Auditions are held at the Music Building, 384 South Prospect St. in Burlington. Check in with us in the Music Building Recital Hall lobby when you arrive. Parking is free on weekends.

If you plan to stay overnight in Burlington, see this list of recommended hotels close to campus, and note the ones which offer discounted rates to prospective students and families.

Please email us at music@uvm.edu and we will do our best to find an audition date that works for you and our faculty.

We strongly encourage an on-campus audition so that you can tour the facility and the rest of campus, and speak with faculty and students about our program. However, we know that distance and weather sometimes make a live audition impossible. In these cases, we will consider outstanding audio/video auditions for scholarships.

Students performing classical or musical theatre repertoire:

We will provide a faculty accompanist for vocalists on designated on-campus audition days. Instrumentalists (and vocalists performing on dates other than audition days) may bring their own accompanist, hire a local accompanist, or play unaccompanied.

Students performing jazz repertoire:

We provide a faculty accompanist on our designated on-campus entrance audition days. E-mail PDFs of your music/charts to music@uvm.edu. You may also use a recorded accompaniment track on your device. Notify us in advance if you will be using one.

In addition to the tours offered by our students on audition days, and the meeting you will have with our faculty, we are happy to facilitate additional activities.

If you are in town on a weekday, you may wish to sit in on a class, ensemble rehearsal, or concert.

Some of our faculty offer trial lessons; please contact individual faculty members and inquire about their policies.

You can schedule a campus tour through admissions.

Current UVM students may schedule an entrance audition at the beginning or end of the semester. Email music@uvm.edu for more information or visit the office.

No, music minors are NOT required to audition. Learn more about the music minor.

While music majors are encouraged to study and play multiple instruments at UVM, you must choose one primary instrument. This will be the one on which you do your entrance audition, end-of-semester playing exams, annual performances, and senior recital.

Dress for an interview. Business casual (no sneakers or jeans) or all black concert attire.

If you don't pass the entrance audition, you will not be able to declare the music major at this time, but you may attempt the audition multiple times! Students who do not pass the audition on their first attempt will often take applied lessons with our faculty for one or two semesters to prepare for their next audition attempt.

Prospective students who do not pass the entrance audition may still be admitted to UVM in another major, or undeclared, and may retake the audition during their first or second year at UVM.

No, we can retrieve the letter from admissions. Teachers may also email letters of recommendation directly to music@uvm.edu.

Yes! Many of our students choose to double major. The B.A. in music offers flexibility to accommodate another field of study.

Prospective UVM applicants are admitted under a single major, or undeclared. Which major to indicate on your UVM application is up to you. In any case, you must pass the entrance audition before you can declare the music major.

UVM students in the College of Arts and Science can declare a double major in music after passing the entrance audition – usually after completing their first semester. UVM students in other colleges should apply for the music major using the change of college form. Discuss with your college advisor if you have questions.

Music Majors

All applicants who pass the entrance audition – whether live or recorded – are considered for music scholarships. Some are dependent on financial need (as determined by FAFSA). Some are for students who would make a significant contribution to the music program’s ensembles. Offers are typically made in early April.

When the scholarship recipient is a Music Education major, they will continue receiving this scholarship during their student teaching semester, regardless of ensemble enrollment.

Music Minors and Non-Majors

Non-music majors who participate in Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Choir, or University Jazz Ensemble and take lessons on that instrument are eligible for a small scholarship to offset the lesson fee. The exact amount depends on how many students are eligible each semester. Students do not have to apply or take further action for this scholarship. It is determined by the music program office midway through the semester.