Pre-Screening Materials Requirements:
Performance
Applicants should submit an audio and visual recording to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your G Number from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions. See graduate pre-screening requirements. Once pre-screen materials have been evaluated, the School of Music will contact applicants directly regarding a live audition. See our listing for graduate audition requirements for your instrument/voice.
Requirements - Percussion
Snare Drum any solo from:
- Delecluse – 12 etudes for snare drum
- Peter – advanced snare drum studies
- Any comparable solo from similar method
Marimba
- A significant four-mallet solo from the literature:
- Miki, Druckman, Vinao, Bach, Abe, Henze, Babbitt, Wourinen, Seyoshi, Harris, Klatzow, etc.
Timpani
- A significant solo from the standard literature:
- Carter, Bergamo, Cahn, Hochrainer, Firth
2-3 standard orchestral excerpts on each
- xylophone, snare drum and timpani
Sight-reading will be a part of all auditions
Composition
A portfolio of compositions (scores and recordings) must be submitted to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your G Number from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions. This portfolio will be reviewed by the composition faculty along with recordings. No live audition is required.
Conducting
Applicants should submit video clips to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university with the camera facing the conductor from the ensemble’s point of view. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your GNumber from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions. Your submitted video should include recent performances of you conducting your ensemble in concert (20 minutes) and 30 minutes in rehearsal. Applicants are encouraged to present footage that includes both historical and contemporary repertoire written for the medium. Once pre-screen materials have been evaluated, the School of Music will contact applicants directly regarding a live audition.
A live audition at George Mason University (approximately 15 to 20 minutes of musical material) will be scheduled after a successful initial evaluation of the pre-screening material. This audition may include an assessment of other skills critical to the artistic success of conductors such as sight-reading, sight-singing, ear-training, and error detection.
Jazz Studies
Applicants should submit an audio and visual recording to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. The link for SlideRoom submissions will be sent to you via email upon submission of your online application. This should include:
- five (5) tunes in contrasting styles
- a resume, and
- a complete list of all tunes you can play (this list will be used at your live audition).
The School of Music will contact MM Jazz Studies applicants regarding a live audition. If invited, the “live” audition will consist of two (2) prepared tunes in contrasting styles, one (1) solo transcription and sight-reading. Applicants should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of scales used in jazz. You may use a recorded accompaniment of play-a-long such as Jamey Aebersold. Rhythm section instruments will demonstrate techniques that are idiomatic to your instrument e.g. comping, walking, various grooves.
Audition Requirements for Jazz
Visit the Auditions page for application/audition information and process.
- Applicants should submit a video recording to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. The link for SlideRoom submissions will be sent to you via email upon submission of your online application.
- This video should include five (5) tunes in contrasting styles, resume, and a complete list of all tunes you can play (this list will be used at your live audition).
- This video should include five (5) tunes in contrasting styles, resume, and a complete list of all tunes you can play (this list will be used at your live audition).
- The School of Music will contact MM Jazz Studies applicants regarding a live audition once your SlideRoom submission has been reviewed by faculty.
- If invited, the “live” audition will consist of two (2) prepared tunes in contrasting styles, one (1) solo transcription and sight-reading.
- Applicants should also be able to demonstrate knowledge of scales used in jazz.
- Applicants should use a play-a-long accompaniment track (Jamey Aebersold or other backing track)
- Rhythm section instruments will demonstrate techniques idiomatic to your instrument e.g. comping, walking, various grooves.
List of Scales Typically Used in Auditions
- Major
- Pentatonic (Major and Minor)
- Blues (Major and Minor)
- Bebop (Major and Dominant)
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Aeolian (Natural Minor)
- Locrian
- Harmonic Minor
- Melodic Minor
- Jazz Minor (Real Minor, Ascending Melodic Minor)
- Lydian Augmented
- Lydian Dominant
- Locrian #2
- Diminished Whole-tone (Altered Scale, Super Locrian)
- Chromatic
- Whole Tone
- Diminished (We are a half-step school)
- Augmented (1, b3, 3, 5, #5, 7)
Music Education
Submission of a paper, at least two pages in length (double spaced), on the applicant’s philosophy of music education. To the extent possible, include in the paper references to significant people in the field of music education. In addition to your paper, a 15-minute teaching demonstration should be uploaded to the SlideRoom portal with the application to the university. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your G Number from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions.
After your philosophy statement and teaching demonstration have been reviewed & approved you will be invited to interview* with the Music Education Faculty. Teaching experience is required.
*Online Music Education Degree applicants only: There is no interview required for admission to the online degree.
Pedagogy
Applicants should submit an audio and visual recording to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. This should include recent performances presenting appropriate musical literature. It should include at least 15 minutes of music performed within the last two or three years.
In addition to the audio and visual recording, a 15-minute teaching demonstration should be uploaded to the SlideRoom portal with the application to the university. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your G Number from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions.
Once pre-screen materials have been evaluated, the School of Music will contact applicants directly regarding a live audition.
Collaborative Piano
Applicants should submit an audio and visual recording to the SlideRoom portal within the application to the university. The link to SlideRoom will be provided to you when you apply. You will be able to submit your portfolio via SlideRoom after you have received your G Number from the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact CVPA Graduate Admissions if you have any questions. See pre-screening requirements here.
Once pre-screen materials have been evaluated, the School of Music will contact applicants directly regarding a live audition.
Graduate Certificates
To pursue a Graduate Certificate in music at George Mason University, refer to the following links in the catalog: