Music Audition Information

 

If you plan to major in music at Milligan College and/or are seeking a music scholarship, we ask you to audition. There's no need to be nervous. Most colleges and universities require an audition of new students who would like to major in music or receive scholarship money. The following material answers some of the questions you might have about the audition. We look forward to hearing your audition, and we’d like to help you to be well prepared.

The audition is a performance and an interview. But don’t worry! The entire process takes only about 30 minutes. You’ll find it “easy to be at ease.” We do ask that parents or personal friends not be present during the audition. Afterwards, parents can meet music faculty members and ask questions.

You will perform in your primary musical area - voice, piano, organ, orchestral or band instrument. (See suggested audition repertoire below.) Usually, at least two members of the music faculty are present in your audition. One of them will be a teacher in your primary performing area.

During the interview, you can ask questions about music programs, the music facilities, the faculty, scholarships, careers in music, and anything else you'd like to know. Since we are interested in you, we will ask questions as well.

We’re likely to ask about your musical experiences in school, church, and in your private study. We may ask what kind of musical work you have in mind after college, although it's not necessary that you have an answer yet.

We will also be interested to know some non-musical details - your high school grade point average, your ACT or SAT-I score, and whether you have studied a foreign language in high school. Please also see that you have applied and been accepted to Milligan College and have submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

The college Admissions Office holds Open House weekends in November and March. An Open House weekend provides you with campus tours and information sessions, for both you and your family. You also have the opportunity to attend an academic fair, where you can talk with representatives of every academic area on campus.

We hear most auditions on the Fridays of Open House weekends. Please, consider scheduling your audition on one of these Fridays. However, you may schedule an audition at any other time that you will be visiting campus. One month ahead of the date you’d like for the audition, contact Mrs. Rita Myers, Music Office Secretary, at (423) 461-8723 or rmyers@milligan.edu.

Scheduled audition dates for 2008-09:

November 21
February 13

If you need an accompanist for your audition, inform Mrs. Myers when you set your audition date. We will arrange for one to be available. You may also provide your own accompanist if you prefer. Please rehearse with your accompanist one-half hour prior to your audition. Don’t forget to bring music for the accompanist. As you approach your audition date, contact Mrs. Myers to confirm the date and time of your audition. We prefer that you audition in person. If a personal audition is not possible, you may audition by audio or video tape.

I. Prospective Pianists, Organists, and Instrumentalists should perform two pieces of contrasting style from the following periods:

A. Baroque (Bach, Handel)
B. Classical (Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn)
C. Romantic (Schumann, Chopin, Franck)
D. Modern (Debussy, Bartok, Prokofiev, Hindemith)
Organists audition on both piano and organ.

II. Prospective Vocalists should perform material from two of the following categories:

A. Early Italian or English songs
B. German Lieder
C. French art songs
D. 20th Century art song, musical theatre, or sacred song

Students with limited formal training in their intended area of concentration should audition with literature from their own performance repertoire and may be accepted with a probational music major status. This acceptance is to be reviewed at the student's first jury.

Select your music and begin practicing several weeks in advance of the audition date. Practicing the music six months ahead of time is not too soon. Practice slowly and carefully at first. Your body and mind take a while to be comfortable with the music, and careful practicing cannot be rushed. Only after you have worked out the details of the music - fingering, phrasing, articulation, diction - should you attempt it at performance tempo. When you can perform a selection at that tempo, give it a month to “season” before the actual audition.

You want to look and feel your best. For women, a dress, nice blouse, skirt or slacks are appropriate. For men, nice shirt or slacks, with or without a coat, are appropriate. No sports shoes.

Allow extra time for your trip to campus so that you will not be late or feel the stress of being rushed. Arrive no later than 30 minutes before your scheduled audition time, to allow for an adequate warm-up. If you are scheduled to rehearse with an accompanist, arrive even earlier.

You may use the practice rooms located in the lower level of Seeger Chapel. If we are providing an accompanist for you, please meet that person in the practice room area. Auditions are held in Seeger Chapel, Room 108. Let the college Admissions Office know that you are coming and check in with them in the McMahan Student Center, Lower Level, when you first arrive on campus.