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String Audition Requirements

Audition Requirements 

  • Two standard works contrasting in tempo and style.
  • One major scale and one minor scale of your choice (2 or 3 octaves, 3 octaves preferred). 

Suggested Repertoire

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

Concertos: One movement from any Baroque, Classical, or Romantic period concerto, such as:

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041 or Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042
  • Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons or Violin Concertos, Op. 3
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216 or Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219
  • Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26
  • Felix Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64

Solo Bach: One or two contrasting movements from the unaccompanied repertoire:

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin, BWV 1001–1006

Caprices and Etudes: 

  • Jacques Féréol Mazas: 75 Melodious and Progressive Studies, Op. 36
  • Rodolphe Kreutzer: 42 Studies for Violin
  • Jakob Dont: 24 Etudes and Caprices, Op. 35 or 24 Preparatory Exercises, Op. 3
  • Pierre Rode: 24 Caprices for Violin

Short Pieces and Romances: One selection from the following:

  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G Major, Op. 40 or No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50
  • Fritz Kreisler: Liebesleid, Liebesfreud, Schön Rosmarin, or Praeludium and Allegro
  • Vittorio Monti: Csárdás
  • Jenő Hubay: Hejre Kati, Op. 32 or selections from 6 Poèmes d'un luthier, Op. 63

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. John Irrera at jirrera@vt.edu.

Concertos: One movement from any of the following:

  • Georg Philipp Telemann: Viola Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G9
  • Johann Christian Bach (arr. Casadesus): Viola Concerto in C Minor
  • Carl Stamitz: Viola Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 1
  • Franz Anton Hoffmeister: Viola Concerto in D Major
  • Paul Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher or Kammermusik No. 5, Op. 36 No. 4
  • William Walton: Viola Concerto

Solo Bach: One or two contrasting movements from the following, arranged for viola:

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, BWV 1007–1012
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin, BWV 1001–1006

Short Pieces and Sonatas: One selection from the following:

  • Julia Klumpkey: Lullaby for Viola and Piano
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Greensleeves (arr. Forbes)
  • Ralph Vaughan Williams: Six Studies in English Folk Song
  • Henry Eccles: Sonata in G Minor
  • Benedetto Marcello: Sonata in E Minor

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Prof. Molly Wilkens-Reed at MollyWilkensReed@vt.edu

Caprices and Etudes: 

  • Jean-Louis Duport: 21 Etudes for Cello
  • David Popper: High School of Cello Playing, Op. 73
  • Friedrich Grützmacher: Technology of Cello Playing, Op. 38
  • Alfredo Piatti: 12 Caprices for Solo Cello, Op. 25

Solo Bach:

  • Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, BWV 1007–1012

Sonata Movements: 

  • Johannes Brahms: Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38 or No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99
  • Ludwig van Beethoven: Cello Sonatas Nos. 1–5
  • Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Sonata in d minor, Op. 40

Concertos: 

  • Joseph Haydn: Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major or No. 2 in D Major
  • Robert Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
  • Antonín Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104
  • Edward Elgar: Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85
  • Camille Saint-Saëns: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33

Short Concert Pieces:

  • Gabriel Fauré: Élégie, Op. 24 or Papillon, Op. 77
  • David Popper: Hungarian Rhapsody, Op. 68 or Elfentanz, Op. 39

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Prof. Alan Weinstein at weinstei@vt.edu.

Etudes:

  • An etude by Simandl, Bottesini, Hrabe or equivalent.

Sonata Movements:

  • A sonata movement by Eccles, Vivaldi etc.

Concertos:

  • A movement from a standard concerto, such as Capuzzi, Vanhal, Dragonetti or Bottesini.

Orchestral Excerpts:

  • Beethoven 5, movement 3 
  • Mozart 40, movement 1.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Prof. Alan Weinstein at weinstei@vt.edu.

Harpists should prepare at least two works chosen from each of the following options below:
1. Baroque OR Classical
2. Romantic OR later

String Faculty