Strings

All violin applicants must submit prescreen recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1.

Select applicants will be invited to a live audition based on prescreen review.

If you are invited, you will be scheduled for one of the following audition dates and will receive your schedule by email 3-4 weeks prior to your audition:

• January 17-18, 2025
• February 7-8, 2025
• March 7-8, 2025

Applicants should prepare the following repertoire for the prescreening and audition.

Undergraduate applicants

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.)

Prescreening requirements

Submit a video recording via the JSOM Supplemental application, including:

• The first movement of a standard major concerto with cadenza (if it has one) or the second and third movements
• Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied partita or sonata by J. S. Bach

All pieces must be presented from memory. The only exceptions to this are  orchestral excerpts for P.D.O.S. applicants, and chamber repertoire for P.D.C.M. applicants.

You have the option of submitting recordings of recent performances that meet the requirements listed above.

Audition requirements

The audition repertoire requirements are the same as the prescreening repertoire requirements. You may perform the same or different pieces as you did for the prescreening for your audition.

All pieces must be presented from memory.

Auditions are performed without piano.

Graduate and diploma applicants

Prescreening requirements (all graduate applicants)

Submit a video recording via the JSOM Supplemental application, including:

• The first movement of a standard major concerto with cadenza (if it has one) or the second and third movements
• Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied partita or sonata by J. S. Bach

All pieces must be presented from memory. The only exceptions to this are  orchestral excerpts for P.D.O.S. applicants, and chamber repertoire for P.D.C.M. applicants.

You have the option of submitting recordings of recent performances that meet the requirements listed above.

Audition requirements

Prepare the following repertoire requirements.

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

• Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita
• Two contrasting movements of a concerto
• A Paganini caprice or some other type of virtuoso display piece

Auditions are performed without piano.

All pieces must be presented from memory.

Performer Diploma-Orchestral Studies (P.D.O.S.)

• First movement exposition of one of the following violin concerti: Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Bartok No. 2
• First movement exposition of one of the Mozart Violin Concerti
• Orchestral excerpts (may be performed with or without music): Strauss - Don Juan (beginning to 3 bars before letter D); Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo (beginning to 15 bars after letter F); Brahms - Symphony No. 4, Mvt. 4, Allegro energico e passionate (9 bars after letter A to letter D)

Doctor of Music (D.M.)

• Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita
• An entire concerto
• A Paganini caprice or some other type of virtuoso display piece
• A sonata with piano. A pianist will be provided

All viola applicants must submit prescreening recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1.

Select applicants will be invited to a live audition based on prescreen review.

If you are invited, you will be scheduled for one of the following audition dates and will receive your schedule by email 3-4 weeks prior to your audition:

• January 17-18, 2025
• February 7-8, 2025
• March 7-8, 2025

Applicants should prepare the following repertoire for the prescreening and audition.

Undergraduate applicants

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.)

• First-year applicants: Two contrasting pieces
• Transfer applicants: Two movements of a solo Bach work and a solo of your choice

Graduate and diploma applicants

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

• Three movements from a recital program from three contrasting works.

For doctoral applicants, the repertoire for the live audition may be the same as the repertoire from the prescreen but is not required to be the same.

Performer Diploma-Orchestral Studies (P.D.O.S)

• First movement of one of the following concertos: Walton, Bartok, Hindemith: Der Schwanendreher
• First movement of a Classical concerto
• Three contrasting standard orchestral excerpts of your choice

Prescreen is required for D.M. cello applicants only.

You will be scheduled for one of the following audition dates and will receive your schedule by email 3-4 weeks prior to your audition:

• January 17-18, 2025
• February 7-8, 2025
• March 7-8, 2025

D.M. applicants must submit prescreening recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1. Select applicants will be invited to perform a live audition on one of the audition weekends.

Applicants should prepare the following audition repertoire requirements.

Undergraduate applicants

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.)

• Two movements of a solo Bach work
• A movement from a concerto of your choice.

Graduate and diploma applicants

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

• Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo suite
• First movement, or the most representative movement of a major concerto (The 1st movement of the Shostakovich Concerto #1 is excluded. If performing Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, prepare the Theme and Variations 1 through 3, and the 7^th variation only. Bloch’s Schelomo is permitted.)

• A solo piece of your choice

For doctoral applicants, the repertoire for the live audition may be the same as the repertoire from the prescreening, but is not required to be the same.

Performer Diploma-Orchestral Studies (P.D.O.S.)

• First movement of either the Schumann or Dvorak Concerto
• First movement of the Haydn D Major Concerto
• First page of Strauss - Don Juan
• Two contrasting excerpts selected from the following: Beethoven - Symphony No. 5, Mvt. 2 and 3; Beethoven - Symphony No. 8, Mvt. 3 (Trio); Mendelssohn - A Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo; Brahms - Symphony No. 2, Mvt. 2; Verdi - Requiem, No. 3 Offertorium

All double bass applicants must submit prescreen recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1.

Select applicants will be invited to a live audition based on prescreen review.

If you are invited, you will be scheduled for one of the following audition dates and will receive your schedule by email 3-4 weeks prior to your audition:

• January 17-18, 2025
• February 7-8, 2025
• March 7-8, 2025

Applicants should prepare the following repertoire requirements for both the prescreening and live auditions. Prescreening repertoire should meet these requirements but may differ from the final audition program.

Prescreening recordings do not need to be recorded in one continuous take. Separate recording submissions of each solo and/or excerpt are permitted.

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

• Two works from the standard solo literature, contrasting in both tempo and style
• Two (undergraduate applicants) or three (graduate applicants) excerpts representing different composers, selected from the following list:
  • Mozart: 1^st or 4^th movements of Symphony No. 35, 39, or 40
  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 3 (Scherzo); Symphony No. 5, Mvt. 3 (Scherzo and Trio); Symphony No. 9, Mvt. 4 (letter K (mm. 431-525) and/or letter M (mm. 541-594))
  • Brahms: 1^st or 4^th movements of Symphony No. 1 or 2
  • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Don Juan
• Graduate applicants only: A movement from a major concerto

Performer Diploma-Orchestral Studies (P.D.O.S.)

• One movement from the Bach Cello Suites
• One work from the standard solo literature that is contrasting in tempo and style
• One orchestral solo chosen from the following: Stravinsky - Pulcinella Suite; Ginastera - Variations Concertantes; Verdi - Otello, Act III solo; Haydn: Symphony No. 31 solo
• Four standard orchestral excerpts representing four different composers, selected from the following:
  • Mozart: 1^st or 4^th movements of Symphony No. 35, 39, or 40
  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 3, Mvt. 3 (Scherzo); Symphony No. 5, Mvt. 3 (Scherzo and Trio); Symphony No. 9, Mvt. 4 (letter K (mm. 431-525) and/or letter M (mm. 541-594))
  • Brahms: 1^st or 4^th movements of Symphony No. 1 or 2
  • Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Don Juan

Doctor of Music (D.M.)

• One complete sonata
• One complete standard concerto
• Two works from the standard solo literature (at least one work should be performed from memory)

All string quartet applicants must submit prescreen recordings via the JSOM Supplemental application by December 1.

Select groups will be invited to a live audition based on prescreen review.

Performer Diploma-Chamber Music (P.D.C.M.)

The P.D.C.M. is for established string quartets. Pre-formed groups should prepare:

• Two complete contrasting string quartets

If you are unable to attend one of the live audition weekends, you may submit a final audition video recording via the JSOM Supplemental Application. Final audition recordings are due by February 15.

Please indicate on your JSOM Supplemental application that you wish to audition via final video recording and make sure to submit the Supplemental application by December 1. You can upload your audition materials upon submission or upload your audition materials after your application has been submitted. To submit your audition materials after submission, simply select "Upload Media" under the Action column and click on "Add Media File."

Note: Programs that have pre-screening will require a media upload to submit your application. If your program requires this, please upload a PDF with your name and "Final Recorded Audition" to submit your application. You must then write to musicadm@iu.edu to request that your application be reopened. Once your application has been reopened, select "Upload Media" under the Action column and click on "Add Media File" to upload and submit your materials.

For applicants who cannot make one of the audition weekends but would like to audition in person, an ad hoc audition may be arranged upon department approval. Please email musicadm@iu.edu to request an ad hoc audition. If approved, you must reach out to the faculty or department chair directly to arrange a date and time. All required application materials must be submitted by the deadline in order for arrangements to be made.