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Brass Audition Requirements

Students auditioning for admission to the brass studios at Virginia Tech should demonstrate strong fundamentals, musical curiosity, technical proficiency, and expressive versatility across styles. Auditions are intended to assess overall musical potential rather than polished perfection.

Applicants pursuing degrees in Music Performance, Music Teacher Preparation (Music Education), Music Composition, or Music Production must complete a live or recorded audition.

Applicants interested in pursuing the Applied Music Minor must first be accepted to the university in their home program. Auditions for the major ensembles (Wind Ensemble, VT Philharmonic, or Jazz Ensemble) and a meeting with the professor are required for admission to the minor and studio. 

Pre-recorded Auditions

Recorded auditions are accepted for students unable to attend a live audition.
Video recordings should:

  • Be unedited
  • Clearly show the performer and instrument
  • Use good audio quality
  • Include all required materials

What We Look For

Successful applicants typically demonstrate:

  • Characteristic tone quality
  • Rhythmic accuracy
  • Musical phrasing and expression
  • Technical control
  • Preparation and professionalism
  • Openness to diverse musical experiences and collaborative work

The woodwind studios at Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts emphasize contemporary performance, chamber music, improvisation, entrepreneurial thinking, and creative artistic practice alongside strong traditional training. Students gain performing experience in a wide range of styles and settings, including experience on all auxiliary woodwinds. 

Audition Requirements 

  • Two Contrasting Works: Select a movement from a solo or an etude that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression.
    • Option: You may substitute 3–4 standard orchestral/wind band excerpts for one of these works.
  • Major Scales: All major scales, if requested by the panel.
  • Sight Reading: if requested by the panel.

Suggested Repertoire

These are suggestions; students may select repertoire other than what is listed below.

Solo Repertoire:

  • Joseph Guy Marie Ropartz: Andante et Allegro
  • Guillaume Balay: Andante et Allegretto
  • Joseph Edouard Barat: Fantasie en mi-bémol
  • George Frideric Handel (arr. Bernard Fitzgerald): Aria con Variazioni
  • Thorvald Hansen: Sonata for Cornet and Piano, Op. 18
  • Herbert L. Clarke: Maid of the Mist

Études:

  • Jean-Baptiste Arban: 14 Characteristic Studies (from the Complete Conservatory Method)
  • Vassily Brandt: 34 Orchestral Etudes
  • L. Vannetelbosch: Vingt Études Mélodiques et Techniques
  • Marco Bordogni: Melodious Etudes (Vocalise)
  • Théo Charlier: 36 Études Transcendantes
  • Other standard All-State or All-District etudes of similar difficulty.

Orchestral/Wind Band excerpts as appropriate.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Jason Crafton at JCrafton@vt.edu.

Audition Requirements 

  • Two Contrasting Works: Select a movement from a solo or an etude that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression.
    • Option: You may substitute 3–4 standard orchestral/wind band excerpts for one of these works.
  • Major Scales: All major scales, if requested by the panel.
  • Sight Reading: if requested by the panel.

Suggested Repertoire

These are suggestions; students may select repertoire other than what is listed below.

Concertos- One movement from any of the following:

  • Richard Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 11
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 1 in D Major, K. 412
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 2 in E-flat Major, K. 417
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat Major, K. 447
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4 in E-flat Major, K. 495

Etudes:

  • Georg Kopprasch: Sixty Selected Studies for French Horn
  • Max P. Pottag: Preparatory Melodies to Solo Work
  • Henri Kling: 40 Characteristic Etudes
  • Jacques-François Gallay: 12 Brilliant Etudes or 40 Preludes
  • Other standard All-State or All-District etudes of similar difficulty.

Orchestral excerpts as appropriate.
Standard Orchestral Excerpts for Horn

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Brianna Volkmann at BVolkmann@vt.edu.

Audition Requirements 

  • Two Contrasting Works: Select a movement from a solo or an etude that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression.
    • Option: You may substitute 3–4 standard orchestral/wind band excerpts for one of these works.
  • Major Scales: All major scales, if requested by the panel.
  • Sight Reading: if requested by the panel.

Suggested Repertoire

These are suggestions; students may select repertoire other than what is listed below.

Tenor Trombone

Solos (for multi-movement works, one movement will suffice):

  • Joseph Edouard Barat: Andante et Allegro
  • Ferdinand David: Concertino in E-flat Major, Op. 4
  • Alexandre Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique, Op. 88
  • Paul Hindemith: Sonata for Trombone and Piano
  • Benedetto Marcello: Sonata in F Major (or other selected Sonatas)
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Concerto for Trombone and Military Band
  • Ernst Sachse: Concertino in F Major

Etudes:

  • Marco Bordogni (arr. Joannès Rochut): Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Nos. 1–24
  • George Kopprasch: Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone
  • Vladislav Blazhevich: Clef Studies for Trombone

Orchestral excerpts as appropriate

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Jay Crone at JayCrone@vt.edu.

Bass Trombone

Solos (for multi-movement works, one movement will suffice):

  • Patrick McCarty: Sonata for Bass Trombone and Piano
  • Alexey Lebedev: Concerto in One Movement or Concert Allegro
  • Richard Leib: Concertino for Bass Trombone and Piano
  • Thom Ritter George: Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra

Etudes:

  • Marco Bordogni (arr. Joannès Rochut): Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Nos. 1–24 (to be performed both as written and down an octave).
  • Georg Kopprasch (ed. Richard Fote): Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone.
  • Vladislav Blazhevich (ed. Charlie Vernon): 70 Studies for BB-flat Tuba (Clef Studies).

Orchestral excerpts as appropriate

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Jay Crone at JayCrone@vt.edu.

Audition Requirements 

  • Two Contrasting Works: Select a movement from a solo or an etude that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression.
    • Option: You may substitute 3–4 standard orchestral/wind band excerpts for one of these works.
  • Major Scales: All major scales, if requested by the panel.
  • Sight Reading: if requested by the panel.

Suggested Repertoire

These are suggestions; students may select repertoire other than what is listed below.

Solos (for multi-movement works, one movement will suffice):

  • Joseph Edouard Barat: Introduction and Dance
  • Herman Bellstedt: Napoli (Canzone Napolitana with Variations)
  • Antonio Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo (from Concerto for Double Bass)
  • Alexandre Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique, Op. 88
  • Joseph Horovitz: Euphonium Concerto

Etudes:

  • Marco Bordogni (arr. Joannès Rochut): Melodious Etudes for Trombone, Book 1 (Nos. 1–30).
  • H.W. Tyrrell: 40 Progressive Studies for E-flat Tuba (or Trombone/Euphonium edition)

Orchestral excerpts as appropriate

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Jay Crone at JayCrone@vt.edu.

Audition Requirements 

  • Two Contrasting Works: Select a movement from a solo or an etude that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical expression.
    • Option: You may substitute 3–4 standard orchestral/wind band excerpts for one of these works.
  • Major Scales: All major scales, if requested by the panel.
  • Sight Reading: if requested by the panel.

Suggested Repertoire

These are suggestions; students may select repertoire other than what is listed below.

Solos (for multi-movement works, one movement will suffice):

  • Edward Gregson: Tuba Concerto
  • Antonio Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo (from Concerto for Double Bass)
  • Don Haddad: Suite for Tuba
  • Paul Hindemith: Sonate für Basstuba und Klavier
  • Alexey Lebedev: Concerto in One Movement or Concert Allegro
  • Vaclav Nelhybel: Suite for Tuba and Piano
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Bass Tuba and Orchestra

Etudes: 

  • Marco Bordogni (arr. Robert King): 43 Bel Canto Studies for Tuba.
  • Vladislav Blazhevich: 70 Studies for Tuba, Volume 1.

Orchestral excerpts as appropriate

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Jay Crone at JayCrone@vt.edu.

Brass Faculty