Saxophone Audition Requirements

Saxophone Audition Requirements

Undergraduate requirements (BM, BME)

Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, lyrical phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and overall musical experience. The student will be asked to perform:

• Two or more contrasting movements from the standard solo repertoire (an etude is acceptable for one of these) that demonstrate lyrical phrasing and technical proficiency.
• All major scales and chromatic scale (at least two octaves, preferably full range).

On-campus audition dates can be found here. It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here.

Graduate requirements (MM, AD, DMA)

Pre-screening requirement: ALL graduate saxophone applicants are required to submit a pre-screening recording along with their other application materials. Selections should include three contrasting pieces or movements from different major style periods. Prescreening recordings should be uploaded directly to the Graduate College application.

Master of Music and Artist Diploma 

Live Audition Requirements: Applicants for the MM degree and AD should prepare a recital program equivalent to a BM performance degree recital. Applicants should also be prepared to perform major and harmonic minor scales (full range) and sight read. Please be sure your repertoire includes: 

• One work composed for the saxophone before 1970
• One work composed for the saxophone after 1970
• One work of the applicant’s choice

Applicants should prepare a selection of music that demonstrates their familiarity with diverse musical styles, periods, and composers. 

Doctor of Musical Arts

Applicants for the DMA degree should prepare a recital program equivalent to a MM performance degree recital (piano accompaniment is not required). Applicants should also be prepared to perform major and harmonic minor scales (full range) and sight read. Please be sure your repertoire includes: 

• One work composed for the saxophone before 1970
• One work composed for the saxophone after 1970
• One saxophone concerto (at least one movement)
• One work of the applicant’s choice

Applicants should prepare a selection of music that demonstrates their familiarity with diverse musical styles, periods, and composers. 

It is highly recommended that all graduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If an applicant is unable to travel to campus for a live audition, the faculty will accept a recorded audition, and a virtual interview may occur. All applicants submitting a pre-recorded sound file in lieu of a live audition should be prepared to play selections from that repertoire in their live online interview.