For more information about auditions, including our audition request form, please click here.

To find audition repertoire requirements for a specific instrument or area, please select from this list:

• Cowboy Marching Band

  Cowboy Marching Band Only

  Non -Music Major and Music Minors

   

  Prepare 3-5 minutes worth of music of your choice that demonstrates both lyrical and technical abilities as a player. Some appropriate suggestions, but not requirements, may include regional or state audition music, etudes, band music, or solo and ensemble repertoire.

  • Additional information on joining the Cowboy Marching Band may be found here.

• Keyboard

  Undergraduate Students

   

  Music Education, Music Industry, or Bachelor of Arts

  • Two contrasting works of an appropriately advanced difficulty level, ideally from two different historical eras, performed from memory.

  Music Performance

  • Three contrasting works of an appropriately advanced difficulty level, ideally from three different historical eras, performed from memory.

  Graduate Students

  Four complete contrasting works of an appropriately advanced difficulty level, ideally one each from the Baroque through Modern eras, performed from memory.

• Percussion

  All students should plan to perform solos on the instruments below.  Example pieces are listed:

   

  Concert Snare

  • Twelve Studies for Snare Drum (Douze Etudes) - Jacques Delecluse

  • The Solo Snare Drummer - Vic Firth

  • Portraits in Rhythm - Anthony Cirone

   

  Rudimental Snare

  • Any solo by Marty Hurley, Mitch Markovitch, Art Cappio, Charley Wilcoxon, or John Pratt

  • The Rudimental Cookbook - Ed Freytag

   

  Keyboards (two and/or four mallets)

  • Yellow After the Rain - Mitchell Peters

  • Spanish Dance - Kai Stensgaard

  • Three Preludes - Ney Rosauro

  • Furioso and Valse in D Minor (2 mallets) - Earl Hatch

  • Any ragtime solo by George Hamilton Green (2 mallets)

   

  Timpani

  • Eight Solos for 4 Timpani - Elliott Carter

  • Sonata for Timpani - John Beck

  • Raga No. 1 - William Cahn

   

  Drum Set (not required)

  • Demonstrate various styles

   

  All state audition material can be used if you desire, but we do encourage all auditionees to try to learn something new on keyboard. There are many other solos that can be used — the above are just common suggestions for students to consider.  Sight-reading on snare and keyboard will also be given.

   

  If you are auditioning for the music industry program and do not have classical training, you may audition on drum set only.  

   

  If you are only interested in auditioning for the OSU Drumline, this audition is not necessary. Please refer to the OSU Percussion website for more information - percussion.okstate.edu.

• Strings

  Undergraduate Studies

  Bachelor of Arts | Music Industry | Minor | Non-Major

  Two contrasting pieces

  Alternative & non-classical repertoire also accepted 

   

  Music Education | Performance

  Two contrasting solo works such as:

  • A movement from a concerto

  • A movement from one of the Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006  (violin) or Six Solo Cello Suites BWV 1007-1012  (viola, cello, bass)

  • An etude (including NCHO/All-State etudes)

  • Alternative & non-classical repertoire also accepted 

  Graduate Studies

  VIOLIN

  • Two contrasting movements of one of the Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, BWV 1001-1006 by J. S. Bach

  • A movement of a standard concerto (including cadenza, if applicable) or a work for violin and orchestra

  • A piece of your choice

  VIOLA

  • Two contrasting movements from the Six Solo Cello Suites (arr. For viola), BWV 1007-1012, by J. S. Bach or from the Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (arr. for viola), BWV 1001-1006 by J. S. Bach

  • A movement of a standard concerto (including cadenza, if applicable) or a work for viola and orchestra

  • A piece of your choice

  CELLO 

  • Two contrasting movements from the Six Solo Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012, by J.S. Bach 

  • The first movement of a standard cello concerto (including cadenza, if applicable)  

  • One etude of the applicant's choosing (examples: Popper, Piatti, Duport) 

  DOUBLE BASS 

  • One movement from Six Solo Cello Suites, BWV 1007-1012, by J.S. Bach 

  • An allegro movement from a major orchestral concerto such as the Vanhal, Koussevitzky or Bottesini 

  • Two contrasting orchestral excerpts from the standard literature such as Beethoven’s Symphony #9, Mozart's Symphony #35, Strauss Don Juan, etc. 

  Have questions about repertoire? Message the professor directly via email well in advance of your audition date.

  VIOLIN: Dr. Talbott-Clark

  VIOLA: Dr. Skara

  CELLO: Dr. Blecha-Wells

  DOUBLE BASS: Prof. Dewey

  CONDUCTING: Dr. Dickey

• Vocal

  Bachelor of Music in Music Education

  • Two memorized works from the classical vocal repertoire (no pop, broadway or contemporary Christian). At least one selection must be in either Italian, German, Spanish or French.

  • Applicants will be evaluated on poise, excellent pitch, proper breathing, phrasing, expression and tone.

  • sight-reading (music literacy) is an important aspect of the audition at OSU. Each applicant will be asked to sight-read two excerpts.

  • Bring a copy of music for the accompanist. (An accompanist is provided, but the applicant is expected to bring a copy of the score.)

  Bachelor of Music in Music Performance

  • Three memorized works from the classical vocal repertoire (no pop, broadway or contemporary Christian). At least one selection must be in either Italian, German, Spanish or French.

  • Applicants will be evaluated on poise, excellent pitch, proper breathing, phrasing, expression and tone.

  • sight-reading (music literacy) is an important aspect of the audition at OSU. Each applicant will be asked to sight-read two excerpts.

  • Bring a copy of music for the accompanist. (An accompanist is provided, but the applicant is expected to bring a copy of the score.)

  Bachelor of Science in Music Industry

  • One memorized work is required for the audition: Applicants will be evaluated on poise, excellent pitch, proper breathing, phrasing, expression and tone.

    • The selection can be from the Broadway, folk song or pop repertoire.

  • Each applicant will be asked to sight-read two excerpts.

  • Bring a copy of music for the accompanist. (An accompanist is provided, but the applicant is expected to bring a copy of the score.) No recorded accompaniment tracks are allowed.

  Bachelor of Arts in Music

  • Two memorized works from the classical vocal repertoire (no pop, broadway or contemporary Christian). At least one selection must be in either Italian, German, Spanish or French.

  • Applicants will be evaluated on poise, excellent pitch, proper breathing, phrasing, expression and tone.

  • sight-reading (music literacy) is an important aspect of the audition at OSU. Each applicant will be asked to sight-read two excerpts.

  • Bring a copy of music for the accompanist. (An accompanist is provided, but the applicant is expected to bring a copy of the score.)

  Master of Music in Music Performance

  • Thirty minutes of memorized music representing at least four languages: English, Italian, German, French, or other sung language.

  • The audition should comprise music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and modern periods including opera/oratorio arias.

  • The audition program should also be given to the panel the day of the audition.

  • A comprehensive repertoire list.

  • Auditionees will be provided a pianist for free. If the auditionee would like rehearsal time prior to the audition, the pianist will be put in touch with them for scheduling and fee purposes.

  • Auditonees should be prepared for a short interview.

• Flute

  Undergraduate Students

  Students auditioning for an undergraduate degree should prepare two pieces of contrasting styles and will be expected to play major scales. You should choose repertoire that showcases both your technical and musical ability. Possible examples of repertoire include (but are not limited to):

  • A movement from a Mozart Concerto (G major or D major)

  • A movement from a Bach Sonata

  • A piece from the "French Composers" book

  • A movement from a major sonata or concerto (e.g. Poulenc, Nielsen, Prokofiev, etc.)

  • An appropriate etude (Andersen Op. 30, 33, 15; Paganini; etc.)

  • All-State audition repertoire

  Graduate Students

  Students auditioning for a graduate degree should prepare the first movement of a Mozart Concerto, plus two pieces of contrasting styles (see above), and 4 standard orchestral excerpts. It is expected that auditioning graduate students will be prepared to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios.

   

  If you have questions about repertoire, please email Dr. Erin Murphy.

• Oboe

  Undergraduate Students

  Students auditioning for an undergraduate degree should prepare two pieces of contrasting styles and will be expected to play major scales. You should choose repertoire that showcases both your technical and musical ability. One of these works may be an etude. All-state audition etudes are also appropriate. Possible examples of repertoire include, but are not limited to:

  Solos:

  • Britten, Six Metamorphoses after Ovid

  • Cimarosa, Concerto

  • Händel, Sonata

  • Haydn, Concerto

  • Hindemith, Sonata

  • Marcello, Concerto

  • Mozart, Concerto

  • Poulenc, Sonata

  • Saint-Saëns, Sonata

  • Schumann, Three Romances

  Etudes:

  • Barrett, Melodies or Grand Studies

  • Ferling, 48 Etudes

  Basic knowledge of reed making is recommended, but not required for admission.

   

  Graduate Students

  Students auditioning for a graduate degree should prepare two pieces of contrasting styles. One must be a movement from a concerto and one must be a movement from a sonata (see list above). As well, please be prepared to perform 4 standard orchestral excerpts. It is expected that auditioning graduate students will be prepared to play all major and minor scales.

   

  Advanced knowledge of reed making is required for admission.

   

  Please contact Dr. Andrew W. Parker if you have questions about your audition repertoire.

• Clarinet

  Undergraduate Students

  • Chromatic scale: three octaves beginning on low E (slurred).

  • All major scales: two octaves (slurred). Recommended, but not required.

  • Two contrasting selections that best demonstrate your musicianship and technique.

    • You must select one movement from the standard clarinet repertoire (works by Mozart, Weber, Poulenc, Hindemith, Stamitz, Cahuzac, Brahms, Osborne, Rabaud, JeanJean, Finzi, for example).

    • Then, you must choose a contrasting etude (Rose, Uhl, All-State etudes).

  • You may be asked to sight-read a short passage during your audition.

  • Please note that all bass clarinetists should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency on B-flat soprano clarinet at the time of their audition.

   

  Graduate Students

  • Two contrasting pieces of standard repertoire

  • Three standard orchestral excerpts

   

  Please contact Professor Babette Belter if you have any questions concerning appropriate repertoire selection.

• Saxophone

  Undergraduate Students

  • Prepare all major scales demonstrating the complete normal range of the instrument.

  • Perform one etude from one of the following etude books: 48 Famous Studies by Ferling, 18 Studies after Berbiguier, Selected Studies by Voxman, or an etude of similar scope and difficulty.

  • Perform one of the following works or a major work of similar scope and difficulty (individual movements are acceptable):

    • Bonneau, Suite

    • Bozza, Improvisation et Caprice

    • Bozza, Impromptu et Danse

    • Creston, Sonata

    • Creston, Concerto

    • Decruck, Sonate

    • Dubois, Concerto

    • Ibert, Concertino da Camera

    • Debussy, Rhapsody

    • Eccles/Raschér, Sonata

    • Francaix, Cinq Danses Exotiques

    • Glazunov, Concerto

    • Hindemith, Sonata

    • Heiden, Sonata

    • Maurice, Tableaux de Provence

    • Milhaud, Scaramouche

    • Noda, Improvisation I

    • Schumann/Hemke, Three Romances

    • Vaughan Williams, Six Studies in English Folk Song

    • Villa Lobos, Fantasia

  Graduate Students

  • Prepare all major, natural, harmonic, and melodic minor scales and arpeggios demonstrating the complete normal range of the instrument.

  • Perform one etude from one of the following etude books: 28 Studies after the Modes of Oliver Messaien by Guy Lacour, Nouvelles Etudes Variees by Jean-Marie Londeix, or 53 Studies by Marcel Mule.

  • Perform two of the following works or major works of similar scope and difficulty:

    • Albright, Sonata

    • Bassett, Duo Concertante

    • Berio, Sequenza IXb or VIIb

    • Bolcom, Lilith

    • Constant, Musique de Concert

    • Denisov, Sonate

    • Desenclos, Prelude, Cadence et Finale

    • Feld, Sonata for alto saxophone and piano

    • Finney, Concerto

    • Gotkovsky, Variations Pathetiques

    • Harbison, San Antonio

    • Husa, Concerto

    • Husa, Elegie et Rondeau

    • Larsson, Konsert

    • Lauba, Neuf Etudes/Steady Study on the Boogie

    • Lennon, Distances Within Me

    • Lennon, Symphonic Rhapsody

    • Martin, Ballade

    • Maslanka, Sonata

    • Robert, Cadenza

    • Rossé, Le Frene Egaré

    • Sancan, Lamento and Rondo

    • Stockhausen, In Friendship

    • Swerts, Klonos

    • Wuorinen, Divertimento

• Bassoon

  • All major scales, of which B-flat, B, and C will be 3 octaves

  • Chromatic scale, full range

  • 3 contrasting movements representing at least two composers

  • At least two of the movements must be from solo pieces and one may be an etude

• French Horn

  Audition material is flexible, but it should demonstrate your very best in both technical and lyrical playing. 

   

  You may choose from the following:

  • All-State Audition Material

  • Standard Solo Horn Repertoire

  • Standard Orchestral Excerpts

  • Technical and Lyrical Etudes

  Knowledge and fluency in all major scales and arpeggios is required. You may be asked to sight-read a short melodic passage or etude during your auditions.

   

  If you have any questions about suitable repertoire, please contact Lanette López Compton.

• Trumpet

  Undergraduate Students

  Audition material is flexible, but it should demonstrate your very best in both technical and lyrical playing.

  Suitable repertoire includes the following:

  • Standard Solo Trumpet Repertoire (i.e. Haydn, Hummel, Arutunian, Hindemith, Kennan, Stevens, Tomasi)

  • Technical and Lyrical Etudes (e.g. Wurm, Charlier, Brandt, Goldman, Bitsch)

  • Standard Orchestral Excerpts

  • All-State Etudes

  Please prepare a solo of your choice and a contrasting etude. You will also be required to sight-read. Those interested in the Bachelor of Music in Performance are encouraged to prepare 3-5 standard orchestral excerpts. 

   

  Graduate Students

  Auditions should consist of standard repertoire including two contrasting solos, two contrasting etudes, 3-5 orchestral excerpts, and sight-reading.  

   

  If you have any questions about suitable repertoire, please contact Dr. Joseph Cooper.

• Trombone

  Audition material is flexible, but it should demonstrate your very best in both technical and lyrical playing.

   

  You may choose from the following:

  • All-State Audition Material

  • Standard Solo Trombone Repertoire

  • Standard Orchestral Excerpts

  • Technical and Lyrical Etudes

  • Jazz Etudes, transcriptions, tunes, and improvisation are encouraged, but should be in addition to classical repertoire, not in place of it.

  Knowledge and fluency in all major scales and arpeggios is recommended but not required. You may be asked to sight-read a short melodic passage or etude during your audition.

   

  If you have any questions about suitable repertoire, please contact Paul Compton.

• Tuba and Euphonium

  Undergraduate Students

   

  For B.M. Education, B.A. Music, and B.S. Music Industry:

  • Two contrasting etudes from standard repertoire. Typically, your most recent All-State audition material is sufficient.

  For B.M. Performance:

  • Two contrasting etudes from standard repertoire. Typically, your most recent All-State audition material is sufficient.

  • A solo of your choice from the standard repertoire. A few minutes of music is sufficient. If you are playing a larger work (concerto, sonata, etc), only one movement is required.

  The requirements listed here are intentionally open to interpretation. While playing a well-prepared, musical audition is required for consideration, playing music you are comfortable with is preferred. 

   

  Graduate Students

  • Prospective graduate students must be admitted to the Oklahoma State University Graduate College before they can be accepted into the Greenwood School of Music.

    • Before signing up for an audition, apply to the OSU Graduate College here.

  • Applicants should be prepared to perform two contrasting solo pieces. Typically, this requirement includes a portion of your most recent undergraduate recital.

  • Applicants should be prepared to perform several band and/or orchestra excerpts. Please consult with your current teacher or Dr. Robinson with any questions about what excerpts you should prepare.

  If you have any questions regarding repertoire and auditions, please contact Dr. Ryan Robinson.

• Jazz Studies

  Undergraduate Students on Jazz Winds, Jazz Piano, Jazz Guitar, or Jazz Bass (double bass or electric)

  • Play any standard jazz song, from memory, along with iRealPro (melody and then improvise).

  • Play a jazz solo transcription (preferably one you have transcribed yourself) or play an All-State jazz etude

  • You will also be asked to sight-read.

  • Knowledge of all major scales is highly encouraged.

  Graduate Students on Jazz Winds, Jazz Piano, Jazz Guitar, or Jazz Bass (double bass or electric)

  • Play any standard jazz song along with iRealPro (melody and then improvise).

  • Play a jazz solo transcription that you transcribed yourself.

  • You will also be asked to sight-read.

  Undergraduate Students on Jazz Drums

  • Play 32 bars of various styles: 4/4 swing, bossa nova, rock.

  • Knowledge of Cuban Jazz drumming styles is also highly encouraged.

  • You may also be asked to sight-read.

  Graduate Students on Jazz Drums

  • Play 32 bars of various styles: 4/4 swing with sticks and brushes, 3/4 swing waltz, bossa nova, rock/funk, 2-3 & 3-2 Son, Afro Cuban 6/8

  • Play a jazz solo transcription that you transcribed yourself

  • You will also be asked to sight-read.

   

  If you have any questions regarding jazz auditions, please contact Dr. Tommy Poole.

• Guitar

  • Two works, in any musical style, that demonstrate current guitar playing ability

  If you have any questions regarding guitar auditions, please contact Dr. Mark Perry.

• Composition and Music Theory Music Minor

  • Submit a small portfolio of 2-3 original compositions, preferably for different combinations of instruments and/or voices. Scores may be handwritten or prepared with music notation software.

  • Interview with the composition faculty. Indicate why you have selected this minor and describe the academic coursework and personal experiences and interests that have influenced your decision.

  • Answer questions designed to test your aural ability and general knowledge of music theory.

   

  If you have any questions regarding composition and theory music minor requirements, please contact Dr. Igor Karača.

• Master of Music in Conducting

  For students interested in auditioning for the Master of Music in Conducting, please contact the following faculty members about specific audition repertoire.

   

  Orchestral Conducting - Dr. Thomas Dickey

   

  Wind Band Conducting - Dr. Brad Genevro

   

  Choral Conducting - Dr. Tony Thornton

   

  Any further questions can be directed to Dr. Andrew W. Parker, Graduate Coordinator.