- Saturday, February 21st
- Saturday, March 7th (Instrumental Only)
- Saturday, March 21st
- Saturday, March 28 (All Vocal and Non-Major Instrumental Auditions)
Other dates available upon request
Audition Requirements and Forms
Voice Studio
Undergraduate
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- Sing 2 pieces: One in English and one in a Foreign Language. If you are interested in a concentration in Musical Theatre, you may perform a third piece from a Musical.
- Sight-reading
- Vocalization
- Theory Diagnostic Test (For incoming Freshmen only)
Keyboard Studio
Undergraduate
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- Three memorized pieces in contrasting styles (Baroque, Classical, romantic, Impressionism, 20th or 21st Century)
- Major and minor scales (Selection)
- Arpeggios (Selection)
- Sight-reading
Bassoon Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Clarinet Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Flute Studio
Undergraduate
Graduate
How Do I Apply?
- All music majors and minors must be accepted both by the university and by the School of Music through an audition. More audition and application material is available on the School of Music website.
What should I prepare?
- Audition material should consist of two contrasting works. All-state etudes, solos, and band/orchestra excerpts are recommended.
- Candidates will be asked to perform at least three major scales from memory (two octaves preferred) and any minor scales that they may know.
- There will be a sight-reading component.
Tips for a Successful Audition
- Consider preparing material that presents you in the best possible way. Play music that you want to play rather than what you think the committee wants to hear.
- Be musical, show us what you can do, it’s okay if you make a mistake! We are looking for inspired musicians rather than technical wizards.
- Dress like a professional, your appearance is a direct reflection of you; consequently, your appearance can say a lot about your attitude and aptitude. Remember, this is our first and possibly only impression of you.
Guitar Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Horn Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Oboe Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Percussion Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- Snare Drum
- One concert style solo or etude
- Keyboard
- One 2-mallet or 4-mallet solo or etude
- Sight-reading a 2-mallet etude
- Timpani
- One solo or etude
- Demonstrate knowledge of tuning
- Drum-Set (Optional)
- Demonstrate 2-4 styles
Please prepare materials that will best demonstrate your abilities. Examples of appropriate repertoire include all-region etudes and solos from solo and ensemble competitions. Please contact Dr. Zator with any questions regarding the appropriate repertoire.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- Snare Drum
- One concert style solo or etude
- Keyboard
- One 4-mallet solo
- Sight-reading a 2-mallet etude
- Timpani
- One solo or etude
- Drum-Set
- Demonstrate 2-4 styles
Please prepare materials that will best demonstrate your abilities. Solo repertoire should be at a senior recital level. Please contact Dr. Zator with any questions regarding the appropriate repertoire.
Saxophone Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Trombone Studio
Undergraduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Graduate
Audition Requirements
- All Major Scales and a Full-Range Chromatic Scale
- Two contrasting etudes (slow and fast) or portions of solo repertoire (lyrical and technical)
- Sight-read a short musical example
- Students interested in auditioning as a performance major should also be prepared to perform a movement or movements from a standard concerto, sonata or significant solo repertoire. Please contact the applied faculty member for your instrument with any questions.
Trumpet Studio
Undergraduate
Graduate
Audition Information
The first step in the admissions process is to contact Dr. Daniel Kelly at [email protected]! He strongly encourages you to come to campus for a visit, take a lesson, and chat with him about what we do here at East Texas A&M. You should also contact the University Admissions Office to arrange an official campus tour, meet with financial aid, housing, and other departments that can help your transition to university life. Of course, you'll also need to apply to the university, submit your SAT/ACT scores, send transcripts, etc. The Admissions Department's website provides easy access to the entire process.
In addition to being accepted to the university, prospective music majors must also be admitted to the School of Music. Music admission is based on a Music Application and a live audition, though recorded auditions (video preferred) may be accepted from applicants for whom travel to Commerce is impractical. Music scholarship awards are also determined in large part on this audition, so it's imperative that you show us your best efforts!
Repertoire – Your audition should include 5-10 minutes of music (solos, etudes, and/or orchestral excerpts are acceptable) that shows your playing at its best. I don't have a required list of pieces but I do need to hear examples of your slow/lyrical playing as well as your technical skills. I also need to hear major scales (from memory, if possible) and I'll ask you to sight read. Prospective Graduate students and music performance majors should also prepare three standard orchestral excerpts. If you just have no idea of what to prepare just contact me and I can help!
The School of Music has scheduled Audition Days in the spring to make the whole process easy. We'll have representatives from the School and University on-hand to answer your questions and give tours of the building and campus. While I can hear auditions by appointment I strongly suggest you make plans to audition on one of our official Audition Days.
Tuba/Euphonium Studio
Undergraduate
Graduate
Audition Information
How Do I Apply?
- All music majors and minors must be accepted both by the university and by the School of Music through an audition. More audition and application material is available on the School of Music website.
What Should I Prepare?
- Audition material should consist of two contrasting works. All-state etudes, solos, and band/orchestra excerpts are recommended.
- Candidates will be asked to perform at least three major scales from memory (two octaves preferred) and any minor scales that they may know.
- There will be a sight-reading component.
Tips For a Successful Audition
- Consider preparing material that presents you in the best possible way. Play music that you want to play rather than what you think the committee wants to hear.
- Be musical, show us what you can do, it’s okay if you make a mistake! We are looking for inspired musicians rather than technical wizards.
- Dress like a professional, your appearance is a direct reflection of you; consequently, your appearance can say a lot about your attitude and aptitude. Remember, this is our first and possibly only impression of you.
Pride Marching Band
Music Majors
Students who have formally auditioned and been accepted to the School of Music are automatically accepted into The Pride Marching Band.
Non-Music Majors
All woodwind and brass players must submit one video file. The video does not need to be one continuous take; multiple clips may be edited together. There is nothing specific you need to play for your video, just something that best represents your abilities.
At the beginning of the video, please state:
- First and last name
- Current school
- Intended major (Non-music majors are welcome.)
Submission Instructions
- Upload your video to YouTube as Unlisted
- Submit the YouTube link using the provided upload instructions
- Deadline: August 1
Questions?
Contact Dr. Stephanie DeLuca, Interim Director of Athletic Bands
Battery Percussion
Submit a short solo (max 2.5 minutes) demonstrating your abilities, plus the following exercises:
- 8's
- Accent tap
- Double beat
- Triple beat
- Diddle and roll exercises
- Flam accent and flam tap
Guidelines:
- A drum is preferred; a practice pad is acceptable
- Perform standing, with full body visible, and mark time
- Tenors and basses may perform on a single pad (ignore crossovers; bass uses matched grip)
- An audible metronome is required
Front Ensemble Pre-Audition
All percussionists must submit one video file. The video does not need to be one continuous take; multiple clips may be edited together.
At the beginning of the video, please state:
- First and last name
- Current school
- Intended major (Non-music majors are welcome.)
Submission Instructions
- Upload your video to YouTube as Unlisted
- Submit the YouTube link using the provided upload instructions
- Deadline: August 1 (hard deadline)
- Results will be sent during the first week of August
Front Ensemble
Include a short 2- and/or 4-mallet solo or excerpt, plus:
- 2-mallet major, minor, and chromatic scales and arpeggios
- 4-mallet dexterity and blocked chords
- Vibraphone: Burton grip
- Marimba: Stevens grip
Piano and Rack Percussion
- Piano: Technical solo or etude and basic scales
- Rack Percussion: Keyboard percussion, multi-percussion, or snare solo
Choose material that best demonstrates your strengths.
Audition Purpose
This video submission is a pre-audition for The Pride Marching Band and helps determine your readiness and potential placement on battery or front ensemble instruments. Once you hear back from us, you may be invited to join us for our Pride Week, where we will establish final placements for instrumentation.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Tanner Leonardo, Assistant Director of Percussion
Colorguard auditions will take place both in person and through video.
For colorguard audition information, please contact the band office at [email protected]. All audition information will be emailed to you as well as shared on social media (instagram: @etamucolorguard).
Please use one of the following options to submit your audition video:
- Create a Dropbox link to your video
- Create an Unlisted YouTube link to your video
- Create a Google Drive link to your video
Please fill out this brief form where you will enter your audition video link, and submit your audition.
You will receive an automated reply letting you know we have received your video link.
We thank you for your cooperation and patience. Please know our goal is to help you through this process in order to get you information on admission and scholarships as soon as possible. If you have any questions or encounter any difficulties, please feel free to contact us.
Go Lions!