Orchestral Instruments

Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn, Tuba, Percussion, Double Bass, Harp, Guitar, Violin, Viola, Cello.

Bachelor of Music

• Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is recommended but not required.

Master in Music

• Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is required.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is required

Artist Diploma

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of two or three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is required

Orchestral Conducting

Master in Music

• A 15 minute conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
• A headshot and resume including recitals and critiques, if available.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• 20-30 minute video of conducting (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
• A headshot and resume including recitals and critiques, if available

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Piano Performance

Bachelor of Music

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Master in Music

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition program of the classical repertoire. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Artist Diploma

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition program of the classical repertoire. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition program of the classical repertoire. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Collaborative/Vocal Accompanying/Chamber Music Piano

Bachelor of Music Collaborative

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three contrasting styles of collaborative works (vocal/instrumental accompanying and chamber music). If possible, applicants are encouraged to perform with a soloist. Applicants may be asked to sight read. No memorization and no solo piano pieces are required.

Master of Music in Chamber Music

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of the classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three-chamber music works in contrasting tempos and styles. The audition repertoire must be performed with an instrumentalist. Applicants may be asked to sight-read. Memorization is not required.

Master of Music in Vocal Accompanying

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of works in contrasting tempos and styles from the vocal repertoire. The audition repertoire must be performed with a vocalist. Applicants may be asked to sight read. Memorization is not required.

Doctor of Musical Arts in Chamber Music

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of the classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three-chamber music works in contrasting tempos and styles. The audition repertoire must be performed with an instrumentalist. Applicants may be asked to sight-read. Memorization is not required.

Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Accompanying

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of works in contrasting tempos and styles from the vocal repertoire. The audition repertoire must be performed with a vocalist. Applicants may be asked to sight read. Memorization is not required.

Piano Pedagogy

Bachelor of Music

• Applicants should prepare a 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is not required.

Master in Music

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition program of the classical repertoire. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition program of the classical repertoire. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

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Vocal Performance

Bachelor of Music

• Please prepare a ten minute audition with two contrasting pieces. Two languages (one may be English) are expected; Italian is preferred.
  • Your audition repertoire should primarily be chosen from the standard art song repertoire but may also include appropriate selections from opera, operettas and musical theater ballad (such as Leonard Bernstein's Candide, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, or George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess).
  • Please "slate" your name, song title, and author of the work. (Example: My name is Emily Magenheimer, I will be singing "O mio babbino caro" from Pucinni's Gianni Schicchi)

Master in Music

• Please prepare up to four contrasting pieces, no more than fifteen minutes. Three languages (one may be English) are expected; Italian is preferred.
  • This should include at least one Art song. You may also choose to include arias and musical theatre ballads, or operettas (such as Leonard Bernstein's Candide, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, or George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess )
  • Please "slate" your name, song title, and author of the work. (Example: My name is Emily Magenheimer, I will be singing "O mio babbino caro" from Pucinni's Gianni Schicchi). This submission must be within the last year. Please label any pre-recorded pieces with the date.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Please prepare up to four contrasting pieces, no more than fifteen minutes. Three languages (one may be English) are expected; Italian is preferred.
  • This should include at least one Art song. You may also choose to include arias and musical theatre ballads, or operettas (such as Leonard Bernstein's Candide, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, or George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess )
  • Please "slate" your name, song title, and author of the work. (Example: My name is Emily Magenheimer, I will be singing "O mio babbino caro" from Pucinni's Gianni Schicchi). This submission must be within the last year. Please label any pre-recorded pieces with the date.

Vocal Pedagogy

Master in Music

• Please prepare up to four contrasting pieces, no more than fifteen minutes. Three languages (one may be English) are expected; Italian is preferred.
  • This should include at least one Art song. You may also choose to include arias and musical theatre ballads, or operettas (such as Leonard Bernstein's Candide, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, or George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess )
  • Please "slate" your name, song title, and author of the work. (Example: My name is Emily Magenheimer, I will be singing "O mio babbino caro" from Pucinni's Gianni Schicchi). This submission must be within the last year. Please label any pre-recorded pieces with the date.

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Please prepare up to four contrasting pieces, no more than fifteen minutes. Three languages (one may be English) are expected; Italian is preferred.
  • This should include at least one Art song. You may also choose to include arias and musical theatre ballads, or operettas (such as Leonard Bernstein's Candide, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, or George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess )
  • Please "slate" your name, song title, and author of the work. (Example: My name is Emily Magenheimer, I will be singing "O mio babbino caro" from Pucinni's Gianni Schicchi). This submission must be within the last year. Please label any pre-recorded pieces with the date.
• A headshot and resume including recitals and critiques, if available.

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Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance

The following works (contrasting in tempo) are required for the audition in the Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance:

1. One work by J.S. Bach (not including the little preludes and fugues)
2. One work from the 19th Century
3. One work from the 20th or 21st Century

Master of Music in Choral Conducting and Organ Performance

1. Letter of Application
2. Current Curriculum Vitae
3. Personal Statement relating candidate's professional goals to the practice of Sacred Music (500-1000 words)
4. Pre-screening Performance Video (does not need to be from an actual performance)
   • - For organists: video recording of A Prelude and Fugue by J.S. Bach; a major 19th/early 20th-century piece; a piece written after 1930. For the live audition: the same categories, but at least one of the pieces should be different. Other live audition requirements will be stipulated upon invitation to campus.
   • - For choral conductors: 20-30 minutes of conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Live on-campus audition requirements will be stipulated upon invitation to campus.
     Invitation for auditions, interviews, and testing is based on evaluation of the pre-screening materials. Applicants will perform for the faculty at the time of their visit.
5. Demonstration of conducting skills is required for both concentrations. Testing consists of demonstration of keyboard proficiency, open score-reading and sight-singing. Repertoire for conducting auditions will be stipulated upon invitation to the live on-campus audition. Auditions are during the spring semester.

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Bachelor of Music

What you can upload: Score and Recordings.

• Scores should be uploaded in pdf format. Please note that any single item uploaded must be less than 250 MB. If you have a large work, or a multi-movement work that exceeds that limit, please separate the score into separate documents (each less than 250 MB) to be uploaded separately, clearly labeled as directed below. If submitting a work for electronic media that does not make use of a traditional score, please include a description of how you made the piece, ie, software used, techniques explored, sources for sampled materials, etc.
• Recordings: We recommend mp3 format for audio files. We also recommend breaking up multi-movement works into separate files. Please
  note that, as in the case with scores, each individual file has a size limit of 750 MB. If you have a file that is larger, even in compressed mp3 format, please break the file into component parts, clearly labeled as directed below. For undergraduate applicants, MIDI realizations of pieces are acceptable.
• Optional Materials: These may include a CV, list of works with performance history, or composer biography.
• All applicants to the Bachelor of Music program in Composition are also required to pass an audition in their principal performance area (instrument or voice) in order to be admitted to the music program. Please prepare a 10-15 minute audition of three contrasting pieces of standard classical repertoire on their principal instrument. For composition students, this audition is to determine proficiency on an instrument and consider you for a performance-based scholarship.

Scores should be uploaded in pdf format. Please note that any single item uploaded must be less than 250 MB. If you have a large work, or a multi-movement work that exceeds that limit, please separate the score into separate documents (each less than 250 MB) to be uploaded separately, clearly labeled as directed below. If submitting a work for electronic media that does not make use of a traditional score, please include a description of how you made the piece, ie, software used, techniques explored, sources for sampled materials, etc.
Recordings: We recommend mp3 format for audio files. We also recommend breaking up multi-movement works into separate files. Please
note that, as in the case with scores, each individual file has a size limit of 750 MB. If you have a file that is larger, even in compressed mp3 format, please break the file into component parts, clearly labeled as directed below. For undergraduate applicants, MIDI realizations of pieces are acceptable.
Optional Materials: These may include a CV, list of works with performance history, or composer biography.
All applicants to the Bachelor of Music program in Composition are also required to pass an audition in their principal performance area (instrument or voice) in order to be admitted to the music program. Please prepare a 10-15 minute audition of three contrasting pieces of standard classical repertoire on their principal instrument. For composition students, this audition is to determine proficiency on an instrument and consider you for a performance-based scholarship.

Labeling for scores and audio files. Please label every file submitted in accordance with this formula:

• Composer's last name_first name_title of piece_movement or part [If applicable].pdf (or .mp3)
• If you are submitting a recording broken into more than one part, please indicate this in the file name as well, e.g.:
  • Last name/first name/title of piece/2of4.pdf (or .mp3) [This would indicate that this is the 2nd of 4 separate files)
    • If you do not have mp3 versions of your files and don't have software to convert, please use the free software, Audacity in
      which to do so.
  • Video: If you have a video to include in your portfolio, please be sure that the link is operational and not password-protected (or, if
    protected, please be sure to include the password in your application).

Composer's last name_first name_title of piece_movement or part [If applicable].pdf (or .mp3)
If you are submitting a recording broken into more than one part, please indicate this in the file name as well, e.g.:

• Last name/first name/title of piece/2of4.pdf (or .mp3) [This would indicate that this is the 2nd of 4 separate files)
  • If you do not have mp3 versions of your files and don't have software to convert, please use the free software, Audacity in
    which to do so.
• Video: If you have a video to include in your portfolio, please be sure that the link is operational and not password-protected (or, if
  protected, please be sure to include the password in your application).

Last name/first name/title of piece/2of4.pdf (or .mp3) [This would indicate that this is the 2nd of 4 separate files)

• If you do not have mp3 versions of your files and don't have software to convert, please use the free software, Audacity in
  which to do so.

If you do not have mp3 versions of your files and don't have software to convert, please use the free software, Audacity in
which to do so.
Video: If you have a video to include in your portfolio, please be sure that the link is operational and not password-protected (or, if
protected, please be sure to include the password in your application).

Master in Music

• Piano Principal: Applicants should prepare a 10-15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles. Memorization is not required.
• What you can upload: Score and Recordings.
  • Scores should be uploaded in pdf format. Please note that any single item uploaded must be less than 250 MB. If you have a large work, or a multi-movement work that exceeds that limit, please separate the score into separate documents (each less than 250 MB) to be uploaded separately, clearly labeled as directed below. If submitting a work for electronic media that does not make use of a traditional score, please include a description of how you made the piece, ie, software used, techniques explored, sources for sampled materials, etc.
  • Recordings: We recommend mp3 format for audio files. We also recommend breaking up multi-movement works into separate files. Please note that, as in the case with scores, each individual file has a size limit of 750 MB. If you have a file that is larger, even in compressed mp3 format, please break the file into component parts, clearly labeled as directed below. If pieces in your portfolio are intended for live performance, some portion of them should have been performed live.
  • Optional Materials: These may include a CV, list of works with performance history, or composer biography
  • All graduate Composition applicants with significant performing experience and technical skill on their instrument are encouraged to submit an audition on that instrument, in order to be eligible for a performance-based music scholarship. You may submit the instrumental audition with this application.
• Labeling for scores and audio files. Please label every file submitted in accordance with this formula:
  
  
  • Composer's last name_first name_title of piece_movement or part [If applicable].pdf (or .mp3)
    
    
  • If you are submitting a recording broken into more than one part, please indicate this in the file name as well, e.g.:
    
    
    • Last name/first name/title of piece/2of4.pdf (or .mp3) [This would indicate that this is the 2nd of 4 separate files)
      • If you do not have mp3 versions of your files and do not have software to convert, please use the free software, Audacity in which to do so.
    • Video: If you have a video to include in your portfolio, please be sure that the link is operational and not password-protected (or, if protected, please be sure to include the password in your application).

Doctor of Musical Arts

• Students seeking admission to the DMA program in Composition must submit a representative portfolio of compositions. Prospective students should hold a Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• Portfolios for the DMA should consist of scores and recordings (MIDI or other electronic realizations of pieces should not be sent unless they are of exceptionally high quality) which show original creative work of high quality and technical merit and demonstrate that a student is capable of independent work. Please see the guidelines listed above (under the BM program) for tips on presenting the best possible portfolio. Details on portfolio submission can be found here.
• All students applying for the DMA are required to complete either an on-campus interview or video-chat interview with the composition faculty as part of the admissions process. These interviews, whether live or via video-chat, will be scheduled on the designated Departments of Music audition days. Please email the head of composition, Dr. Gorbos (Gorbos@cua.edu), to schedule interviews on audition days. A prospective student's portfolio should be uploaded at least one week in advance of any scheduled video interview.
• Audition on an instrument (or voice) is not required for the DMA in Composition, although a student wishing to pursue applied study must pass an audition in the requisite applied area. All applicants with performing experience are encouraged to schedule an audition, nevertheless, in order to be eligible for a music scholarship. The area where prospective composition students have been most successful in this regard is orchestral instruments.
• During the first semester of full-time study (generally on the weekend preceding the beginning of the fall semester), all graduate students in Composition are given the Theory Placement Examination and the Graduate History Examination. These exams determine whether or not any remediation in theory or history coursework is required. Should students require remediation in any areas, they may take these courses concurrently with graduate courses (provided that the remedial courses are not prerequisites for the graduate courses taken). Remedial courses do not count towards the degree, but must be successfully completed in order to receive the degree.

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Master in Music with Dual Concentration in Piano Performance and Orchestral Instruments

• Piano requirements: Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.
• Orchestral Instrument requirements: Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Master in Music with Dual Concentration in Orchestral Conducting and Piano Performance

• Conducting requirements: A 15 minute conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
• Piano requirements: Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Master in Music with Dual Concentration in Orchestral Conducting and Orchestral Instrument

• Conducting Requirements: A 15 minute conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
• Orchestral Instrument requirements: Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Piano requirements: Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.
Orchestral Instrument requirements: Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.
Conducting requirements: A 15 minute conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
Piano requirements: Applicants should prepare a memorized 15-minute audition of classical repertoire. The audition should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.
Conducting Requirements: A 15 minute conducting video (where the candidate is visible from the front) demonstrating works of contrasting styles; it is preferred to show examples of both rehearsal and performance, if possible. Selected candidates will then be invited for an audition.
Orchestral Instrument requirements: Applicants should prepare a 10-minute audition program of classical repertoire in their given instrument. The program should consist of three pieces in contrasting tempos and styles.

Click here to APPLY

Students can take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, Duolingo, Pearson PTE or an International English Language Testing System exam before they can be considered for final admission. Minimally accepted undergraduate scores are set forth below. Students should have test results sent directly to The Catholic University of America.

University English Language Proficiency Minimums

Source of Evaluation Acceptable standard
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Paper: 150
Computer: 213
Internet: 80(minimum of 20 in each category)
IELTS 6.5 Individual IELTS test module scores are also reviewed in addition to the overall IELTS score.
Duolingo 105
PTE 56

The testing requirement can be waived on a case-by-case basis should the applicant have appropriate documentation of successful completion of one of the following:

1. The University's Intensive English Program;

2. Level 112 in the intensive English program offered by an ELS Language Center (http://www.els.com);

3. An Intensive English program at an accredited institution of higher education or accredited English language training program;

4. A college-level English Composition class determined to be the equivalent of or more advanced than the University's English Composition 101 course, with a grade of B or above;

5. A graduate degree, a Bachelor's Degree (B.A. or B.S.), or an Associate's Degree (A. A.) from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education or a high school diploma.