Audition Procedure

Auditions are 30 minutes in length and include both solo piano repertoire and accompanying/chamber music repertoire.

Applicants in Accompanying (vocal and instrumental) must have completed a course of study in piano equivalent to the undergraduate or graduate curriculum at Manhattan School of Music and must audition in New York City.

Audition Requirements

Master of Music / Postgraduate Diploma Audition Repertoire (for vocal or instrumental specialization)

A singer and instrumentalist will be provided by the School.

• 1) All major and melodic minor scales: hands one octave apart, sixteenth notes, minimum quarter note=112, four octaves in parallel motion
• 2) All major and minor arpeggios in root position: hands one octave apart, sixteenth notes, minimum quarter note=96, four octaves in parallel motion
• 3) Sight-read selections from vocal and instrumental literature
• 4) One prelude and fugue by J.S. Bach from either book of The Well-Tempered Clavier
• 5) One 19th- or 20th-century solo piano piece of the applicant's choice. The composer must be different from any of those chosen for the required works in #6 and #7 below.
• 6) Choose one of the following:
  the Piano and Violin Sonata in F major (Op 24) by Beethoven OR
  the Piano and Violin Sonata in A major (Op 100) by Brahms OR
  the Piano and Violin Sonata in B-flat major (K. 454) by Mozart
• 7) Choose one of the following pairs:
  “Liebesbotschaft” (G major) by Schubert and “Claire de lune” [from "Fêtes Galantes"] (in G-sharp minor) by Debussy OR
  "Mondnacht” (in E major) by Schumann and “Fleur jetée” (in F minor) by Fauré
• 8) Cavatina: "Quel guardo il cavaliere" from Don Pasquale by Donizetti, include the entire introduction, no cuts thereafter
• 9) One Mozart opera aria with recitative from any vocal category, to be played and sung at the same time by the applicant in the original language**
• 10) One art song in your native language to be played and sung at the same time by the applicant**

**For instrumental specialization, the applicant can choose EITHER #9 or #10.

Please note: The selections to be played and sung at the same time by the applicant (i.e., #9 and #10 above) will be judged on the applicant's coordination ability, not on the vocal quality or vocal technical accomplishment of the performer.
It is not required that solo pieces (i.e., #4 and #5 above) be performed from memory.

Doctoral and Professional Studies: Vocal

A singer will be provided for PS and DMA applicants choosing the vocal specialization.
All of the above requirements for the Master of Music / Postgraduate Diploma audition (excepting the violin requirements) AND applicant's choice of one from the following list, all parts to be played and sung by the applicant:

• La Bohème (Puccini) Act III duet: Mimi/Marcello "Sa dirmi...scusi..." to end of duet
• Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) duet: Lucia/ Enrico "Il pallor funesto..." complete to end of scene
• Manon (Massenet) Recitative and Gavotte: Manon "Est-ce vrai?..." complete to end of Gavotte
• Trouble in Tahiti (Bernstein) Scene "What a movie!": Dinah and trio
• Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss) Composer's Aria: Composer/ Music Master "Sein wir wieder gut..." complete to end of Prologue

Please Note: The selections to be played and sung at the same time by the applicant will be judged on the applicant's coordination ability, diction, and sense of musical style, not on the vocal quality or vocal technical accomplishment of the performer.

Doctoral and Professional Studies: Instrumental

Applicants must provide their own Instrumentalists for the ensemble selections.

• 1) One prelude and fugue by J. S. Bach from either book of The Well-Tempered Clavier
• 2) One 19th- or 20th-century solo piano piece of the applicant's choice. The composer must be different from any chosen for the required works in #3, #4 and #5 below.
• 3) ONE Beethoven work from the following to be performed with the applicant's ensemble partner: Piano and Violin Sonatas Op 12/3, Op 30/2, Op 30/3, Op 47, Op 96; Piano and Cello Sonatas Op 69, Op 102/1, Op 102/2, OR another Beethoven sonata of comparable difficulty
• 4) ONE Romantic work from the following to be performed with the applicant's ensemble partner: Brahms Violin and Piano Sonatas Op 78, Op 108; Brahms Cello and Piano Sonata Op 99; Brahms Clarinet/Viola and Piano Sonatas Op 120/1, Op 120/2; Fauré Violin and Piano Sonata Op 13; Franck Violin/Cello and Piano Sonata; OR another work of comparable difficulty
• 5) ONE 20th-century work from the following to be performed with the applicant's ensemble partner: Barber Cello and Piano Sonata Op 6; Debussy Cello and Piano Sonata; Prokofiev Violin and Piano Sonatas Op 80, Op 94a OR another work of comparable difficulty. The work chosen should demonstrate the applicant's ability to handle a musical style and ensemble demands which contrast with those chosen in #3 and #4 above.
• 6) All major and melodic minor scales: hands one octave apart, sixteenth notes, minimum quarter note=112, four octaves in parallel motion
• 7) All major and minor arpeggios in root position: hands one octave apart, sixteenth notes, minimum quarter note=96, four octaves in parallel motion
• 8) Sight-read selections from standard instrumental literature

Please Note:  It is not required that solo pieces (i.e., #1 and #2 above) be performed from memory.