Percussion Audition Requirements
All applicants will submit the following application materials based on their desired degree program. For instrument-specific audition requirements, please scroll down.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
- Complete the UNC Undergraduate Application
- After submitting your application, upload and complete the following School of Music
Checklist Items in your Bear App Portal
- Supplementary Music Application
- Audition and Interview Scheduling
- Musical Experience
- Contact information for 2 music recommenders
- Statement of Goals - a brief statement about your career aspirations. Please upload a .pdf document.
- Video Audition (if you've selected "Video and Virtual Audition" in the Supplementary
Music Application)
- PLEASE NOTE: all audition videos must be upload to the portfolio section of your portal at the same time. After saving your submission, you will no longer have access to the portfolio. If at any time you need to edit your portfolio contents, please email pva@unco.edu.
- Supplementary Music Application
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
- Complete all Graduate School Application Requirements for your degree program and the UNC Application.
- After submitting your application, upload and complete the following School of Music
Checklist Items in your Graduate School Admissions Portal:
- School of Music Form - Includes scheduling a live audition or a synchronous interview with video audition, uploading audition videos (if applicable), musical experience, and past teachers.
- Resume - a complete listing of your performing and work experience. Please upload a .pdf document.
- Statement of Goals - a brief statement about your career aspirations. Please upload a .pdf document.
- Assistantship Letter of Experience (optional but strongly recommended) - a brief statement about your teaching or professional experience as it relates to music. Please upload a .pdf document.
Note: Accompanists are not required, but the applicant may provide one.
Percussion
Audition Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees
- Snare drum
- One (1) Solo or Band Excerpt that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency (Cirone, Whaley, All-State Audition Etudes, etc.)
- Sight Reading
- Mallets
- One (1) Two-Mallet or Four-Mallet Solo or Band Excerpt that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency (Transcriptions, All-State Audition Etudes; solos from books by Davila, Ford, Goldenberg, Whaley, etc.)
- Sight Reading (two mallets)
- Timpani
- One (1) Solo or Band Excerpt that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency (Firth, Whaley, All-State Audition Etudes, etc.)
- OPTIONAL: Drum Set
- A demonstration of a variety of musical styles (playing alongside a combo/ensemble or recording is encouraged) uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- Audition Video Requirements
- Each audition piece must be recorded in one continuous, unedited take.
- The video recording should be made with a camera in a single, fixed location so that the camera angle is consistent. The camera should be focused on the performer, who must be visible at all times. Please set up the camera so that the performer’s hands and instrument(s) are visible so that the level of performance can be assessed accurately.
- Recordings of each piece must be unedited and should be uploaded to YouTube. The YouTube link(s) should then be added to your application on Slate.
Audition Requirements for Master of Music
- Snare Drum
- One (1) Orchestral Snare Drum Solo or Etude (Aleo, Delécluse, Peters, etc.) that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- One (1) Rudimental Snare Drum Solo or Etude (Pratt, Tompkins, Wilcoxon, etc.) that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- Optional: Two (2) standard Orchestral Snare Drum Excerpts
- Sight Reading
- Mallets
- One (1) Four-Mallet Marimba (or Vibraphone) Solo (Abe, Sammut, Trevino, etc.) appropriate for a recital that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- Optional: Two (2) standard Orchestral Mallet Excerpts (Xylophone and/or Glockenspiel)
- Sight Reading (two mallets)
- Timpani
- One (1) advanced 4-Drum Solo (Carter, Firth, Hochrainer, etc.) that demonstrates proficiency in tuning, technique, and musicality
- Optional: Two (2) standard Orchestral Timpani Excerpts
- OPTIONAL: You may also demonstrate proficiency in one or more of the following areas:
- Multi-Percussion
- At least 3 minutes of a Multi-Percussion Solo of your choice uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- Drum Set
- A demonstration of a variety of musical styles (playing alongside a combo/ensemble or recording is encouraged) uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- World Percussion
- A 2 to 3-minute improvised solo on hand drums or other global percussion instruments uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu
- Multi-Percussion
- Audition Video Reqirements
- Each audition piece must be recorded in one continuous, unedited take.
- The video recording should be made with a camera in a single, fixed location so that the camera angle is consistent. The camera should be focused on the performer, who must be visible at all times. Please set up the camera so that the performer’s hands and instrument(s) are visible so that the level of performance can be assessed accurately.
- Recordings of each piece must be unedited and should be uploaded to YouTube. The YouTube link(s) should then be added to your application on Slate.
Audition Requirements for Doctor of Arts and Graduate Performance Certificate
- Snare drum
- One (1) Orchestral-Style Snare Drum Solo or Etude (Aleo, Delécluse, Peters, etc.) that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- One (1) Rudimental-Style Snare Drum Solo or Etude (Pratt, Tompkins, Wilcoxon, etc.) that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- Two (2) standard Orchestral Snare Drum Excerpts
- Sight Reading
- Mallets
- One (1) Two-Mallet Solo (Bach, Koshinski, Stout, etc.) that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency.
- One (1) Four-Mallet Marimba (or Vibraphone) Solo (Abe, Sammut, Trevino, etc.) appropriate for a recital that demonstrates technical and musical proficiency
- Two (2) Standard Orchestral Mallet Excerpts (Xylophone and/or Glockenspiel)
- Sight Reading (two mallets)
- Timpani
- One (1) advanced 4-Drum solo (Carter, Firth, Hochrainer, etc.) that demonstrates proficiency in tuning, technique, and musicality
- Two (2) standard orchestral timpani excerpts
- Demonstrate proficiency in one (1) or more of the following areas:
- Multi-Percussion
- At least a 3-minute multi-percussion solo of your choice uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- Drum Set
- A demonstration of a variety of musical styles (playing alongside a combo/ensemble or recording is encouraged) uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- World music
- A 2 to 3-minute improvised solo on hand drums or other global percussion instruments uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, etc.
- Please email a video link to tim.feerst@unco.edu before your audition.
- Multi-Percussion
- Audition Video Requirements
- Each audition piece must be recorded in one continuous, unedited take.
- The video recording should be made with a camera in a single, fixed location so that the camera angle is consistent. The camera should be focused on the performer, who must be visible at all times. Please set up the camera so that the performer’s hands and instrument(s) are visible so that the level of performance can be assessed accurately.
- Recordings of each piece must be unedited and should be uploaded to YouTube. The YouTube link(s) should then be added to your application on Slate.
Contact:
Tim Feerst at Tim.Feerst@unco.edu
