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

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