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Faculty    Students    Degrees and Courses    Audition Requirements    Scholarships and T.A.’s    Steinway Piano Series

 

 

Audition Requirements and Application Process

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in auditioning for piano study at the School of Music, you will need to apply for acceptance at both the University of South Florida and the School of Music. Use the following links below to access necessary application forms and information.

Application to the University of South Florida - Undergraduate
Application to the University of South Florida - Graduate
International Student Application to the University of South Florida
Audition application form for the School of Music  

Auditions in person are preferable; however, applicants from outside the state of Florida may submit a videotape in lieu of a live audition.  Scholarships are available in all areas of applied music. Should an applicant be recommended for scholarship and he or she has submitted a videotape in lieu of an audition on the USF campus, a live audition may be required at the time the student arrives on campus. Several Graduate Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships are also available for our graduate piano students. For further information on applying to the School of Music, please call (813) 974-2311.

 

Audition Dates for Fall 2010 Admittance:

January 16, 2010 - Scholarship Auditions
February 20, 2010 -
Scholarship Auditions
March 20, 2010 -
Admittance only 

Placement exams will be given to incoming students right before classes begin to help place them in the appropriate classes. For information on the Theory Placement Exam and Theory Courses, click here. For information on the Piano Proficiency Exam, click here.

Click below for audition requirements for each degree or certificate:

Masters of Music in Piano Performance or Piano Pedagogy
Advanced Graduate Certificate in Piano
Graduate Certificate in Piano
Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance
Bachelor of Arts in Music Studies (piano emphasis)
Bachelors of Science in Music Education (piano emphasis)
Minor in Music

 

B.M. Piano Performance Degree Audition Requirements:

Please bring three complete works from the standard piano repertoire to be performed from memory. Sightreading will also be requested at the audition.

 

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B.A. Degree in Music Studies Audition Requirements:
B.S. Degree in Music Education Audition Requirements:
Minor in Music Audition Requirements:

Please be prepared to play two contrasting works, each from a different time period.   One of the two works should be performed from memory.   Sightreading will also be requested at the audition.

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M.M. Piano Performance Degree and Piano Pedagogy Degree Audition Requirements:
Graduate Certificate in Piano Audition Requirements:
Advanced Graduate Certificate in Piano Audition Requirements:

 Please bring three complete works from the standard piano repertoire to be performed from memory.   If you are applying for an accompanying assistantship - sightreading will be requested.

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Piano Proficiency Exam (for undergraduate music students whose principle instrument is not piano)

The Piano Proficiency Exam, along with the Theory Placement Exam, is used to help place incoming undergraduate students (including transfer students) into the appropriate Keyboard Skills class. The Piano Proficiency Exam is given before classes begin on campus. It is highly recommended that non-piano students take the Piano Proficiency Exam if they feel they are able to test out of any or all levels of Keyboard Skills. In addition, the Piano Proficiency Exam is required of all incoming undergraduate pianists (including undergraduate transfer pianists).   Incoming piano students who do not test out of Keyboard Skills II will be placed in the appropriate Keyboard Skills class as a remedial course. Those piano students placing out of Keyboard Skills II or III (but not IV) and Written Theory II will be placed in Piano Ensemble I, and those placing out of Keyboard Skills IV will have the option of taking either Piano Ensemble II or Chamber Music.

To help incoming students (pianists and non-pianists) prepare for the Piano Proficiency Exam, below you can find information on what skills are needed to test out of each level of Keyboard Skills.

Proficiency Requirements for MVK Keyboard Skills

Proficiency Exams may be scheduled for the first week of classes of the fall and spring semesters. Sign-up sheet will be posted on the door of FAH 217.

 

To begin Level 2 you must demonstrate the following skills:

ü  Play all major and minor five-finger patterns, hands together.

ü  Play all white-key major scales and D-flat/C-sharp and G-flat/F-sharp major scales – two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separately.

ü  Play major, minor, diminished and augmented triads; chord inversions; triads within the key.

ü  Play I – IV6/4 – I – V6/5 – I chord progression in all major keys.

ü  Harmonize a melody using the I, IV, and V7 chords (in all major keys). Transpose the harmonization.

ü  Sight-Read a piece.

ü  Solo Repertoire: Perform 2 pieces from your current repertoire, contrasting in style, preferably memorized.

 

To begin Level 3 you must demonstrate the following skills:

ü  Play all major and harmonic minor scales – two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separately.

ü  Play arpeggios – triads of all major and minor keys.

ü  Play five types of seventh chords (major, minor, dominant, half-diminished, fully-diminished).

ü  Play modes on white keys (two octaves, hands separately), chromatic scale, and whole-tone scale.

ü  Harmonize a melody with secondary chords and inversions of dominant-seventh chords. Transpose the harmonization.

ü  Play the following chord progressions in all major and minor keys:

I – IV6/4 – ii – V6/5 – I

I – ii6 – I6/4 – V7 – I

I – vi – IV – ii6 – I6/4 – V7 – I

I6 – iii – IV – V2 – I6

I – IV – viio – iii – vi – ii – V – I

ü  Sight-Read a piece.

ü  Solo Repertoire: Perform 2 pieces from your current repertoire, contrasting in style, preferably memorized.

 

To begin Level 4 you must demonstrate the following skills:

ü  Play all major and harmonic minor scales – two octaves, ascending and descending, hands together.

ü  Play arpeggios of triads and seventh chords.

ü  Play the following chord progressions:

-                       Chord progressions involving all triads of the key and secondary dominants

-                       Modulation to the subdominant and dominant

ü  Harmonize a melody with secondary dominants.

ü  Sight-Read a piece.

ü  Solo Repertoire: Perform 2 pieces from your current repertoire, contrasting in style, preferably memorized.

 

To pass the Proficiency Exam you must demonstrate the following skills:

ü  Play all major and harmonic minor scales and arpeggios – two octaves, ascending and descending, hands together.

ü  Play arpeggios of all dominant and fully diminished seventh chords, hands together.

ü  Play modes from any key – two octaves, ascending and descending, hands separately.

ü  Harmonize a melody using the progressions outlined below.

ü  Play the following chord progressions:

-                       Modulation to the relative minor key and the relative major key

-                       Chord progressions involving augmented sixth chords and the Neapolitan 6th chord.

ü  Sight-Read a piece - choral and instrumental score reading; transposing of an instrumental score.

ü  Solo Repertoire: Perform 2 pieces from your current repertoire, contrasting in style, preferably memorized.

Return to Piano Proficiency Exam

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