Auditions
Music Auditions for Lessons & Ensembles - Fall 2012
Baroque Violin/Viola: Please contact Jane Starkman at xtyl@comcast.net with questions or to schedule an audition time.
Cello: Friday, August 31 from 7:00 - 9:30pm in Jewett Arts Center, R00m 107
Clarinet: Please contact Kathy Matasy at kmatasy@wellesley.edu with questions or to schedule an audition time.
Flute: Tuesday, September 4 from 2:00-6:00pm in Pendleton West, Room 220
Guitar and Lute: Please contact Glorianne Collver-Jacobson gcollver@wellesley.edu to arrange an audition/initial meeting time if you are interested in taking Private Lessons (99, 199, & 299). For
those interested in guitar group lessons, there will be an Informational Meeting, September 8 at 5:30 pm in Jewett Arts Center, Rm. 218. Note: For both private and group lessons, please be sure to sign-up on the sign-up sheets posted outside the music office and contact the instructor by email at gcollver@wellesley.edu.
Harp: Please contact Ina Zdorovetchi at izdorove@wellesley.edu; 617-515-4082 to set-up an audition time.
Jazz Piano: Please contact Russell Hoffmann at rhoffmann@berklee.edu, if you have questions or to schedule an audition time.
Jazz, Pop Voice: Please sign-up for an audition time on the sign-up sheet outside the Music office beginning Tuesday afternoon, August 28.
Jazz Saxophone: Please sign-up for an audition time on the sign-up sheet outside the Music office beginning Tuesday afternoon, August 28.
Jazz Violin and Viola: Friday, August 31 from 1:00-2:30pm in Jewett Arts Center, Room 106 or by arrangement with the instructor. Please sign-up for an audition time on the sign-up sheet outside the Music office. Please contact Paula Zeitlin pzeitlin@wellesley.edu if you have questions.
Oboe: Please contact Jane Harrison at jharrison1951@gmail.com with questions or to schedule an audition time.
Piano: Sunday, September 2 from 10:00am - 4:00pm in Pendleton West, Room 220
Viola da Gamba: Please contact Laura Jeppesen at ljeppese@wellesley.edu with questions or to schedule an audition time.
Violin and Viola: Tuesday, September 4 from 4:00 - 6:00pm for violin auditions; 6:00-7:00pm for viola auditions in Jewett Arts Center, Room 209
Voice (classical & musical theater): Friday, August 31 from 10:30am - 12:00pm and 1:30 - 3:15pm in Pendleton West, Room 220. Please sign-up for an audition time on the sign-up sheet outside the Music Office before Friday morning, Aug. 31.
All other instruments: Students who have completed the Music Theory Placement test and indicated a desire to take private or group lessons on an instrument not listed above will be contacted by the instructor for that instrument during the first week of class. If this does not occur or you have questions, contact Marion Dry, Director of the Music Performance Program by email: mdry@wellesley.edu.
Preparing for Auditions
Auditions for private instruction take several different forms. Voice, strings, and piano have scheduled auditions during Orientation Week or during the first week of classes. All other instrumental auditions occur during a “first meeting” with the instructor. Listed below are requirements for some instruments/voice. If your instrument or style is not listed, it is safe to assume you should prepare to play two short excerpts or pieces in contrasting styles. Auditions are intended to be relaxed and pleasant!
Bassoon:
199 - All major scales in two octaves.
A study of the difficulty of Milde Scale Studies or Vaulet Studies.
Slow and fast solo movements of the difficulty of Vivaldi’s Concerto in F Major.
299 - Chromatic scale covering the entire range up to high D, major and minor scales three octaves, the range of the instrument.
A study of the difficulty of Milde Concert studies
Fast and slow movements of the difficulty of Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto or Weber’s Andante and Rondo, or Weber’s Concerto.
Flute:
Please prepare two contrasting movements (time periods and styles) as well as your list of completed repertoire and studies.
Jazz Violin/Viola:
Play any two- or three-octave scale, as well as two contrasting pieces in any style, including fiddle. Students with improvisation experience may play a blues or jazz standard of their choice. (Improvisation experience is welcome but not necessary!) Questions? Please contact Paula Zeitlin, pzeitlin@wellesley.edu
Piano:
Prepare to perform two or more pieces of intermediate to advanced difficulty from different style periods (i.e. baroque, classical, romantic, modern).
Oboe :
You will be asked to play scales, Barret or Ferling Etude, and two movements of a solo piece.
Strings:
Perform a scale plus a set of arpeggios and two contrasting pieces, usually one fast and one slow.
Violin and Viola:
Prepare 2 contrasting pieces and a scale with arpeggio's. Please play your best or favorite piece. For beginners who have nothing prepared, sign-up for an audition and visit to introduce yourself and express your wishes. If you have additional questions, please contact Laura Bossert at Bossert-King@wellesley.edu.
Voice :
Singers should prepare 3-5 minutes of music maximum, preferably something you like and know well. An accompanist will be provided, so please bring a copy of the music you will sing for the pianist, if you wish accompaniment. You are also welcome to sing unaccompanied or to accompany yourself, if you prefer. We will also have a questionnaire for you to fill out asking about your musical background and interests
Auditions for Ensembles
All auditions with specific dates and times require sign up. Sign-up sheets will be posted outside the Music Department Office in Jewett, near the Auditorium.
Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra Auditions: Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester. Fall 2012 auditions on the Wellesley College campus will commence on Saturday, September 1 from 4:00p - 8:00p in Jewett, Rm 209 and Monday, September 3 from 5:30p - 9:00p in Jewett, Rm 106. Please visit the calendar for the Orchestra for additional information. *For the audition, prepare two contrasting selections - a half a page to a page of each. We recommend you include a first movement of a classical sonata or concerto. If you arrive without music, prepare a scale of your choice in as many octaves as your technique permits.
Choir/Chamber Singers Auditions: Sunday, September 2 from 10:00a - 6:00p and Monday, September 3 from 10:00a - 8:00p in Jewett Arts Center, Rm 209.
Chamber Music Society Auditions: Sunday, September 2 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm in Pendleton West, Rm 220.
Wellesley BlueJazz Ensemble Program Auditions: Friday, August 31 from 10:00am - 12:30pm in Jewett Arts Center, Rm 106. The Wellesley BlueJazz Ensemble Program includes BlueJazz Big Band, BlueJazz Strings and BlueJazz Combos. Jazz auditions are open to any interested instrumentalist or vocalist. (Vocalists are encouraged to sign-up for both Jazz Auditions and Vocal Auditions.) Piano, drumset, acoustic bass, electric bass and bass amp will be provided for those students who need them. Prepare any piece you feel shows your musicality best, and that you are comfortable playing. A jazz or blues piece is preferred but not required. You can play unaccompanied, or with a CD or ipod accompaniment. If you have experience with improvisation, we'd like to hear you improvise! However, the ability to improvise is not required. Please prepare at least one major and one minor scale. Optional: Sight-read a jazz chart and play a blues scale.
If you have questions, please contact Cercie Miller, Jazz-World Music Program Coordinator at cmiller@wellesley.edu.
Yanvalou Open Meeting: Yanvalou does not hold auditions. If you are interested, please attend the first meeting or contact the Director, Kera Washington at sistahdrum@aol.com.
Collegium Auditions: Please contact Tom Zajac at tzajac@wellesley.edu to schedule an audition time and place.
For information regarding specific ensembles, please see the Ensembles page.
