Brass Audition Requirements

Please review and prepare all requirements thoroughly. Auditions are held in person at NIU in February. Please register for an audition date.

If you are unable to attend our official audition days, please contact our music admissions coordinator for permission to schedule an independent audition or obtain approval to submit an unedited video audition. Please bring copies of your music for the adjudication panel.

Audition Guidelines for All Auditionees

• Lyrical and technical playing should be represented
• Prepare selections from the suggested literature representing your highest level of proficiency.
  • If you have questions about other literature selections, please contact our respective studio instructor.
• No memorization is required
• A pianist is not required for any audition
  • If playing without piano, count out all rests as marked.
• Undergraduates will complete an aural skills assessment at the time of audition
  • Sight reading exercises may be given at the time of audition for all applicants

Additional Graduate Audition Expectations

• Knowledge of different stylistic periods and of common transpositions
• Scales in all keys, some covering two octaves
• Sound fundamentals of good tone, intonation, rhythm, articulation and musicality that represents your musical voice

Horn

Undergraduates

• Major and chromatic scales, slurred and tongued at a moderate tempo
• First movement from any Mozart horn concerto
• An additional contrasting solo or étude of choice

Suggested repertoire: Jeanine Rueff, Cantilene; Lydia Lowery Busler, Moon Lilies; Richard Strauss, Concerto No. 1; Franz Strauss, Nocturno; or an étude from Maxime-Alphonse (book 2 or 3)

Graduates

• First movement from any Mozart horn concerto
• Five orchestral excerpts
• One movement from a contrasting solo

Suggested repertoire: Richard Strauss, Concerto No. 1; Ludwig Van Beethoven, Sonata; Paul Hindemith, Sonata for Horn; Reinhold Glière, Horn Concerto; or Franz Strauss, Horn Concerto

Questions? Contact Renée Vogen at rvogen@niu.edu.

Trumpet

Undergraduates

• Major and chromatic scales, slurred and tongued at a moderate tempo
• Two solos of a contrasting nature demonstrating lyrical and technical playing

Suggested étude repertoire: Arban, Charlier, Brandt, Bousquet, Vannetelbosch, Concone, Bordogni-Rochut, Paudert, Wurm

Suggested concerto, sonata and concert repertoire:

• Concerti of Haydn, Hummel, Neruda, Arutunian
• Sonatas of Hindemith, Peters, Kent Kennan, Halsey Stevens
• Concert pieces of Goedicke, Barat, Balay, Ropartz, Brandt

Graduates

• One lyrical and one technical étude

Suggested lyrical repertoire: Snedcor, Cichowicz Flow Studies, Vol. 2 (Russian Studies) compiled by Mark Dulin

Suggested technical repertoire: Marcel Bitsch, Vingt Études; Theo Charlier, 36 Études Transcendantes

• Two movements or selections from contrasting solos

Suggested repertoire: Telemann, Tartini, Torelli, Enesco, Honeggar, Bozza, Persichetti, Turrin, Tull, Bohme, Chaynes, Tomasi, Jolivet, Ewazen

• Three standard orchestral excerpts (all first trumpet).

Suggested repertoire: J.S. Bach, Magnificat (mvt. 1, mm. 1-15); Mussorgsky, Promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition; Stravnisky, Petrushka Ballerinas Dance; Resphigi, Pines of Rome mvt. 2 off-stage; Gershwin, An American in Paris solo; Mahler, Symphony No. 5 opening; Ravel, Piano Concerto in G mvt. 1

• Proficiency on both large trumpets (B♭ and C) and high trumpets (E♭ and piccolo)

Questions? Contact Megan Bailey at mbailey@niu.edu.

Trombone

Undergraduates

• Major and chromatic scales, slurred and tongued at a moderate tempo.
• Two solos in contrasting styles.

Suggested tenor trombone repertoire: Barat, Andante et Allegro; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique; David, Concertino; Rimsky-Korsakov, Concerto; Galliard, Telemann, Vivaldi, Marcello, or Hindemith Sonatas

Suggested bass trombone repertoire: Mueller: Praeludium, Chorale, Variations and Fugue; McCarty, Sonata; Semler-Collery, Barcarolle et Chanson Bachique; Hindemith, Drei Leichte Stucke

Graduates

• One standard solo or concerto
• One technical étude
• Five orchestral excerpts

Questions? Contact Timothy Riordan at triordan2@niu.edu.

Euphonium

Undergraduates

• Major and chromatic scales, slurred and tongued at a moderate tempo
• Two solos of a contrasting nature

Suggested repertoire: Haddad, Suite; Marcello, Sonata; Vaughan Williams, Six Studies in English Folk Song; Capuzzi, Andante and Rondo; Barat, Introduction and Dance; Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique; Arban, Characteristic Studies; Rochut, Melodious études, Voxman, Selected Studies

Graduates

• Two contrasting solos

Suggested repertoire: Cosma, Euphonium Concerto; Gillingham, Blue Lake Fantasies; Sparke, Pantomime; Horovitz, Euphonium Concerto; Curnow, Symphonic Variants; Jacob, Fantasia

• Five orchestral excerpts

Suggested repertoire: Holst: The Planets – Mars and Jupiter or Military Suites; Strauss, Don Quixote or Ein Heldenleben; Sousa, Stars and Stripes Forever; Grainger, Lincolnshire Posy; Schönberg – Theme and Variations

Questions? Contact Mark Fry at mfry3@niu.edu.

Tuba

Undergraduates

• Major and chromatic scales, slurred and tongued at a moderate tempo
• Two solos of a contrasting nature

Suggested repertoire: Bach/Bell, Air and Bourrée; Handel, Honor and Arms; Capuzzi/Catalinet, Andante and Rondo from Concerto for Double Bass; Holmes, Lento; Vaughan Williams, Concerto

Graduates

• Two contrasting solos

Suggested repertoire: Vaughn Williams, Concerto; Hindemith, Sonate; Penderecki, Capriccio

• Five orchestral excerpts

Questions? Contact Matthew Gaunt at mgaunt@niu.edu.