Percussion

Percussion audition requirements

Prescreen required for all applicants.

Guidelines for all applicants

For your video recording, repertoire should be performed in its entirety (no editing within the work). However, it is acceptable to record each prepared piece separately.

At the beginning of the recording, please state your name and degree objective. For undergraduate students, please state whether you are an incoming freshman or transfer from another school.
At the end of the recording, please take 2-3 minutes to comment on why our percussion department interests you and what you hope to accomplish while attending the Jacobs School of Music.
If recording with a smartphone, please set the camera to landscape mode.

Please submit a copy of your audition repertoire in addition to the video recording.

You must also submit three letters of recommendation.

Choose your audition repertoire carefully. Please consider selections that you can perform well versus very challenging works that might be a “hit or miss” in an audition situation. In general, the level of the repertoire is not as important as your ability to show your overall musicianship with a piece of music that is firmly within your grasp.

Auditions are by invitation only based on prescreen review.

If selected to perform an on-campus audition, your live audition may include the same repertoire as your prescreen. However, other works not presented in your prescreen are also acceptable.

Choose your audition repertoire carefully. Please consider selections that you can perform well vs. very challenging works that might be a “hit or miss” in an audition situation. In general, the level of the repertoire is not as important as your ability to show your overall musicianship with a piece of music that is firmly in your grasp.

All applicants must provide 3 copies of their audition repertoire to the audition committee.

Sight-reading will be requested during the live auditions.

The following instruments will be provided by the percussion department for the live auditions:

Set of five Yamaha Professional Series 7200 timpani
5-octave Marimba (either Yamaha YM5100A or Malletech)
Pearl Philharmonic Snare Drums: 6.5" x 14" wood shell and 5" X 14" aluminum shell
Malletech 4.0 octave rosewood xylophone
Musser M75 Century vibraphone (gold graduated bars), 3 octaves
Drum set: 4 piece (20" bass) with hi hat, crash and ride cymbals
LP Classic congas and LP Galaxy Giovanni bongos
Djembe (if needed)
A sound system (for ipod/CD playback) is also available.

If any additional equipment is needed (multiple percussion, piano, etc.), please notify the chair of the department, John Tafoya, at 812-855-4839, at least one week prior to the audition date. Candidates must bring their own sticks/mallets and are encouraged to bring their own small instruments.

The percussion department does not make admission decisions on a rolling basis. All applicants who have been invited to audition in person will be notified of an admission decision by April 1, as long as the applicant has a complete application.

Repertoire Requirements

Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.), Bachelor of Science in Music and an Outside Field (B.S.O.F.)

The curriculum for all undergraduate B.M., B.M.E., and B.S.O.F. percussion majors involves comprehensive study in all areas of percussion, including snare drum, marimba, orchestral percussion and timpani, drum set, jazz vibes, and world percussion.

Repertoire requirements:

Snare Drum: One solo or etude from Delecluse, Albright, Cirone, Peters, Goldenberg, or equivalent

Timpani: A short solo or etude (3-4 timpani preferred) by Carter, Goodman, Vic Firth, Peters, Delecluse, Schinstine, or equivalent

Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches in your selected solo or etude. If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (e.g., Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.), please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Marimba: One movement or solo/etude (4-mallet) from Stout, Abe J.S. Bach, Sammut, Zivkovic, Rosauro, or equivalent
Drum Set: Demonstrate Swing (medium tempo) and Bossa Nova styles (no play along track needed)
World Percussion (optional): Demonstrate basic skills and techniques on the world percussion instrument of your choice (conga drum, timbales, djembe, dumbek, etc.) with an emphasis on good time and feel.

Master of Music (M.M.), Performer Diploma, Solo Performance (P.D.S.P.)

Repertoire requirements

Snare Drum: A Delecluse etude or advanced level solo/etude of your choice

Timpani : An advanced level solo or etude.

Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches.
Note: If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.) please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Marimba: An advanced-level solo (4-mallet) suitable for a senior recital

Multiple Percussion: A short multiple percussion solo or featured part in chamber percussion, mixed chamber, or solo setting. This can be from a live rehearsal, recital or concert. A brief 2-3 minute excerpt is acceptable.

Orchestral Excerpts

Snare Drum

Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kijé, Mvt. I (rehearsal 1-1 to measure before rehearsal 2)
Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade, Mvt. IV (4 measures before letter N to 18 measures after letter N)

Timpani

Beethoven - Symphony No.9, Mvt. IV (7 measures after letter T to the end)

Xylophone

Gershwin - Porgy and Bess (opening measures)
Copland: Appalachian Spring (fifth measure of rehearsal 48 to four measures after rehearsal 49)

Glockenspiel

Dukas - Sorcerer's Apprentice(rehearsal 17 to 4 measures after rehearsal 19; rehearsal 22 to rehearsal 24)

Optional

Drum Set and Jazz Vibraphone: If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set, prepare a big band chart, transcription, or published solo. In addition, you must demonstrate time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred). A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

For graduate applicants seeking Associate Instructorships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is mandatory.

World Percussion: If you have any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.), a short performance is encouraged but not mandatory.

Graduate applicants who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare:

One etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music - http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)
Two other solos in contrasting styles, including a hand drumming solo and stick drumming solo (sing one piece in the language of one of your chosen solo areas)
These solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, solo and orchestral repertoire requirements.
General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

Applicants seeking an Associate Instructorship in the area of World Percussion must include a performance on the World Percussion instrument of their choice or include an etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music - http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php).

Doctor of Music (D.M.)

The percussion faculty encourages all potential D.M. applicants to review the curriculum requirements for this degree program.

Repertoire requirements

Snare Drum: A Delecluse etude or advanced level solo/etude of your choice

Timpani: An advanced level solo or etude

Note: Please use a tuning fork to obtain the necessary pitches. If you plan to perform any work that includes "butt-ends" on timpani (Carter: March, Vic Firth Etude I, etc.), please cover the end of your mallets with moleskin or something similar. Any solo that includes "playing on the bowls" is not recommended.

Marimba: An advanced-level solo or etude (4-mallet) suitable for a senior recital

Orchestral Excerpts

Snare Drum

Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kijé, Mvt. I (rehearsal 1-1 to measure before rehearsal 2)
Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade, Mvt. IV (4 measures before letter N to 18 measures after letter N)

Timpani

Beethoven - Symphony No.9, Mvt. IV (7 measures after letter T to the end)
Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra, Mvt. IV (measures 42-50)

Xylophone

Gershwin - Porgy and Bess (opening measures)
Copland - Appalachian Spring (fifth measure of rehearsal 48 to four measures after rehearsal 49)

Glockenspiel

Dukas - Sorcerer's Apprentice (rehearsal 17 to 4 measures after rehearsal 19; rehearsal 22 to rehearsal 24)

Optional

Drum Set and Jazz Vibraphone

If your intended course of graduate study includes drum set, prepare a big band chart, transcription, or published solo. In addition, you must demonstrate time and soloing in the following styles: medium swing, up-tempo swing, rock, bossa nova, and samba (play-along tracks are preferred).

A prepared jazz vibraphone solo or etude is also strongly encouraged.

For D.M. applicants seeking Associate Instructorships, a drum set solo (and experience in drum set instruction) is encouraged but not mandatory.

World Percussion

If you have any experience with World Percussion (Afro-Cuban hand-drumming, Steel Pan, Brazilian, etc.), a short performance is encouraged but not mandatory.

D.M. applicants who wish to focus only on World Percussion should prepare:

One etude from "The Language of the Masters" (Spiro/Sher Music - http://www.shermusic.com/1883217881.php)
Two other solos in contrasting styles, including a hand drumming solo and stick drumming solo (sing one piece in the language of one of your chosen solo areas)
These solos will take the place of the snare drum, timpani, marimba, solo and orchestral repertoire requirements.
General sight-reading at the live audition may be requested.

Learn more about auditions and prescreenings

Important dates and deadlines
When	What	Who
November 1, 2020	IU application due	Undergraduate applicants
December 1, 2020	IU Graduate School application due	Graduate and diploma applicants
December 1, 2020	Jacobs Supplemental application due. (Prescreen materials due, as applicable to your audition requirements)	All applicants
December 1, 2020	TOEFL scores due	Non-native English speaking applicants in Voice (all), Piano (D.M. only), Conducting, Musicology, and Graduate music education
January TBD, 2021	Audition weekend	Most applicants*
February TBD, 2021	Audition weekend	Most applicants*
March 1, 2021	TOEFL scores due	All non-native English speaking applicants
March TBD, 2021	Audition weekend	Most applicants*