Music is different than other majors on campus in that all prospective students must pass an entrance audition to be accepted as a music major at the University of Vermont. Note: All prospective music majors should download and complete the UVM Music Department audition application form (PDF). Students auditioning live on campus should bring the completed form to the audition. Students auditioning by video should mail the form with their audition materials.
Schedule your audition: E-mail: Nana.Minkah@uvm.edu, phone: 802-656-2295. If e-mailing please provide name, contact information, preferred audition date, principal instrument and degree you will be seeking. Please also let us know if you require and accompanist for your audition. The deadline to schedule an on-campus audition is one week prior to the audition date.
All students majoring in music at UVM must declare a principal instrument and pass a Level II audition on that instrument.
All prospective music majors must pass an audition before they are accepted into the Bachelor of Arts in Music or Bachelor of Science in Music Education programs. Prospectives should schedule an in-person entrance audition for one of our live on-campus audition dates (box to the right). Students should be prepared to perform at least two solo pieces, etudes, sonatas, jazz standards, or other technical exercises that demonstrate their level of ability on their instrument/voice. Specific Level II audition requirements are seen in the box to the right.
Auditioning by video/CD: Live auditions are preferred; in fact, all students wishing to be considered for department scholarships must do a live audition on campus (video may be considered under exceptional circumstances). If a campus visit is not possible, prospective students may submit a video (VHS or DVD) or audio (CD) recording of themselves performing a Level II audition. Here's how:
UVM Music Audition Committee
384 S. Prospect St.
Redstone Campus
Burlington, VT 05405
Current students interested in becoming a music major may schedule a Level II audition during the first week of the fall or spring semester, or on the first reading day of finals week.
Students interested in minoring in music do NOT need to pass a Level II audition. Minors must pass a Level I audition for private lessons, which is scheduled directly through the private lesson instructor. Requirements for passing a Level I vary from teacher to teacher.
An audition is required of all non-majors before they are accepted for study in MU 033 — this audition may be formal or informal at the discretion of the teacher. Students may be asked to play etudes, technical studies, sonatas, jazz standards, and/or exercises to demonstrate their level of ability on their instrument/voice. Placement is based on the instructor’s availability and preference for level of ability. Lesson auditions are scheduled by the applied lesson teacher. Learn more about private lessons.
At the end of their first year, students in the Bachelor of Arts program may audition for acceptance into the Bachelor of Music in Performance degree. As a professional (versus liberal arts) degree, the Bachelor of Music in Performance is appropriate for students who possess exceptional talent and a strong sense of commitment to music as well as the potential to develop high-level musicianship and artistic sensibilities. Students will work closely with their applied lesson teachers on repertoire for this audition, but it is expected that each student will perform 10-15 minutes of music. Bachelor of Music Auditions are held at the end of each semester, and are scheduled by the Music Department Office.
There are two requierd tests for music majors: A Music Theory (MU 109) placement test and a piano proficiency exam. Learn more:
MU 109 Harmony and Form I is the first of the four-semester music theory sequence designed for music majors (although interested students are welcome to consider this class). To ensure that each student is prepared for the rigorous study in MU 109, a placement test is given on the first day of class. The placement test will include questions concerning pitch identification (emphasizing both treble clef and bass clef, including some alto clef and tenor clef reading) and rhythmic notation (addressing issues of beaming, barlines, and time signatures). Students will be asked to spell major and minor scales (natural, harmonic, melodic), provide key signatures for specified major and minor keys, and identify and construct intervals of various sizes and qualities. Triad identification may also be included. Look at sample tests.
Student planning to enroll in MU 109 should find that the topics included in the placement exam are familiar and that their practice answers are mostly accurate. Students who need or desire a stronger foundation in the fundamentals of music theory should enroll in MU 009 Music Theory Fundamentals, which provides instruction and practice in the basic materials of music theory.
All music majors are expected to demonstrate functional piano proficiency. The Piano Proficiency Exam is designed to assess that proficiency, and must be passed before graduation. The exam is givenat the end of each semester and should be arranged with Prof. Parker.
Students may take MU 021, 041, 042, and 043 to help prepare them for the exam (Jazz Studies concentrators take MU 024 and 025 in lieu of MU 042 and 043). A placement test will be given at the first class meeting to assess each student's correct place in the sequence of piano classes.
The exam is made up primarily of prepared material. Scales, a repertoire piece, The Star Spangled Banner (Jazz Studies students play Ornithology), Happy Birthday, and harmonization styles may be prepared far in advance. Two four-voice pieces in chordal texture may be prepared a day in advance. A harmonization of a melody, a transposition exercise and sight-reading of a simple piano score are done without preparation.
