The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University

Bassoon

In addition to the general graduate requirements, graduate students should prepare several contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicants choice and two contrasting solo works.

Applicants are urged to perform repertoire which best represents their performance level and musical taste.

Cello

Cellists must submit a pre-screening CD containing 10-15 minutes of music from the audition repertoire.  The pre-screening CD must be sent along with the application by December 1.

Clarinet

In addition to the general graduate requirements, graduate students should include several contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicants choice

Conducting

Conducting applicants must submit a pre-screening DVD recording in NTSC format. The tape should consist of 3-4 excerpts, each 2-3 minutes in length, of contrasting standard repertoire demonstrating a variety of styles and tempi. The camera should be placed at the back of the orchestra with the focus on the front of the conductor. A full-size orchestra is not required; a quintet with piano would suffice, for example. The applicant's name and a written log of the excerpts with timings should be included on the tape. The log should not be videotaped. Appropriate dress is expected. If you pass the pre-screening, you will be invited to audition with orchestra at Peabody. Details, including repertoire, will not be available until that time.

Flute

Two copies of a pre-screening CD recording must be included with your application.  Suggested repertoire for the pre-screening CD is below, but graduate students can substitute similar selections from their audition repertoire if convenient. 

1. A complete Sonata by J.S. Bach OR a complete Concerto by W.A. Mozart (including cadenzas).
2. A solo work (unaccompanied) of the candidate's choice
3. A third, contrasting work of the candidate's choice (this can be a Sonata, a work for flute and piano, a concerto or an unaccompanied work)

Applicants are urged to perform repertoire which best represents their performance level and musical taste.

Jazz

Applicants to Peabody’s graduate program in Jazz Studies must successfully complete a performance audition on his or her applied instrument and an entrance examination to assess proficiency in theory and aural skills.

Audition Requirements: All Applicants

The audition comprises performances of:

Scales and Modes
Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (minor), Locrian, harmonic minor, melodic minor, altered (super Locrian), Lydian dominant, Locrian #2, blues, major and dominant bebop, major and minor pentatonic, diminished, inverted diminished, whole tone, augmented.

Arpeggios
Major 7, major 7, major 9, minor 7, minor 9, minor 7 (b5), minor 9/major 7, dominant 7, dominant 9, dominant 7(b9), dominant 7(#9) and diminished 7.

Solo Transcription
Perform a jazz solo transcription for specific instrument (minimum 32 bars).

Improvisation
A performance of three tunes (one of which must be a ballad) from the standard jazz repertoire.

Applicants must provide their own accompaniment! Play-a-longs or good quality accompaniment tapes are acceptable. At the audition, a selection without accompaniment may be requested.

Sight-reading

• Demonstrate ability to sight-read chord progressions.
• Demonstrate proficiency at sight-reading.

Additional Performance Requirements

Jazz Guitar

• Demonstrate proficiency at comping in various styles.
• Perform a chord/melody arrangement of a tune from the standard repertoire.

• Demonstrate proficiency at comping in various styles.
• Perform a re-harmonized arrangement of a tune from the standard repertoire.

Jazz Bass
In addition to all departmental requirements and all of the undergraduate jazz bass requirements (at a level that is appropriate for someone applying to a graduate program in jazz studies!), all applicants for the GPD in jazz bass must:

• Demonstrate a solid knowledge of basic jazz harmony and bassline construction. You will be asked to play several basslines based on chord changes that will be given to you verbally. They will be in 4 or 8 bar structures, and will have chords moving in 2 beat, 1 bar, and two bar durations. For example, I may ask you to play a walking line on the following chord changes: 2 bars of Emi7, 1 bar of Fmi7, 1 bar of Bb7, 2 bars of EbMaj7, 1 bar of F#mi7b5, and 1 bar of B7#9, repeated.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of playing “broken” time. If you’re unfamiliar with this term, you should become familiar with it before your audition date.
• Demonstrate a fundamental ability to play in odd meters, specifically 5/4, and 7/4. A standard tune form adapted for this purpose will be acceptable. The applicant should be able to sub-divide the bars of 5/4 as either 2+3 or 3+2, and the 7/4 as 4+3 or 3+4.
• Be “prepared” to play a short freely improvised solo. I’d like this to really be improvised, so practice this by improvising freely everyday.

Jazz Drum Set
Drummers will be expected to demonstrate:

• Knowledge of percussion rudiments.
• Examples of the following drum styles using both sticks and brushes at various tempi; bebop, jazz waltz, bossa nova, samba, salsa or Afro-Cuban, funk, rock, R & B, shuffle, ballads.
• Solos of all lengths (4s, 8s, 12s, chorus) demonstrating improvisational fluency and knowledge of song form (all tempos and meters).

Drummers must also

• Perform a jazz solo transcription for drums (minimum 32 bars).

Opera

Pre-screening and in-person audition requirements.
 

Percussion

• A major work for either marimba or vibraphone
• A movement from a cello suite or violin sonata or partita by J.S. Bach
• Sight reading will be required

• A solo piece for multiple percussion (7-15 min duration)

• One solo from Elliott Carter's Eight Pieces for Four Timpani.
• 2 excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire

• An etude from Delecluse Douze Etudes, Cirone Portraits in Rhythm.
• 2 excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire

• 2 excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire

• 2 excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire

Piano

Piano Pre-screening

M.M. and G.P.D. applicants who are not current Peabody students must submit a pre-screening CD. Repertoire includes:

• a complete classical sonata

• a major romantic work

• one virtuosic etude

D.M.A. applicants who are not current Peabody students must submit a pre-screening CD along with their applications by December 1. The material on the recording should be a half-hour of music that represents your audition. A recording of a recital can be used if it was performed within the past two years. Selections on the recording do not have to be the same ones you will perform for your audition.

Piano Audition Repertoire

M.M. applicants must prepare a program of from 50 to 60 minutes which includes three style periods. A complete classical sonata, a major romantic work, and one virtuosic etude are required. Remaining works are to be chosen by the applicant. All works must be prepared in their entirety.

G.P.D. applicants must prepare a recital program, 60 minutes in length, of repertoire representing at least three style periods and including at least two large-scale works.

D.M.A. applicants must prepare a program of no less than 60 minutes' duration, representing at least three style periods, and including at least two large-scale works. Your audition schedule will include a mandatory advising session, most likely on the day of your audition. You will be advised on the next steps in the process based on preliminary results from your audition. Continuing with the DMA placement exams and interview will be an option for some. Alternative programs may be suggested for others. Official decisions will be made after considering all results. You will learn of the outcome in the usual time frame. To learn more about the process, click here.

Piccolo

1. A Vivaldi piccolo concerto, complete

2. A Mozart flute concerto, complete

3. 3 Orchestral except piccolo solos, including  Caucasian Sketches by Ippolitov-Ivanov, and 1 by Rossini

Violin

MM and GPD Programs:

1. One unaccompanied Sonata (Complete)
2.  First movement of a concerto with cadenza from standard repertoire.
3. Two contrasting style works of your choice (Complete)

DMA and Artist Diploma Programs:

1. A complete concerto from the standard repertoire
2. One unaccompanied Sonata or Partita by J. S. Bach (Complete)
3.  Two contrasting style works of your choice (Complete)

Vocal Accompanying

Audition requirements

Voice

A short audio CD recording of two arias and a song (one in English) are required to be submitted along with the application for pre-screening. The voice faculty has posted detailed audition requirements for each program.  Current Peabody students are exempt from pre-screening.

Voice (Early Music)

Requirements follow those of the MM in Voice, except that four or five of the required ten selections must be written before 1800.  Voice requirements for the MM can be found by clicking above.