Strings Audition Requirements for MM
Applicants will be notified if they advance to the audition round to perform on campus. Live auditions are recommended. If you are unable to schedule a live audition, you may submit video audition recordings. Applicants invited to audition will be considered for scholarships and graduate assistantships. All auditions must be completed by February 20. Submit applications by Dec. 1 for priority scholarship and assistantship consideration.
Violin
- First or last movement of a standard concerto, with cadenza if applicable
- One movement of unaccompanied Bach
- One other contrasting selection
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Viola
- A fast movement of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements from a work for viola solo or two contrasting etudes or caprices
- Two contrasting movements from Bach cello suites/violin sonatas-partitas or from Telemann Fantasies for Viola da Gamba solo arranged for viola (Baerenreiter edition is recommended).
- A fast movement of a standard concerto, with cadenza if applicable
- A caprice and/or a short show piece
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Cello
- A Prelude and a dance from Suites 3, 4, 5, or 6 by J. S. Bach
- The live audition can feature a prelude from any Suite by Bach
- A work showing virtuosity, such as an etude, a caprice, or a showpiece
- The first movement of a concerto
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Double Bass
- One movement from a standard sonata or concerto or comparable works for the standard double bass solo repertoire.
- A double bass solo of your choice, reflecting a diversity of style from the first selection
- One movement from a standard sonata or concerto or comparable works for the standard double bass solo repertoire.
- A double bass solo of your choice that reflects a diversity of styles from the first selection.
- Three orchestra excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire.
- A movement from a Bach Cello Suite.
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Harp
- Two solo works of contrasting styles from standard harp literature (e.g., Grandjany, Salzedo, Renie, Tournier) showcasing technical proficiency and musicianship.
- One movement from a standard solo harp concerto (e.g., Gliere, Ginastera, Boieldieu, Debussy) or a single-movement work (e.g., Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro, Pierné’s Concertstück).
- Perform all repertoire from memory.
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Guitar
- Etudes by Aguado, Carcassi, Guiliani, or Sor (Segovia edition)
- Works by Milan, Bach, Tarrega, Villa Lobos and Brouwer (not etude).
- Perform all repertoire from memory.
For questions regarding specific audition repertoire, contact:
Master of Music General Admission Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree: To be admitted to the MM/MME degree programs, students must possess a Bachelor of Music or its equivalent, with a major in the area of proposed graduate study, including sophomore-level credit in an approved foreign language in the case of prospective majors in musicology, theory, composition, voice, or voice pedagogy.
Academic Standards: For admission, the student must have satisfactory undergraduate preparation for the particular degree sought, which includes at least a “B” average (comparable to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) in all undergraduate work and satisfactory scores on the appropriate tests required by the school/college.
International Student Requirements: A minimum TOEFL score of 4.5, a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, or a minimum Duolingo English Test score of 105 is required for admission. Test may be waived for students who hold undergraduate degrees from a university with English as the language of instruction. Test scores must be sent to TCU from the testing agency to school code: 6820. Official scores must be sent to TCU from the testing agency by the application deadline for the application to be considered “complete”. Applicants will not be invited to audition without official scores that meet the admission standards.
Exemption: Exemptions to this requirement are given if the student has completed (or will before matriculation to TCU) an undergraduate degree from a US institution or from a university where English is the language of instruction. To request consideration for this exemption, submit an official final or most current official in-progress transcript using the directions below and indicate an exemption request on the TCU graduate application when prompted. Translations must be provided for all international transcripts.
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