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Department of Music Department of Music

Graduate Audition/Interview Requirements

Jump to a specific program:
Master of Arts in Music - Master of Music in Composition/Theory - Master of Music in Conducting - Master of Music in Music Industry Studies - Master of Music in Performance (Instrumental & Vocal) - Master of Music in Jazz Performance

All video submissions are private and confidential and will be viewed only by the Department of Music Audition Committee. For more information, please click on the links to email a program's contacts, email mickayla.chapman@wayne.edu, or call 313-577-1783.

 

 

Master of Arts in Music

Contact: Professor Joshua S. Duchan, jduchan@wayne.edu

Interview required. An audition is not required for admission to this degree program. Please upload a writing sample or portfolio for review with your applications to both the WSU Graduate School and the Department of Music. A copy of a paper from a music history or music theory class that best represents your research and writing skills is recommended. Once your applications are received, the faculty will contact you to schedule an interview.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music (or equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience). A strong background in music history and music theory, with experience writing research papers on music topics, is preferred.

 

 

Master of Music - Composition/Theory

Contacts:

Interview required. An audition is not required for admission to this degree program. Please upload a portfolio of compositions (composers) or papers (theorists) for review with your applications to both the WSU Graduate School and the Department of Music. Once your applications are received, the faculty will contact you to schedule an interview.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music (or equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience). A strong background in music history and music theory, ear training, counterpoint, and related courses, as well as experience composing music (composers) and/or analyzing music (theorists), are preferred.

 

 

Master of Music - Conducting

Contact: Professor Douglas Bianchi, dbianchi@wayne.edu

Audition and interview required. For in-person auditions, please see the list of requirements below. For virtual auditions, submit the required audition videos, described below, using Acceptd. In each video, please be sure to state your full name and the program for which you are auditioning. Please upload a resume with your applications to both the WSU Graduate School and the Department of Music.

Once your applications are received, the faculty will contact you to schedule an interview. Typically, applicants who offer an in-person audition will have their interview the same day.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music (or equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience), preferably in music education, performance, piano, organ, church music, or a related concentration. Also preferred are conducting experience; a strong background in music theory, analysis, history, ear training, and piano/keyboard; strong writing, research, and interpersonal communication skills; and, for choral conductors, knowledge of diction in at least three foreign languages (French, German, Italian, Latin, Church Slavonic).

Audition requirements include:

  • open-score reading (SATB) at the piano
  • one prepared piano piece at the intermediate level, e.g., a two-part Invention by Bach, or a movement from a Mozart or Beethoven sonata
  • for choral conductors: sightreading, musicianship exercises, and score analysis
  • one prepared conducting excerpt with a student ensemble (in-person auditions only; applicants submitting audition videos are encouraged to include one in which they are conducting an ensemble)

 

 

Master of Music - Music Industry Studies

Contacts:

Interview and Portfolio Required. An audition is not required for admission to this degree program. Please upload a portfolio of compositions, papers, and/or other relevant materials for review with your applications to both the WSU Graduate School and the Department of Music. Once your applications are received, the faculty will contact you to schedule an interview.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music, business, or technology (or equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience).

 

 

Master of Music - Performance (Instrumental and Vocal)

Contacts:

Audition and interview required. For in-person auditions, please see the link below for requirements. For virtual auditions, submit the required audition videos as part of your application to the Department of Music; see the link below for requirements. In each video, please be sure to state your full name and the program for which you are auditioning. As part of your applications, you may also submit a resume or other relevant materials.

Once your applications are received, the faculty will contact you to schedule an interview. Typically, applicants who offer an in-person audition have their interview the same day.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music performance (or equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience). Extensive performance experience and a strong background in music history and music theory are preferred.

Audition Requirements: Please review the in-person audition requirements and the faculty contacts for each instrument by visiting https://music.wayne.edu/performance/grad-auditions.php.

 

 

Master of Music - Jazz Performance

Contact: Professor Christopher Collins, jazz@wayne.edu 

Audition required. For in-person auditions, please see the requirements below. For virtual auditions, submit the required audition videos, described below, as part of your application to the Department of Music. In each video, please be sure to state your full name and the program for which you are auditioning. As part of your applications, you may also submit a resume or other relevant materials.

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in music (or its equivalent in coursework, private study, or experience), preferably in jazz, jazz studies, or jazz performance. Extensive performance experience and a strong background in music history and music theory are preferred.

Audition Requirements:

1. One Prepared Jazz Standard -- All instrumentalists should prepare one jazz tune from the standard jazz lexicon. The tune should showcase the student playing a chorus of the melody and an improvised solo. For virtual auditions, applicants must use a backing track as accompaniment. There are many free and paid options backing track options available by internet search.

This list, while not exhaustive, provides acceptable jazz standards of varying degrees of difficulty: Autumn Leaves, On Green Dolphin Street, All the Things You Are, Take the A Train, Song for My Father, So What or Impressions, All Blues, Billie's Bounce, Au Privave, Sandu, Blues for Alice, Blue Monk, Isotope, Straight No Chaser, Tenor Madness Confirmation, Donna Lee, Moment's Notice, Stable Mates, Oleo, Anthropology, In Walked Bud, Yes or No, A Night in Tunisia, Bouncin' With Bud.

Additional requirement for drummers: Be prepared to demonstrate the styles listed below for approximately 20-30 seconds each. For virtual auditions, include a video with your application to the Department of Music in which you do so (please announce each style before you play).

  • Swing (slow, medium, fast)
  • Bossa nova
  • Latin
  • Contemporary pop styles
  • Jazz waltz time
  • Straight time

2. Sightreading / Prepared Jazz Excerpt -- Applicants who offer an in-person audition will be required to complete a sightreading exercise. Applicants who offer a virtual audition must prepare and submit a video of a jazz excerpt available here: Click here to access the jazz excerpt and recording instructions.

 

 

last updated: 5/17/23