Hayes School of Music Graduate Studies

Audition requirements vary depending on your performance area. Candidates should review our Graduate Audition Requirements page for detailed information. Our faculty will often accomodate candidates who have prepared repertoire that is different from the audition requirements. Please reach out to our faculty to discuss your audition repertoire preparation.

Candidates have several options to submit their video recordings. Please share your video recordings with our faculty as a link using a file-sharing service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.

Pre-made Video Recordings

• Please consult with the faculty in your performance area if pre-made recordings will be accepted.
• Examples of pre-made recordings include senior recital recording, public performance recordings, or a concert recording.
• Please name your file as such FirstLastName.MM.PerformanceArea. (eg. MaryJane.MM.Oboe or JohnDoe.MM.Soprano)
• If a recording contains multiple selections (eg. senior recital recording), candidates must provide accurate timestamps and corresponding titles to our faculty.

New Video Recordings

Please use this script if you are making new recordings. Our guide for how to position yourself in the recording may be helpful to you. In the case of a multi-movement work, you may record that work as a single recording. eg. you may record movements of a song cycle as one recording, or movements of a concerto/sonata as one recording.

• Hello, I'm (your name)
• I am a (soprano/alto/tenor/bass) / I'm auditioning on (your instrument)
• Today is (today's date)
• I'm applying for the Master of Music in Performance in the (brass, woodwind, guitar, etc.) program.
• I will be performing (piece title), movements (movement titles)
• Please name your file as such FirstLastName.MM.PerformanceArea.ComposerWorkTitle.Movements 
  • eg. MaryJane.MM.Oboe.PoulencSonata.Mvts1and2
  • eg. JohnDoe.MM.Baritone.SchubertWinterreise.Mvts1and3

If you are making new video recordings for your graduate audition, the following guide for how to position yourself in your recording may be helpful.

Winds and Brass

Instrumentalists should avoid playing directly into the camera. This will overload the mic and distort your sound. Instead play slightly off to the side. Set the camera some distance away from you, 6-10 feet is acceptable or such that your entire body is visible in the frame. That way, we can see your posture, hand position, fingers, and breathing. If you are limited by the space in your room, do your best to create distance away from the recording device. If you can or know how to change the microphone pick up level on your device, you can lower the microphone pickup volume. This will allow you to be closer to the device and not sound super loud.

Bowed Strings

Position yourself such that your entire body, hands, and your instrument can be clearly seen, about 6-8 feet directly in front of you. That way, we can see your posture, fingers, and breathing. If you are a violinist or violist, position yourself such that the "F-holes" face the camera while you're standing or sit a slight distance from the camera to enable the left hand and bow arm to be fully visible. If you are limited by the space in your room, do your best to create distance away from the recording device. If you can or know how to change the microphone pick up level on your device, you can lower the microphone pickup volume. This will allow you to be closer to the device and not sound super loud.

Percussionists

Percussionist should position the camera such that both you and your instrument are in the frame, about 6-8 feet directly in front of you. If you are limited by the space in your room, do your best to create distance away from the recording device. If you can or know how to change the microphone pick up level on your device, you can lower the microphone pickup volume. This will allow you to be closer to the device and not sound super loud.

Guitarists

Guitarists should position the camera such that your entire torso and hands and your instrument can be clearly seen, about 6-8 feet directly in front of you.

Vocalists

Vocalists might consider standing farther away than 6-10 feet. Avoid singing directly to the microphone, but instead to the side. We'd like to see your entire body to see your alignment and breathing. If you are limited by the space in your room, do your best to create distance away from the recording device. If you can or know how to change the microphone pick up level on your device, you can lower the microphone pickup volume. This will allow you to be closer to the device and not overwhelm the microphone.. If you are singing with a live pianist or recorded accompaniments, be sure to sound check your levels with your accompanist too.

Pianists

Pianists should see if the camera can be positioned such that we can see your entire body profile and both hands, if possible. If this is difficult to do, focus on positioning your camera so that we can see both your hands. Experiment with where you place your video recording device so that it's not too far away while still able to pick up all nuances of your playing.

Organists

If your microphone is not separate from your camera or recording device, you may place it wherever you feel is best for a good sound and image. If you have a separate microphone, experiment with placement so that it picks up some ambient sound in the room without losing clarity in the organ. Experiment with placing the mic where you enjoy hearing the organ in that room the most. Most microphones will get a better sound from at least several yards in front of the organ, depending on the size of the room. Meanwhile, depending on available space, the ideal camera placement will allow the viewer to see your entire body. Be sure to test your equipment with short recordings to make sure that the microphone "hears" the organ the way you expect it to. These suggestions are ideal, not absolute! Under no circumstances will a less-than-advantageous mic or camera placement jeopardize your audition.

Piano accompaniment is not needed unless you are auditioning for our voice program. As an instrumentalist you may use an accompanist, but the camera should be centered on you so that the faculty can observe your physical appearance as you play.