Auditioning for the Music Program

All applicants seeking admission to one of the degree programs in the Division of Music and/or a music scholarship must audition before a music faculty auditions committee. Requirements for the music scholarship and entrance audition are listed below. Please contact the appropriate faculty member with questions regarding the audition requirements.

Auditions for The University of Virginia's College at Wise Division of Music will include an opening informational session for all auditioning students and their families. Once a student has selected an audition date, they will receive an exact audition time and other information via email in January. To be fully considered for UVA Wise Music admittance and scholarships, all auditioning students must apply to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise at https://www.uvawise.edu/apply before their audition date.

Schedule an Audition

Brass & Woodwinds

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys, as many octaves as possible on the instrument.
  • Prepared Solos: Two contrasting works totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Brief Interview

Guitar

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys.
  • Prepared Solo: Two selections of your choice.
  • Sight-reading: Single note lines (standard notation) and chord charts.
  • Improvisation: Over 12-bar blues.
  • Brief Interview

Percussion

  • Concert Snare Drum: One prepared selection. You may be asked to play a variety of concert and rudimental snare techniques/rudiments in addition to your prepared material.
  • Mallet Keyboard (two and/or four mallet): One prepared selection. You will be asked to play major scales (two octaves) in addition to your prepared material.
  • Timpani: One prepared selection. You will be asked to match pitch (sing pitches) in addition to your prepared material.
  • Drum-set: Demonstrate a variety of musical styles.
  • Sight-reading: Snare drum and two-mallet keyboard.
  • Brief Interview

Piano

  • Major Scales and Arpeggios
  • Prepared Solos: Two works in contrasting styles (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern) totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Brief Interview

Strings

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys, as many octaves as possible on the instrument.
  • Prepared Solos: Two contrasting works totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Students auditioning in improvisational styles like fiddling can forgo the above requirements and instead demonstrate two contrasting tunes that demonstrate a range of playing. However, if they are capable of doing scales and sight-reading, those are encouraged for the audition.
  • Brief Interview

Voice

  • Prepared Solos: Two art songs or arias of contrasting styles, tempos, and languages. At least one should be composed before 1850.
  • Sight-reading: Rhythmic and melodic selections.
  • Vocal exercises: Sung to demonstrate vocal range.
  • Brief Interview
  • Accompanists will be provided for the audition, or the singer can bring their accompanist to the audition. If the singer plans to use a UVA Wise accompanist, music should be sent to Peter Ryan at least one week prior to audition.