Audition Requirements for Piano
Applicants for the Piano Performance or Piano & Piano Pedagogy programs may audition live or upload a video performance (by YouTube, Google Drive, or other means) of 10 (Bachelor of Arts) or 15 (Bachelor of Music) minutes duration for undergraduates, and 20 (Performance Certificate in Piano & Piano pedagogy) or 25 (Master of Music or Performance Certificate in Piano) minutes for graduates. Each work may be recorded separately but must be unedited. The audition program must be completely memorized and consist of at least three (3) contrasting works of sufficient complexity from different style periods. Please check with Dr. Jung-Won Shin ahead of time if the repertoire selections for your audition are appropriate.
Undergraduates (BA or BM degree): Three (3) contrasting works from different style periods.
- ONE (1) first movement of a Classical sonata by Beethoven, Clementi, Dussek, Haydn, or Mozart
- ONE (1) complete work or a movement of a large composition by an early or late Romantic composer
- ONE (1) complete work or a movement of a large composition by a Baroque composer or a composer of the 20th or 21st Century
Graduates (MM in Piano Performance or Performance Certificate in Piano or Piano & Piano Pedagogy): Three (3) contrasting works from different style periods.
- Baroque:a significant keyboard work by J. S. Bach or D. Scarlatti
- Classical: an entire sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven.
- Romantic: a complete work by Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Schumann, etc.
- 20th-21st Century: a complete work or a movement of a large composition by Ravel, Debussy, Prokofiev, Scriabin, Khachaturian, Barber, Bartók, Ginastera, Granados, Muczynski, Ligeti, Carter, Bolcom, Kapustin, etc.
Please click here for audition repertoire suggestions.
Other audition requirements:
Sight-read a short solo piano piece provided by piano faculty at the time of an audition. (both undergraduates and graduates)
- Play major and minor scales in at 2 (BA) or 4 (BM) octaves. (undergraduates only)
For more information, please contact Dr. Jung-Won Shin:
e-mail - jshin@nmsu.edu
phone - (575) 646-2228
Collaborative Piano
Audition Requirements
Applicants for the Collaborative Piano programs at NMSU may audition live or upload a video performance (by YouTube, Google Drive, or other means) of 25 (Master of Music or Performance Certificate in Collaborative Piano) minutes for graduates. Each work may be recorded separately but must be unedited. The audition program must be completely memorized and consist of four contrasting vocal works in different languages of sufficient complexity and two instrumental works as listed below. Please check with Dr. Yoshiko Arahata ahead of time if the repertoire selections for your audition are appropriate.
Graduates (MM in Collaborative Piano or Performance Certificate in Collaborative Piano):
Please prepare an audition program that is representative of your technical proficiency, artistry, and collaborative skills across a variety of musical styles and contrasting characters by selecting the following repertoire:
- Vocal Repertoire - Four (4) songs
- ONE (1) from French mélodies
- ONE (1) from Mozart arias
- ONE (1) from German Lieder by composers of the 19th century or English art songs by composers of the 20th or 21st century
- Instrumental Repertoire – Two (2) works
- ONE (1) first movement of a string sonata by Classical or Romantic composers
- ONE (1) from the following options:
- a piano solo work or a movement of a large piano solo composition (memorization is not required)
- a duo repertoire with a brass or woodwind instrument
- an orchestra reduction for a movement of a concerto for a string, woodwind, or brass instrument
Please click here for audition repertoire suggestions.
Other audition requirements (both undergraduates and graduates):
- Sight-read short piano parts of two collaborative piano repertoire provided by piano faculty at the time of an audition.
For more information, please contact Dr. Yoshiko Arahata:
e-mail – yarahata@nmsu.edu
phone - (575) 646-1290