Davis; Freddie the Freeloader, M. Davis; Caravan, D. Ellington; Little Sunflower, F. Hubbard; Straight No Chaser, M. Davis; All Blues, M. Davis; Solar, M. Davis; Blue Bossa, J. Henderson; Satin Doll, D. Ellington; Take the “A” Train, D. Ellington

Contemporary, Urban and Popular Music

Instrumentalists:
Bring your instrument (other than piano or drums). Prepare two songs of your choice by selecting one R&B song and one Pop/Rock song from each of the lists below. You will be presented with a short sight-reading piece appropriate for your instrument.
Optional: In addition to your two prepared songs, you may prepare a selection of your choice which you feel demonstrates what you do best. For this, you may play solo or bring a pre-recorded background track and play to that.

Singers:
Prepare two songs of your choice by selecting one R&B song and one Pop/Rock song from each of the lists below.
Optional: In addition to your two prepared songs, you may prepare a selection of your choice which you feel demonstrates what you do best. You may sing a cappella or bring a pre-recorded background track and sing to that.

Singer/Songwriters:
Prepare one song of your choice by selecting from the lists below. Perform two of your original songs. Bring two typed copies of your original song’s lyrics and a neatly printed lead sheet.
Optional: You may also supply recorded example of your work in addition to your live audition.

CUP Audition Repertoire

R&B: Red House (Jimi Hendrix); Son Of A Preacher Man (Dusty Springfiel); Use Me (Bill Withers); Brown Skin (india.arie)

Pop/Rock: Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer); Good Thing (Fine Young Cannibals); People Got to Be Free (Rascals); A Change Would Do You Good (Sheryl Crow); If I Ain’t Got You (Alicia Keys); Stand By Me (Ben E King); Hard to Handle (Black Crowes); Oh Darlin’ (Beatles)

Scholarships

A number of Music Department scholarships are awarded each semester to full-time students majoring in music. Awards for these scholarships are based on musical proficiency, academic excellence and financial need. Incoming students and continuing students are eligible to apply.

We strongly encourage new students to audition as part of the application process. Samples of work (recordings, compositions, videos) will be accepted with an application if auditioning in person is not possible.

For more information on auditions and the Music Department Scholarship, call 312.369.6149. Columbia College Chicago also offers many other scholarship opportunities. For more information visit www.colum.edu/scholarships