Audition

After you submit your completed University Application Form and application fee to the 91探花 Registrar's office, and forwarded your completed Audition Application to the Music Department, you will be scheduled for an audition. The recommended deadline for application is February 1.

The schedule for the various components of the Audition Procedures will be forwarded approximately two weeks in advance of the actual audition date. Students should arrive at the Music Department at least 30 minutes before the procedures are scheduled to begin. Practice and warm-up facilities will be made available.

NOTE: Applicants for the B.A. (Music) program must be interviewed and must complete the written theory and ear tests, preferably on one of the Audition days listed above. They will perform an audition only if they wish to take Applied Music as an elective in their program. Such instruction will be approved only if faculty time permits.

Audition Procedures

The audition will take approximately 30 minutes, and will be performed before the music faculty. During the audition you will be asked to:

  • perform your audition repertoire (please see below for the audition requirements for your instrument); and
  • have an informal conversation with the faculty concerning your music background, academic plans and career goals.

Once the schedule for the audition days has been established, you will be notified of when your audition and theory and aural skills assessments will take place. Plan to arrive at the Music Department at least 30 minutes before the earliest scheduled portion of your audition/assessment. Practice and warm-up facilities will be made available.

Accompanists

Where applicable, instrumentalists and singers are asked to provide their own accompanists. If this is not possible, copies of the music to be used in the audition should be forwarded with the application forms, and the Music Department will arrange to have an accompanist available at a cost of $30.00 to the person auditioning. Pre-recorded accompaniments are not acceptable for a live audition.

Pianists are advised that a successful audition on piano will qualify for entrance on either piano or organ.

Audition Requirements

Piano

  1. Repertoire
    • Two or three pieces for solo piano in contrasting styles.
    • Repertoire selections at a level of Grade 8 - Royal Conservatory of Music / Conservatory Canada are suggested.
  2. Technical Requirements
    • Scales (up to four sharps/four flats), major and minor (harmonic and melodic), hands together, four octaves
  3. Sight Reading

Organ

  1. J.S. Bach: one of the Chorale Preludes from Orgelbuchlein or one of the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues
  2. One piece from the Romantic or Modern Eras
  3. One piece from the Baroque Era by a composer other than J.S. Bach
  4. Sight-reading

Brass, Woodwind and Percussion

  1. Two pieces of contrasting style and period, to be played with accompaniment (Level: Grade 6 RCM, or equivalent)
  2. Technical study
  3. Major, minor, and chromatic scales
  4. Sight-reading

Note for percussionists: Material prepared should include pieces for mallets, snare drum and timpani, as well as snare drum rudiments.

Voice

  1. Three songs of contrasting style and period, to be sung with accompaniment (one song should be in a language other than English). (Level: Grade 6 RCM or equivalent)
  2. Technique (e.g., scales and arpeggios)
  3. Sight-reading 

Classical Guitar & Strings

  1. Three classical guitar, violin, viola, cello, double bass works in contrasting style which display the candidate鈥檚 technical ability and musicianship. It is better to choose easier pieces and play them well (for a list of suggested repertoire please contact the music department: music@upei.ca. (Level: Grade 6 RCM or equivalent)
  2. Sight-reading

Recorded Auditions

While a live audition is preferable, we understand that the cost of travel may be prohibitive for international students and others who live a great distance from PEI. In this instance, applicants to the B.Mus. program may submit an audition recording in place of an in-person audition.

  1. To be considered for music scholarships, recordings and all supporting application materials must be submitted no later than the second official audition date, March 1, 2025.
  2. Prior to submitting your audition recording:
    • Please ensure that you have completed and submitted an Audition Application form (you will be directed to this form when selecting a music program during your 91探花 application through the Registrar鈥檚 Office).
    • Diagnostic theory and ear assessments must be supervised by a music teacher. Please submit their name and contact information to the Audition Coordinator at music@upei.ca, and await formal instructions.
  3. Recording instructions:
    • Before you begin, record a sound check to make sure that the audio quality is clear and that you appear clearly in the frame; we expect that you will use recording equipment that is available to you 鈥� a quality recording using your phone is fine.
    • Each individual piece should be recorded in a single, unedited take so that we can hear and see a continuous performance of each work; you may pause your video between pieces, but do not otherwise edit your recording.
    • Applicants are encouraged to perform their audition with an in-person pianist. If this is not possible, a pre-recorded accompaniment track will be acceptable.
    • Upload your video to YouTube and make sure that the privacy setting is set to 鈥渦nlisted.鈥� Label your video "91探花 Audition_Your Name_Date".
  4. Email the link for your YouTube video to music@upei.ca.
Music Education

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