String and Guitar Audition Requirements

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

The pieces below range from intermediate to advanced and represent the range of repertoire studied in the harp studio. If you're interested in auditioning and feel the listed repertoire is more advanced than what you're currently preparing, we strongly encourage you to contact our harp professor, Rachel O’Brien, directly, as we are welcoming a broad range of abilities.

• Parry, Sonata in D Major
• Dussek, Sonata in C minor
• Handel, Passacaglia
• Pierné, Impromptu Caprice
• Debussy, Girl with the Flaxen Hair OR First Arabesque
• Salzedo, Chanson dans la nuit OR Suite of Eight Dances

GUITAR Audition Requirements:
Your audition is an opportunity to show your current level of musicianship, potential for growth, and readiness to succeed in our learning environment.

Prepared Piece:
Choose a piece to prepare, based on your background and preferred genre. Here are some suggestions, and I can accompany when appropriate.

JAZZ STANDARDS

• All the Things You Are (chords and melody separately)
• Blue in Green (solo arrangement)

R&B/POP/ROCK

• Valerie (Amy Winehouse)
• Just the Two of Us (Bill Withers)
• Midnight in Harlem (Tedeschi/Trucks)
• Long Time (Boston)

FOLK/ACOUSTIC

• Blackbird (Beatles)
• A Case of You (Joni Mitchell)
• Dust in the Wind (Kansas)

CLASSICAL/SOLO GUITAR

• Fairy Fountain - duet (Koji Kondo, Legend of Zelda)
• The Old Castle - duet, you pick part 1 or 2 (Mussorgsky)
• First Solo (William G. Leavitt)
• Second Solo (William G. Leavitt)
• Cavatina (Stanley Myers)

Scales:
Be able to play a major scale. I will pick the key and scale, then you will ascend and descend in a single octave.

Sight-Reading:
Be ready to sight-read a few basic lines of music, presented to you at the time.

What to Bring:
We will supply an amp and music stand. You need to supply:

1. Your instrument (acoustic or electric)
2. Sheet music for prepared piece
3. Tuner
4. Foot stool (if needed)
5. Cable(s), if electric

BASS Audition Requirements:
Your audition is an opportunity to show your current level of musicianship, potential for growth, and readiness to succeed in our learning environment.

Prepared Piece:
Choose a piece to prepare, based on your background and preferred genre. Here are some suggestions, and I can accompany when appropriate.

• All the Things You Are - jazz standard (walk through the chord changes)
• Feeling Good (Nina Simone)
• Rock With You (Michael Jackson)
• Just the Two of Us (Bill Withers)
• Low Rider (War)
• Valerie (Amy Winehouse)

Scales:
Be able to play a major scale. I will pick the key and scale, then you will ascend and descend in a single octave.

Sight-Reading:
Be prepared to play a bass line in different styles on a standard chord progression, such as jazz two-feel, walking, pop-rock (straight eights), samba, bossa, or funk.

What to Bring:
We will supply an amp and music stand. You need to supply:

1. Your instrument (acoustic or electric)
2. Sheet music for prepared piece
3. Tuner
4. Cable(s), if electric