All auditioners are required to complete a Music Audition Application. Please note: we do not accept the arts supplement from the Common Application.

On-campus auditions will be 10-15 minutes in length and involve performance of the required repertoire and scales, as well as a short interview with faculty. Composers submit a portfolio of compositions, as specified below.

The School of Music offers music scholarships for all band and orchestral instruments, voice, piano, organ, guitar, and jazz instruments. Audition requirements for entrance into a major/minor program and/or scholarship consideration are below.

We believe that diversity and representation matter. At Puget Sound, students are encouraged to explore a diversity of musical styles, traditions, and works by gender- and racially-marginalized composers, as part of their preparation to become future musical leaders. We look forward to exploring lots of different kinds of music together. In the meantime, prospective students are asked to prepare selections for audition that best represent their current playing and musical background.

Keyboard

All Keyboard Applicants:

In addition to the playing requirements below, each candidate’s application should include a list of solo piano and collaborative repertoire studied. Please indicate which pieces have been performed in concert and year of the performance. Candidates attending a live audition may be asked to sightread a short excerpt.

Bachelor of Music (B.M. in Piano Performance) applicants:

Prepare a varied program of at least three solo pieces that display contrasting characters and demonstrate technical facility from the following list below. The repertoire is to be performed from memory and should include:

  1. One Sinfonia, Prelude and Fugue, or comparable work by J. S. Bach
  2. One sonata-allegro movement of a Sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
  3. One or more pieces of your own choosing featuring different styles than the pieces listed above

Other Piano Applicants:

Prepare a varied program of at least two solo pieces that display contrasting characters and demonstrate technical facility. Memorization is not required, but is strongly encouraged.

Organ Applicants (on-campus only):

Students who are currently studying organ should prepare a 15-minute audition consisting of pieces from the organ literature. Organ applicants with no previous organ training will be expected to demonstrate keyboard ability in piano performance.

Percussion

Prepare one selection demonstrating your technique and control on each of the following instruments that you play: snare drum, xylophone or marimba, and timpani. Drum set is strongly encouraged, but not required. You may be asked to sight-read.

Strings

Bachelor of Music (B.M. in Performance) Applicants:

  • Cello: One movement (a Prelude, Allemande, Courante, or Gigue) from any of the Bach Suites; one movement from the standard concerto repertoire; one etude demonstrating your current technical development; a three octave scale and a three octave arpeggio in the key of your choice. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly recommended.
  • Double Bass: one movement from a Baroque sonata or suite; a movement or piece with contrasting tempo from a later period; two standard excerpts from Mozart Symphonies 35, 39 or 40; a three octave scale and a three octave arpeggio in the key of your choice. One of the pieces must be from memory.
  • Harp: One etude demonstrating current technical development, such as Pozzoli, Bochsa, LaRiviere, or a prelude from Salzedo, Method for the Harp or Modern Study of the Harp; two solo works, in contrasting style, tempo, and period. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly recommended.
  • Viola: one or two movements from Bach Cello Suite no. 1, 2, or 3; a movement of a major work (Bloch, Vaughan Williams, Brahms, Schubert) or a concerto by Stamitz, Hindemith, Walton; one etude by Kreutzer or Campagnoli. Memorization of at least one piece is strongly recommended.
  • Violin: a movement from an unaccompanied Bach Sonata or Partita; a movement from the standard concerto repertoire (other than a Bach Concerto); an etude or caprice demonstrating your current technical development; a three octave scale and a three octave arpeggio in the key of your choice. Either the Bach or the concerto movement must be from memory.

Other String Applicants:

  • Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass or Harp: Two solo works of contrasting style, tempo, and period.
    • Of the two selections, at least one should be a concerto movement, a show piece or work for soloist and orchestra, a movement from a solo partita, sonata or suite, a major sonata movement or a comparable work for soloist.
    • The other selection can be an additional piece of contrasting style, tempo or period or a work from a different musical genre.
  • Guitar: Two contrasting selections at least one of which should be a classical guitar piece. You may also choose one instrumental guitar piece in another genre that demonstrates your level of ability with fingerstyle or flatpicking techniques. Total playing time should be between 3 and 7 minutes. Suggested repertoire: Luis de Milan - 6 Pavanes; Fernando Sor - 20 Studies, op. 60 (any 2); Francisco Tarrega - Lagrima or Adelita; Villa-Lobos - 5 Preludes (choose one), Leo Brouwer - Simple Etudes (choose one). Other pieces can be checked by contacting the guitar instructor Abe Landa.

Voice

Prepare two selections with piano accompaniment. The selections should contrast in style and in tempo. One selection should be in English, and the other in a second language. The second language (typically in Italian, French, Latin, Spanish or German) song can be either an art song, folk song, or an opera aria. The English selection can also be an art song, folk song, or opera aria, or it can come from the musical theatre repertoire (and may showcase musical theatre/CCM [Contemporary Commercial Music] technique). Memorization is required. If you audition on-campus, a collaborative pianist will be provided. We will ask you to submit copies of your sheet music two weeks in advance of your audition to be shared with our collaborative pianist (see details below). You will also be asked to sing short tonal memory exercises as part of the audition.

Winds & Brass

Prepare two selections that are representative of your current repertoire. Include a selection or movement in a slow tempo as well as one in a lively tempo. The selections should demonstrate your tone quality, expressiveness, technique, and range. You should be prepared to play a chromatic scale and all major scales. You may be asked to sightread.

Composition

Students applying for entrance to the Bachelor of Music in Composition degree must submit a portfolio of at least two compositions in addition to the audition on your primary instrument. At least one of the compositions should be for five or more instruments, and one of the compositions must include piano.

Jazz

Eligible Instruments: double bass, guitar, percussion, piano, saxophone, trumpet, trombone

Please note: jazz auditions are not eligible for a music major and auditioners can only be considered for scholarship. If you are interested in majoring in music, you will need to complete a classical audition. We encourage you to complete two auditions: one for a jazz (scholarship) and one for classical (see requirements above/scholarship).

All Jazz Instruments:

  • Two contrasting pieces
  • Be prepared to improvise on a blues or a jazz standard of choice
  • You may be asked to sightread

While Puget Sound does not offer a major in Jazz, its offerings include Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Combos, Jazz Theory & Improvisation, and Jazz History.

Songwriting

Applicants for the bachelor of Arts in Music degree with an Emphasis in Songwriting may choose to audition on campus, or submit a video portfolio.

On-campus Audition

Audition requirements:

  • Perform two original songs 
    • Perform your two strongest original songs. Any commercial genre is acceptable. We prefer the songs are free of profanity and graphic imagery.
    • Songs (both music and lyrics) should be written by the applicant. Co-written pieces are not appropriate for this submission.
    • Due to the nature of the songwriting degree, songs performed in the audition must contain both music and lyrics written by the applicant. Please bring a copy of the lyrics to your original songs in the description box of your YouTube video.
  • Be prepared to discuss what brings you to audition for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Degree with an Emphasis in Songwriting major. Please review the prompts listed below in the video submission instructions to assist you in preparing this portion of your live audition.

For any specific questions about your submission not answered here, please contact Rob Hutchinson (rhutchinson@pugetsound.edu) or Dawn Padula (dpadula@pugetsound.edu).

Video Portfolio Submission: 

Applicants must submit a short video portfolio that includes

  • a demonstration of two original songs
  • an explanation of what brings you to audition for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Degree with an Emphasis in Songwriting major. The video should be no longer than ten (10) minutes. 

For the original song demonstration:

  • Submit your two strongest original songs. Any commercial genre is acceptable. We prefer the songs submitted for review are free of profanity and graphic imagery.
  • Songs (both music and lyrics) should be written by the applicant. Co-written pieces are not appropriate for this submission.
  • Applicants should preferably perform the songs they wrote themselves but may ask other collaborators to accompany them. In this case, please credit, on camera, all performers in the video.
  • Due to the nature of the songwriting degree, songs submitted for review must contain both music and lyrics written by the applicant. Please paste the lyrics to your original songs in the description box of your YouTube video.
  • For any specific questions about your submission not answered here, please contact Rob Hutchinson (rhutchinson@pugetsound.edu) or Dawn Padula (dpadula@pugetsound.edu).

For the explanation, please address the following prompts in your video:

  • What led you to choose University of Puget Sound for admission?
  • What are your short and long-term career goals, and how will the Songwriting major help you accomplish them?
  • How long have you been writing songs?
  • What or who are your musical influences?
  • What instruments do you play?
  • If you did not accompany yourself in your audition video, do you feel comfortable doing so? If so, on which instrument?
  • What strengths do you think you will bring to the Songwriting major? 

Submission Instructions:

  • Upload your completed video portfolio, along with the lyrics to both songs pasted into the video description box to YouTube as “Unlisted.” Send the “Unlisted” link to the Music Admissions Coordinator, Heidi Huckins.

Collaborative Pianists

On-Campus Auditioners: Vocalists are provided a collaborative pianist for on-campus auditions at no charge. Please email attached copies and a confirmed list of audition selections at least 10 days prior to your audition date to the music recruitment coordinator. Use an app like Scannable (free in the App store) or other scanning devices such as a printer, to provide clear copies of your music - blurry phone photos will not be accepted, and all parts of the piano accompaniment must be scanned and fit on the page. Be sure to bring an original copy of your music to your audition, as well.

Instrumentalists are not required to have accompaniment. Accompanists are not provided for instrumentalists auditioning.

Recorded Auditions

We offer virtual audition opportunities for all music applicants. Applicants may also be contacted for a short Zoom interview to meet and interact with faculty.

To submit a recorded audition:

  1. Please review the audition requirements for your instrument/area above.
  2. Complete a Music Audition Application by the appropriate deadline. You will not receive instructions for submitting a recorded audition without a complete audition application.
  3. Record your full audition, starting by stating your full name, what you are auditioning for (specific music majors, scholarship-only, etc.), and the name of each piece you will perform. We recommend recording with the highest quality possible to give our music faculty the best chance to review your true ability. A professional recording is not required.
  4. In our efforts to best replicate the live audition experience, we ask that you answer questions as part of your recorded audition. Please record your responses to the following questions after the performance portion of your audition:
    • Please clarify your desired degree track at Puget Sound. What musical activities do you plan to pursue at Puget Sound?
    • What drew you to Puget Sound's School of Music?
    • What is your dream role in music? What do you hope to do with your degree (Examples: On the stage? Running a high school choir program? Etc…)?
    • What has been most important to you in your musical activities during high school?
    • Have you visited campus and if not, do you intend to?
  5. Submit your recording via your emailed link by the appropriate deadline. Please upload links as unlisted YouTube videos, Vimeo, or other sites where we can access your audition.

For more information or assistance, please call the music admission office at 253.879.3228 or contact the Music Recruitment Coordinator at music.admission@pugetsound.edu. We will not accept CD or audio-recordings.

Ensemble Auditions

Auditions for performing ensembles are held during Orientation each fall.

Non-auditioned opportunities

Many opportunities in the School of Music are available to all Puget Sound students without audition including the Concert Band, Chorale, and various classes.