Trumpet, Trombone, Horn, Euphonium, Tuba
- One (1) solo movement from a Sonata or Concerto.
- One (1) Etude.
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The Audition
At Westfield, our audition committee assesses your overall abilities as a musician, and works hard to determine your aptitude for success as a music student at the collegiate level. We recognize that all students of music come to us with different strengths and needs based upon previous experiences and opportunities. For that reason we have two audition options:
We encourage you to choose an audition option that best demonstrates your experience, musicianship and artistry.
Remote Audition Options
While we hope that you are able to visit us here on campus, either on a specific audition day or via a specially scheduled audition appointment, we welcome students to audition remotely. Simply select the “I’d like to audition remotely” option from the dropdown audition date menu. We will then reach out to you to confirm the details.
To schedule an audition, follow the link below.
Shadow Days
A great way to get to know our students, faculty, and programs is to come and spend a day with us! Visit classes, rehearsals, have lunch with students at the dining commons, and receive a sample lesson with one of our distinguished applied professors. Simply contact Dr. Andrew Bonacci at abonacci@westfield.ma.edu to schedule your visit.
Available financial awards include the following:
Please understand that a successful audition does not guarantee admission to Westfield State University. You must also be accepted by the Office of Admissions at Westfield State University.
If you have any questions concerning the audition process, please contact one of the following audition committee chairs anytime – we look forward to hearing from you!
Dr. Andrew Bonacci: abonacci@westfield.ma.edu
Dr. Karen LaVoie: klavoie@westfield.ma.edu
Trumpet, Trombone, Horn, Euphonium, Tuba
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Bassoon
Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Violin
Viola
‘Cello
Double Bass
Electric Bass
Classical Guitar
One (1) selection from each of the following groups of studies, or equivalent studies by Sor, Carcassi, Giuliani, or Villa-Lobos.
Alternative literature of equal or greater level of difficulty may be presented.
Electric/Steel String Guitar
Electric Bass
(Double Bass requirements listed above in the “Strings” section)
Piano
Examples of appropriate repertoire includes (but is not limited to):
Baroque: Any of the Bach Preludes and Fugues, Bach Sinfonias, Scarlatti Sonatas, selected dances from the Handel Suites, etc.
Classical: A movement from a Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven Sonata.
Romantic: Any etude, or solo composition, e.g., Ballades, Nocturnes, Scherzi, etc., from a major Romantic composer--Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, etc.
Twentieth Century: A representative composer/work, e.g., Barber Excursions, Prokofiev Visions Fugitives, Debussy Preludes, etc.
Harp
Organ/Harpsichord
Students who are interested in studying organ or harpsichord should have a minimum of four years of prior piano study, and meet certain basic standards of technical proficiency. The audition will consist of representative examples from the student's current piano repertoire, and will include the sight-reading of a hymn or chorale. The technical difficulty of the audition repertoire should be roughly equivalent to the following works:
Mozart, Sonata K. 545, or Sonata K. 332; Beethoven, Sonata op. 49 no. 1; Bach, any Prelude and Fugue from The Well Tempered Clavier; Bartok, any work from Mikrokosmos Book 4 or higher
Choose two of the following four areas (Snare, Marimba, Timpani, Drum Set) to demonstrate your skills (you may choose more if you wish).
Snare Drum
Marimba
Timpani
Drum Set
Two (2) memorized solo selections in a total of two languages
One (1) in English
One (1) in another language other than English (Italian, German, French, Spanish, etc.)
Suggested literature is listed below. Applicants are by no means limited to the material listed. Selections from musical theatre, choral parts, and popular music are not acceptable for performance-level auditions
English: American folk songs or sacred songs or selections from beginners anthologies such as Pathways of Song (ed. Christy), First Book of Solos(ed. Boytim).
Italian: Selections from 26 Italian songs and arias or other Italian collections 16th- 19th Centuries, single composer collections such as Donaudy, Tosti, Vivaldi, Scarlatti.
German: Brief, simpler selections of Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn Lieder
French: Brief, accessible mélodie of Chausson, Chaminade, Faure, Hahn
Spanish: Folk song settings of Spanish songs, de Falla, Rodrigo, Nin
Sightreading: 8 - 16 bars of mainly stepwise motion without modulation. Remain in your starting key, sing all scale degrees accurately. Perform rhythms correctly, establish and maintain a beat and meter. Any system is acceptable, solfeggio, numbers, single syllable, etc. Self-conducting while performing rhythmic examples is encouraged.
Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano
Two (2) prepared pieces from the standard jazz repertoire (in contrasting styles – blues, latin, swing, ballad, waltz) structured in the following form:
Jazz Guitar
Two (2) prepared pieces from the standard jazz repertoire (in contrasting styles – blues, latin, swing, ballad, waltz) structured in the following form:
Sightreading (melodies, chord symbols and chord voicing's)
All major scales and arpeggios (two-octaves)
Bass (electric or upright)
Play bass accompaniment in the following styles:
Blues, Medium Up-Tempo Swing, Bebop, Latin/Bossa, Ballad, Jazz Waltz
Perform two pieces from contrasting jazz styles (you may use a recorded accompaniment track if you wish, but it is not required)
Jazz Drum Set
A demonstration of each of the following styles:
(be prepared to play time in 4/4 and 3/4)
Jazz Voice
Three (3) prepared pieces from the standard jazz repertoire (in contrasting styles – blues, latin, swing, ballad, waltz) structured in the following form: