AUDITION INFORMATION

When preparing for studio entrance/music scholarship auditions, it is important to select audition materials that encompass three main areas of percussion: keyboard percussion (i.e. marimba), snare drum (concert style), and timpani.  Percussion scholarships are more frequently awarded to individuals who have prepared music in each of these areas, while the addition of optional percussion areas, rudimental (marching) snare drum and drum set, are highly encouraged and further enhance the percussionist’s application and scholarship consideration.  Difficulty levels of selected works are considered in the evaluation process, but evidence of solid musicianship and expressiveness are most important.  Those students who have experience with four-mallet performance on marimba (or vibes) and can exhibit sight-reading skills on keyboard percussion are perceived as being more competitive regarding available scholarships.  Of course, private lessons with an experienced percussion teacher can help greatly in preparing for college music auditions. 

Most often, those students who will be majoring in music receive strongest consideration for scholarships.  It is relatively rare for students choosing a minor in music to receive scholarship awards (common exceptions most often occur in certain areas such as oboe and bassoon).  Furthermore, the specific instrumental needs of the school’s music ensembles and studios do come into play in some years if there is a deficient number of majors in an area (such as percussion) – it just depends upon the year.

Literature and Materials

Snare drum audition material selection should include music that emphasizes both concert and rudimental proficiencies.  Concert etudes may be chosen from “Portraits in Rhythm” by Anthony Cirone, “Contemporary Studies” by Fred Albright, “The Solo Snare Drum” by Vic Firth, or “Douze Études pour Caisse-Claire” (more advanced) by Jacques Delécluse, among other sources.  Rudimental solos may be selected from “The Rudimental Cookbook” by Edward Freytag, a Charles Wilcoxon selection, or from other similar collections or individual solos.

For the keyboard percussion area, it is recommended that the student select both a two- and a four-mallet work (or

etude).  A two-mallet work is required, but as music scholarships are very competitive, the inclusion of a four-mallet piece is encouraged for enhanced scholarship consideration.  Major and minor scales will be requested, in addition to two-mallet sight-reading.  If a student is not highly experienced in four-mallet technique, he or she may wish to choose a selection from one of the four-mallet etudes by Clair Omar Musser, or “Yellow After the Rain” by Mitchell Peters, a four-mallet work by Alice Gomez, or a four-mallet selection from the “Challenge I” collection by Earl Hatch, or from a similar collection.  More experienced players may choose Keiko Abe’s “Frogs” or “Michi,” Smadbeck’s “Rhythm Song” or one of his etudes, Rich O’Meara’s “Tune for Mary O,” or similar material.  An excellent selection of solo material can be found in the Steve Weiss Music catalog: 2324 Wyandotte Road, Willow Grove, PA, 19090; telephone (215) 659-0100 or on that website: steveweissmusic.com.

Examples of two-mallet selections may include “Tambourine Chinoise” by Kreisler, a movement from Paul Creston’s “Concertino for Marimba,” or a study from “Complete Method for Rhythmical Articulation” by Pasquale Bona (a method for voice instruction) or Morris Goldenberg’s “Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, Vibraphone (Chappell).  There are numerous other possibilities.

It is suggested that the applicant select a timpani solo or etude that demonstrates an understanding of the instrument including tuning, tone production and articulation, technical proficiency, and muffling.  As tuning is surely one of the most important aspects of timpani performance, include a strong ear-training program in your audition preparation.  An appropriate audition etude may be selected from “Fundamental Method for Timpani” by Mitchell Peters,” from “Timpani Method” by Alfred Friese and Alexander Lepak, from “Modern Method for Tympani” by Saul Goodman, from “The Solo Timpanist” by Vic Firth, or perhaps one of the following solos: “Sonata for Timpani” by John H. Beck, “Suite for Timpani” by David Mancini, or “Soundings” by Douglas Igelsrud.  Other timpani method books also may serve well.

Further Information

Scholarship application forms can be obtained by calling NAU’s Band & Orchestra Office at (928) 523-3413 (regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; summer hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).  In addition, that office will provide other informative materials which describe programs and opportunities in music at NAU.  For further information regarding percussion auditions, please contact the Percussion Studies Office, Dr. Steve Hemphill, at (928) 523-3739; e-mail him at Steven.Hemphill@nau.edu, or write him at Northern Arizona University, College of Arts and Letters, School of Music, Box 6040, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-6040.

Thank you for your interest in our music programs

and we look forward to hearing from you in the future.