Graduate Brass Audition Guidelines

Trumpet

  1. All major and minor scales.
  2. Two contrasting Etudes from Charlier, Bitsch or equivalent (one lyrical, one technical).
  3. Two complete works from the standard solo literature in contrasting styles from different periods.
  4. Choose five of the following orchestral excerpts:
    • Beethoven: Leonore Overture No.2 or No.3, offstage solo.
    • Respighi: Pines of Rome, offstage solo.
    • Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade.
    • Stravinsky: Petrouchka (1947), Ballerina's Dance and Waltz.
    • Mahler: Symphony No.5, opening.
    • Ravel: Piano Concerto in G, opening solo.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 3, Posthorn solo.
    • Strauss: Don Juan, lyrical solo.
    • Schumann: Symphony No. 2, opening.
    • Bach: Magnificat, opening.
  5. Sight reading.

French Horn

  1. All major and minor scales.
  2. Two contrasting Etudes from Kling 40 Studies, Gallay 20 Preludes without measures or equivalent (one lyrical, one technical).
  3. Two complete works from the standard solo literature in contrasting styles from different periods.
  4. Choose five of the following orchestral excerpts:
    • Bach: B Minor Mass, opening.
    • Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, trio (with repeats).
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 7, Mvts 1 and 4, 1st Horn call.
    • Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream.
    • Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, Mvt. 1, low horn tutti.
    • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Mvt. 1, 1st horn opening.
    • Wagner: Short Call from Siegfried's Rhine Journey.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No. 4, Mvt 1, 1st Horn (entire first page).
    • Ravel: Bolero.
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, 4th Horn Solo.
  5. Sight reading.

Tenor Trombone

  1. All major and minor scales with arpeggios.
  2. Two contrasting etudes from Bordogni, Blazhevich or equivalent (one lyrical, one technical).
  3. Two complete works from the standard solo literature.
  4. Choose five of the following orchestral excerpts:
    • Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries.
    • Berlioz: Hungarian March, 2nd trombone.
    • Mozart: Tuba Mirum, 2nd trombone.
    • Rossini: William Tell Overture.
    • Strauss:  Ein Heldenleben, battle scene.
    • Strauss:  Also Sprach Zarathustra.
    • Ravel: Bolero.
    • Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphoses.
    • Schumann: Symphony No. 3, 1st trombone.
    • Mahler: Symphony No. 3, solo.
  5. Sight reading.

Bass Trombone

  1. All major and minor scales with arpeggios.
  2. Two contrasting etudes from Bordogni, Blazhevich or equivalent (one lyrical, one technical).
  3. Two complete works from the standard solo literature.
  4. Choose five of the following orchestral excerpts:
    • Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries.
    • Wagner: Das Rheingold, Speer Motiv and Entry of the Gods.
    • Wagner: Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin.
    • Haydn: The Creation, # 26.
    • Respighi: The Fountains of Rome.
    • Rossini: William Tell Overture.
    • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, battle scene.
    • Kodaly: Hary Janos Suite.
    • Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphoses.
    • Schumann: Symphony No. 3.
  5. Sight reading.

Tuba

  1. All major and minor scales.
  2. Two contrasting Etudes from Bordogni, Blazhevich or equivalent (one lyrical, one technical).
  3. Two complete works from the standard solo literature.
  4. Choose five of the following orchestral excerpts:
    • Wagner: Overture to “Die Meistersinger,” Reh J to L.
    • Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyure.
    • Prokofiev: Symphony No.5, 1st mvmt, Reh 3 to 6.
    • Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique, 4th mvmt, Reh. 56 to 58.
    • Berlioz: Hungarian March, Reh. 20 to 4th measure after Reh 21.
    • Bruckner: Symphony No.7, 4th mvmt. Reh P to S.
    • Resphigi: Fountains of Rome.
    • Mahler: Symphony No.1, 3rd mvmt.
    • Stravinsky: Petrushka (bear solo).
    • Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Reh 37 to 38.
  5. Sight reading.
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