Admission to all F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music undergraduate degree programs requires a Music Performance Audition and the completion of the Music Theory Placement Exam.
Students selecting the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with the Jazz Emphasis must complete the audition process as noted below under the “BA Jazz Emphasis” tab. Contact Professor John Toomey, 757-683-4077 for specific audition information.
All undergraduate music applicants are required to perform a live music performance audition or upload an audition video recording* as part of the Diehn School of Music online music audition application.
*NOTE: Applicants that live within a two-hour radius from the ODU campus must complete the live audition. Those who live beyond a two-hour radius and are unable to visit the campus for a live audition may upload a recorded video audition as part of the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application. Scholarship consideration is prioritized to applicants who perform on-campus auditions instead of recorded auditions. Audition recordings must conform to the same audition requirements as an on-campus audition unless otherwise noted. Audition recordings are only accepted via upload through the Diehn School of Music audition application page. DVD, CD, YouTube (or similar) submissions received by postal mail or email are not accepted and will neither be reviewed nor acted upon if received. Upload each selection as a separate recording file. Audio recordings are not acceptable; only video will be considered for audition. Recordings are reviewed only after all required F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application materials have been received and processed.
The audition is performed for representative members of the music faculty. Evaluations are based on technical and musical proficiency. An audition date/time will be scheduled only after complete application materials are received. Please pay special attention to the application deadlines and audition requirements for your specific program of interest.
Your audition will take approximately 15 minutes; the Bachelor of Music, Music Education interview takes another 15 minutes. Please allow enough time to also take the theory placement exam when making travel arrangements. This exam can vary from half hour to three hours depending on how many levels of testing you choose to take.
If the recorded video audition is submitted, we will contact you to schedule the Music Education interview. The theory placement exam will be scheduled at another time.
The following dress code is encouraged for your audition.
- Women - Dress, Dress shoes (character shoes are acceptable), or a skirt and blouse, or slacks and a blouse, both with dress shoes.
- Men - Slacks, Belt, Dress Shoes, button down shirt, tie, and a jacket is optional.
Audition Requirements
Bachelor of Music, with Emphasis in Sound Recording Technology (SRT) majors may audition for applied lessons in either the Jazz or Classical area. If admitted to the Jazz applied area, students may be initially assigned to applied lessons in the Classical area to address basic technique, followed by semesters with an emphasis in Jazz style and repertoire. The applied performance jury will focus on the appropriate areas of study in any specific semester, as determined by the instructor. Those auditioning for the Jazz area should prepare the audition as directed by BA Jazz Emphasis guidelines.
All prospective Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Arts in Music students, regardless of background in music theory, must take the music theory and ear training placement exam. A link to the exam will be sent to all prospective students that have completed the Diehn School of Music online music audition application. The results of these exams determine the level of music theory course in which the student is placed. Click here to view the placement levels…
Major and minor scales, and the blues scale
Two Jazz standards in contrasting styles, melody and improvisation
F blues, including improvisation (vocalists encouraged to scat)
Rhythm-section players should also be prepared to demonstrate techniques such as comping, walking bass, varied stylistic accompaniment patterns
Familiarity with standard Jazz chord construction
Sight reading
Piano accompaniment is not required for brass auditions. While recorded auditions are acceptable, a live audition is strongly recommended for scholarship consideration. Recorded auditions are only accepted via upload. Materials sent by any other method will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file to your audition application page at https://app.getacceptd.com/odmusic.
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Arban or Clarke: Carnival of Venice
- Alary: Morceau de Concours
- Balay: Petite Piece Concertante
- Purcell: Sonata
- Haydn or Hummel: Concerto
- Goedicke: Concert Etude
- Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Hindemith: Sonata
- Mozart: Concertos 2, 3 or 4
- F. Strauss: Nocturno
- R. Strauss: Concerto No. 1
Undergraduate Tenor Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- An étude from Melodious Etudes Book 1 by Marco Bordogni, ed. Joannes Rochut
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Barat: Andante et Allegro
- Croce-Spinelli: Solo de Concours
- David: Concertino
- Galliard or Marcello: Sonata 1-6
- Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique
- Hindemith: Sonata
Undergraduate Bass Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- An étude from Melodious Etudes Book 1 by Marco Bordogni, ed. Joannes Rochut (one octave lower than printed)
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Ewazen: Concerto for Bass Trombone
- Fetter: Variations on Palestrina's "Dona Nobis Pacem"
- Lebedev: Concerto No.1 (Hofmeister edition)
- Hidas: Meditation
- McCarty: Sonata for Bass Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Études chosen from the following or comparable collections:
- Voxman: Selected Studies
- Bordogni/Rochut: Melodious Studies, Vol. 1
- Arban: Characteristic Studies
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Curnow: Rhapsody for Euphonium
- Arban: Carnival of Venice and Variations on a Tyrolean Song
- DeLuca: Beautiful Colorado
- Clinard: Sonata for Unaccompanied Euphonium
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo
- Grigoriev: Studies for Tuba
- Bordogni: Legato Etudes Vol. 1
- Blazhevich: 70 Studies for Tuba
- Haddad: Suite for Tuba
- Hartley: Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba
- Hindemith: Sonata for Bass Tuba
- Marcello: Sonata in F-Major
- Marcello: Sonata in A-Minor
Applicants seeking the Bachelor of Music, Composition major must audition on their primary instrument or voice area. See the audition requirements on this page for specific audition information for your instrument or voice. Please note: Applicants that plan to minor in Composition do not need to complete an audition.
All Composition applicants are required to take the Theory Placement Exam on a published audition day. They must also submit a portfolio of works demonstrating their ability to compose music. The portfolio should be submitted as part of their online application through Acceptd.com. In order to study composition students must pass MUSC 222 with a grade of C or higher.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload portfolio material into their F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music admission application through Acceptd.com. Scores, audio, video and midi media may be uploaded. See Media Guidelines for more details. Current ODU music students may submit material directly to Dr. Andrey Kasparov.
BM Performance, BM PreK-12 Music Education (Piano Major)
A minimum of two contrasting works from any of the categories below:
- Baroque - examples include works by such composers as J.S. Bach, François Couperin, or Domenico Scarlatti
- Classical - a movement of a sonata by a classical composer, up to and including Schubert.
- One piece from the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary repertoire
All selections must be played from memory.
Sight Reading: You will be asked to sight read a short excerpt.
Interview: The piano faculty will ask you about your previous piano experience, your future aspirations, and your interest in the Diehn School of Music.
BM Non-Piano Major (hour lessons)
A minimum of two contrasting selections from any musical period.
A total of at least 15 minutes of music.
Memorization is encouraged but not required.
Scales - All major and harmonic minor scales, four octaves hands together
Sight Reading: You will be asked to sight read a short excerpt.
BA (half hour lessons)
Students auditioning for half-hour lessons need to show basic proficiency in scales and perform any two pieces totaling 5-10 minutes in duration.
Memorization is not required.
Pianists interested in pursuing the BA with Jazz emphasis should contact Professor John Toomey.
For more information about the piano program or the audition process please contact Dr. Zachary Deak.
Applicants should prepare two or three pieces. Contrast of styles is desirable, especially between pieces displaying finer technique and those requiring control of tone and pedal. Memory is desirable but not required. The student should also be prepared to demonstrate technique which has been studied: scales, arpeggios, chords, etc. Bring scores for music you will perform to the audition.
- Scales: All major and harmonic minor scales in four octaves in sixteenth-notes at a quarter note=92 at the piano.
- Sight-reading of a hymn or four-part chorale.
- Short pieces from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Brahms: 11 Chorale Preludes, Op. 122
- Vierne: 24 Pieces in Free Style, Op. 31
- Mendelssohn: Slow movement from any of the 6 sonatas
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting solos: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani: solo or etude
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets or Timpani:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets, Timpani or Drumset:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Drumset:
- demonstrate ability to play in multiple styles including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, and rock by playing a standard repetition of 3 bars of time with one bar of fill for approximately 4 times in each style
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets, Timpani or Drumset:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Drumset:
- demonstrate ability to play in multiple styles including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, and rock by playing a standard repetition of 3 bars of time with one bar of fill for approximately 4 times in each style
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
Choose repertoire similar in style and difficulty to the following:
2 Mallet repertoire suggestions:
- J.S. Bach: Any 2 mallet movement from a Sonata or Partita for violin or Suite for cello (without repeats)
- Solo from Thomas McMillan's Masterpieces for Marimba
- George Hamilton Green: Any xylophone rag
4 Mallet repertoire suggestions
- Gordon Stout: One movement from Two Mexican Dances
- Paul Smadbeck Solo or Etude
- Rich O'Meara: Tune for Mary 'O / Restless
- Keiko Abe: any solos from Works for Marimba
Selected rudiments from the 40 Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments played in "open to closed" style.
Concert repertoire suggestions:
- Anthony Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm
- Nebojsa Zivkovich: 10 Etudes for Snare Drum
- Garwood Whaley: Recital Solos for Snare Drum
- Mitchell Peters solo or etude
Rudimental repertoire suggestions:
- Charles Wilcoxson: Modern Rudimental Swing Solos for the Advanced Drummer
- John Pratt: 14 Modern Contest Solos
- Jay Wanamaker solo
- Marty Hurley solo
Repertoire Suggestions:
- Garwood Whaley solo or étude
- Mitchell Peters solo or étude
- Saul Goodman: 3 or four drum etude from Modern Method for Tympani
- Raynor Carroll: solo from Exercises, Etudes, and Solos for the Timpani
- Vic Firth: The Solo Timpanist
Repertoire Suggestions:
- Tommy Igoe Groove Essentials 1 and 2
- Steve Houghton Essential Styles 1 and 2
- Rick Latham: etude from Advanced Funk Studies
- Murray Houllif solo
Piano accompaniment is not required for any string audition.
- Three-octave major scales in the following keys: G, A, B-flat, C, and D
- Sight reading
- Two pieces (or movements thereof) of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following:
- J.S. Bach: any of the unaccompanied violin partitas or sonatas
- Any standard concerto
- One Major and One Minor 3 Octave scale
- Sight reading
- Two pieces (or movements thereof) of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical from the standard viola repertoire, comparable to any the following:
- J.S.Bach: any movement from the unaccompanied cello suites
- Reger: any movement from the unaccompanied suites
- Any standard concerto movement
- Any standard sonata movement
- One Major and one Melodic Minor three octave scale to be chosen from the following list: Gg, Dd, Aa, Ff, B-flat, E-flat
- Sight reading
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following. These can be contrasting movements from the same work.
- An étude exemplifying the applicant's technical ability
- Bach Suites
- A standard sonata or concerto
- C, G, F, B-flat major and a, e, d, g melodic minor, 2 octave scales. Any two, 2 octave arpeggios of your choice.
- Sight reading
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical (These can be contrasting movements from the same work.) comparable to the following:
- An étude exemplifying the applicant's technical ability
- A standard sonata or concerto
- Play two octave major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, and E.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic arpeggios (one octave) for major, minor, major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chords.
- Read a short sight-reading example such as an Etude from John Patitucci's 60 Melodic Etudes or examples from Volume 2 of David Motto's Essential Sight-Reading Studies for Electric Bass.
- Perform two (2) contrasting pieces for solo bass. Jazz, Rock, Country, Pop, Classical, etc. styles are acceptable.
- One piece should demonstrate the ability to provide a bass line (walking bass, etc.) for a jazz standard or accompany a similar Popular music piece. A backing track may be used for this example (supplied by the auditionee).
- The other piece should be a written solo piece for bass, such as those found in Classical Masterpieces for Electric Bass by BassBooks Publishing, The Art of Solo Bass by Mel Bay Publishing, or arrangements for solo bass that include playing of melody (with or without accompaniment) or transcriptions from the orchestral bass, cello, low brass, etc. repertoire.
- Bassists may use Electric Bass, Acoustic Upright, or Steel-string Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric Bass and may play with pick and/or with fingers. Electric bassists need to bring their own cable. An amplifier will be provided.
- A small playback device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.) will need to be provided by the auditionee if they will play to a backing track.
- Copies of all prepared music should be provided to the panel members.
- All major and minor two octave scales and arpeggios
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following. These can be contrasting movements from the same work.
- J.S. Bach: A movement transcribed from any of the unaccompanied violin partitas and sonatas (any edition).
- Ettore Pozzoli: Etude No. 10 from Etudes of Medium Difficulty
- An orchestral cadenza; a concerto movement
- A programmatic work from the standard harp repertoire
Students who wish to study Classical Guitar at the undergraduate level should be prepared to demonstrate:
- The ability to read music.
- Knowledge of basic classical guitar technique. Including playing with nails.
- Scales in C, G, D, A & E.
- Repertoire: A minimum of two pieces are required. One piece must be performed from memory.
Pieces must be from the classic repertoire. Audition pieces must be on the level of a Carcassi or Aguado study, a simple etude by Leo Brouwer, or a Pavane by Luis Milan.
- Play two octave major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, and E.
- Demonstrate knowledge of both open position and barre chords for major, minor, and major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chord forms.
- Read a short sight-reading example such as a Study from William Leavitt's Melodic Rhythms for Guitar or melody from a Jazz standard.
- Perform two (2) contrasting pieces demonstrating different playing techniques. Jazz, Rock, Country, Pop, Folk, Ethnic, etc. styles are acceptable.
- Both pieces may be in the form of arrangements for solo guitar of melody with accompaniment like those contained in William Leavitt's Classical Studies for Pick-Style Guitar or chord-melody style of Jazz standards like the arrangements of Ted Greene, Barry Galbraith, or similar Mel Bay publications for chord-melody guitar.
- One of the pieces may be an example that demonstrates the ability to play the melody, comp the chord changes and then improvise over the progression. A backing track may be used for this (supplied by the auditionee). Jazz Standards, Popular Songs, and arrangements of Classical works are acceptable, as are Jamey Aebersold Play-a-Long series.
- Guitarists may use Electric Guitar, Nylon- or Steel-string Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric Guitar, and may play pick and/or fingerstyle. Electric guitarists need to bring their own cable. An amplifier will be provided.
- A small playback device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.) will need to be provided by the auditionee if they will play to a backing track.
- Copies of all prepared music should be provided to the panel members.
An accompanist will be provided, upon request. There is no fee for the accompanist, but you must send copies of the music to the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at least one week before your audition. You can FAX your music to: 757-683-5056, or email to music@odu.edu All selections must be presented with accompaniment. Recorded accompaniment is not permitted, nor is singing a capella. Students are expected to dress appropriately.
- Women: Dresses, skirts or dress pants and blouses
- Men: Dress slacks and buttoned-down shirt, dress shoes, tie and jacket optional
- Music Performance
3 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Classical Foreign Language, 1 Other (Classical or Musical Theatre) - Music Education
2-3 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Classical Foreign Language, 1 Optional Song (Classical or Musical Theatre) - Sound Recording Technology
2 songs: 1 Classical English, and 1 Song in Classical, Musical Theatre, or Jazz in the language of your choice - Music Minor
2 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Song in style and language of your choice
*All Audition Songs Must Be Memorized.
*All Songs must be accompanied by piano. Self-accompaniment is not allowed.
Note: Classical repertoire includes music from the Baroque through the 21st century, not only music from the Classical period.
Please direct questions about appropriate repertoire to Dr. Brian Nedvin.
Piano accompaniment is not required for any woodwind audition.
While recorded auditions are acceptable, a live audition is strongly recommended for scholarship consideration. Recorded auditions are only accepted via upload. Materials sent by any other method will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file to your audition application page at https://app.getacceptd.com/odmusic.
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Scales: Major scales as many octaves as possible for full range of the flute
- Chromatic scale from lowest C to highest C (3 octaves)
- Sight-reading
- Perform TWO contrasting selections that represent your playing at its best and are comparable in difficulty, but not limited to the following:
- J.S. Bach: 2 movements (slow-fast) from any sonata or one movement of a Mozart Concerto
- Major 20th Century repertoire (Poulenc, Prokofiev, French composers)
- A technical etude or study of your choice (Andersen, Berbiguier, Donjon, Altes)
- Memory is not required. The use of an accompanist is optional but must be provided by the auditioner.
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves up to e-flat
- Chromatic scale, low b-flat to high e-flat
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Barret: Oboe Method
- Ferling: Studies
- Albinoni: Oboe Concerto
- Haydn: Oboe Concerto
- Marcello: Oboe Concerto
- Mozart: Quartet or Concerto
- Hindemith: Sonata
- Hummell: Adagio, Theme and Variations
- Mozart: Quartet or Concerto
- Telemann: Sonata in A-minor
- Scales: All major scales, three octaves for B-flat and C, two octaves for all others
- Chromatic scale
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Weissenborn: 50 Advanced Studies or Milde: Concert Studies, Vol. 1
- A movement from a standard concerto (Mozart, Weber, Vivaldi, Hummel)
- A movement from a standard sonata (Hindemith, Saint-Säens, Telemann, Hurlstone, Galliard, Marcello, Cascarino)
- Elgar: Romance
- Pierné: Solo de Concerto, Op. 35 or Prelude de Concert
- Bourdeau: Premier Solo
- Osborne: Rhapsody
- A movement from one of the Bach Cello Suites
- Scales: All major scales from low E to high G
- Chromatic scale
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- David Hite, ed: Melodious and Progressive Etudes, Book 2
- Rose: 32 Etudes
- Weber: Concertos or Concertino
- Mozart: Concerto
- Brahms: Sonatas
- Schumann: Fantasy Pieces
- 20th-century works such as Niels Gade Fantasy Piece
- 6-10 minutes of alto saxophone literature representing your highest proficiency. Suggested literature includes:
- Creston: Sonata
- Glazunov: Concerto
- Purcell: Two Bourrées
- Heiden: Sonata
- Maurice: Tableaux de Provence
- Handel: Sonata (various)
- 4 copies of all solo parts should be provided for the audition panel.
- Accompanists are not required for the audition.
- Scales (from Kynaston's Daily Studies for All Saxophones): All full-range major & natural minor scales; chromatic scale.
- Be prepared to demonstrate altissimo skills, overtones, and/or altissimo scales. Tuning/pitch matching will also be assessed.
- Sight reading
Major and minor scales, and the blues scale
Two Jazz standards in contrasting styles, melody and improvisation
F blues, including improvisation (vocalists encouraged to scat)
Rhythm-section players should also be prepared to demonstrate techniques such as comping, walking bass, varied stylistic accompaniment patterns
Familiarity with standard Jazz chord construction
Sight reading
Piano accompaniment is not required for brass auditions. While recorded auditions are acceptable, a live audition is strongly recommended for scholarship consideration. Recorded auditions are only accepted via upload. Materials sent by any other method will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file to your audition application page at https://app.getacceptd.com/odmusic.
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Arban or Clarke: Carnival of Venice
- Alary: Morceau de Concours
- Balay: Petite Piece Concertante
- Purcell: Sonata
- Haydn or Hummel: Concerto
- Goedicke: Concert Etude
- Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Hindemith: Sonata
- Mozart: Concertos 2, 3 or 4
- F. Strauss: Nocturno
- R. Strauss: Concerto No. 1
Undergraduate Tenor Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- An étude from Melodious Etudes Book 1 by Marco Bordogni, ed. Joannes Rochut
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Barat: Andante et Allegro
- Croce-Spinelli: Solo de Concours
- David: Concertino
- Galliard or Marcello: Sonata 1-6
- Guilmant: Morceau Symphonique
- Hindemith: Sonata
Undergraduate Bass Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- An étude from Melodious Etudes Book 1 by Marco Bordogni, ed. Joannes Rochut (one octave lower than printed)
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Ewazen: Concerto for Bass Trombone
- Fetter: Variations on Palestrina's "Dona Nobis Pacem"
- Lebedev: Concerto No.1 (Hofmeister edition)
- Hidas: Meditation
- McCarty: Sonata for Bass Trombone
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Études chosen from the following or comparable collections:
- Voxman: Selected Studies
- Bordogni/Rochut: Melodious Studies, Vol. 1
- Arban: Characteristic Studies
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Curnow: Rhapsody for Euphonium
- Arban: Carnival of Venice and Variations on a Tyrolean Song
- DeLuca: Beautiful Colorado
- Clinard: Sonata for Unaccompanied Euphonium
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves
- Chromatic scale in two octaves
- Sight-reading
- Two contrasting movements from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo
- Grigoriev: Studies for Tuba
- Bordogni: Legato Etudes Vol. 1
- Blazhevich: 70 Studies for Tuba
- Haddad: Suite for Tuba
- Hartley: Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba
- Hindemith: Sonata for Bass Tuba
- Marcello: Sonata in F-Major
- Marcello: Sonata in A-Minor
Applicants seeking the Bachelor of Music, Composition major must audition on their primary instrument or voice area. See the audition requirements on this page for specific audition information for your instrument or voice. Please note: Applicants that plan to minor in Composition do not need to complete an audition.
All Composition applicants are required to take the Theory Placement Exam on a published audition day. They must also submit a portfolio of works demonstrating their ability to compose music. The portfolio should be submitted as part of their online application through Acceptd.com. In order to study composition students must pass MUSC 222 with a grade of C or higher.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload portfolio material into their F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music admission application through Acceptd.com. Scores, audio, video and midi media may be uploaded. See Media Guidelines for more details. Current ODU music students may submit material directly to Dr. Andrey Kasparov.
BM Performance, BM PreK-12 Music Education (Piano Major)
A minimum of two contrasting works from any of the categories below:
- Baroque - examples include works by such composers as J.S. Bach, François Couperin, or Domenico Scarlatti
- Classical - a movement of a sonata by a classical composer, up to and including Schubert.
- One piece from the Romantic, Impressionistic or Contemporary repertoire
All selections must be played from memory.
Sight Reading: You will be asked to sight read a short excerpt.
Interview: The piano faculty will ask you about your previous piano experience, your future aspirations, and your interest in the Diehn School of Music.
BM Non-Piano Major (hour lessons)
A minimum of two contrasting selections from any musical period.
A total of at least 15 minutes of music.
Memorization is encouraged but not required.
Scales - All major and harmonic minor scales, four octaves hands together
Sight Reading: You will be asked to sight read a short excerpt.
BA (half hour lessons)
Students auditioning for half-hour lessons need to show basic proficiency in scales and perform any two pieces totaling 5-10 minutes in duration.
Memorization is not required.
Pianists interested in pursuing the BA with Jazz emphasis should contact Professor John Toomey.
For more information about the piano program or the audition process please contact Dr. Zachary Deak.
Applicants should prepare two or three pieces. Contrast of styles is desirable, especially between pieces displaying finer technique and those requiring control of tone and pedal. Memory is desirable but not required. The student should also be prepared to demonstrate technique which has been studied: scales, arpeggios, chords, etc. Bring scores for music you will perform to the audition.
- Scales: All major and harmonic minor scales in four octaves in sixteenth-notes at a quarter note=92 at the piano.
- Sight-reading of a hymn or four-part chorale.
- Short pieces from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Brahms: 11 Chorale Preludes, Op. 122
- Vierne: 24 Pieces in Free Style, Op. 31
- Mendelssohn: Slow movement from any of the 6 sonatas
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting solos: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani: solo or etude
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets or Timpani:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets, Timpani or Drumset:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Drumset:
- demonstrate ability to play in multiple styles including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, and rock by playing a standard repetition of 3 bars of time with one bar of fill for approximately 4 times in each style
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
- Snare Drum:
- 2 contrasting pieces: one concert, one rudimental
- 26 Standard Rudiments
- Choose between Mallets, Timpani or Drumset:
- Mallets:
- all major scales at least 2 octaves
- solo or transcription (2 or 4 mallet)
- Timpani:
- solo or etude
- Drumset:
- demonstrate ability to play in multiple styles including swing, Afro-Cuban, funk, and rock by playing a standard repetition of 3 bars of time with one bar of fill for approximately 4 times in each style
- solo or etude
- Mallets:
- Sight Reading
Choose repertoire similar in style and difficulty to the following:
2 Mallet repertoire suggestions:
- J.S. Bach: Any 2 mallet movement from a Sonata or Partita for violin or Suite for cello (without repeats)
- Solo from Thomas McMillan's Masterpieces for Marimba
- George Hamilton Green: Any xylophone rag
4 Mallet repertoire suggestions
- Gordon Stout: One movement from Two Mexican Dances
- Paul Smadbeck Solo or Etude
- Rich O'Meara: Tune for Mary 'O / Restless
- Keiko Abe: any solos from Works for Marimba
Selected rudiments from the 40 Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments played in "open to closed" style.
Concert repertoire suggestions:
- Anthony Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm
- Nebojsa Zivkovich: 10 Etudes for Snare Drum
- Garwood Whaley: Recital Solos for Snare Drum
- Mitchell Peters solo or etude
Rudimental repertoire suggestions:
- Charles Wilcoxson: Modern Rudimental Swing Solos for the Advanced Drummer
- John Pratt: 14 Modern Contest Solos
- Jay Wanamaker solo
- Marty Hurley solo
Repertoire Suggestions:
- Garwood Whaley solo or étude
- Mitchell Peters solo or étude
- Saul Goodman: 3 or four drum etude from Modern Method for Tympani
- Raynor Carroll: solo from Exercises, Etudes, and Solos for the Timpani
- Vic Firth: The Solo Timpanist
Repertoire Suggestions:
- Tommy Igoe Groove Essentials 1 and 2
- Steve Houghton Essential Styles 1 and 2
- Rick Latham: etude from Advanced Funk Studies
- Murray Houllif solo
Piano accompaniment is not required for any string audition.
- Three-octave major scales in the following keys: G, A, B-flat, C, and D
- Sight reading
- Two pieces (or movements thereof) of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following:
- J.S. Bach: any of the unaccompanied violin partitas or sonatas
- Any standard concerto
- One Major and One Minor 3 Octave scale
- Sight reading
- Two pieces (or movements thereof) of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical from the standard viola repertoire, comparable to any the following:
- J.S.Bach: any movement from the unaccompanied cello suites
- Reger: any movement from the unaccompanied suites
- Any standard concerto movement
- Any standard sonata movement
- One Major and one Melodic Minor three octave scale to be chosen from the following list: Gg, Dd, Aa, Ff, B-flat, E-flat
- Sight reading
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following. These can be contrasting movements from the same work.
- An étude exemplifying the applicant's technical ability
- Bach Suites
- A standard sonata or concerto
- C, G, F, B-flat major and a, e, d, g melodic minor, 2 octave scales. Any two, 2 octave arpeggios of your choice.
- Sight reading
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical (These can be contrasting movements from the same work.) comparable to the following:
- An étude exemplifying the applicant's technical ability
- A standard sonata or concerto
- Play two octave major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, and E.
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic arpeggios (one octave) for major, minor, major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chords.
- Read a short sight-reading example such as an Etude from John Patitucci's 60 Melodic Etudes or examples from Volume 2 of David Motto's Essential Sight-Reading Studies for Electric Bass.
- Perform two (2) contrasting pieces for solo bass. Jazz, Rock, Country, Pop, Classical, etc. styles are acceptable.
- One piece should demonstrate the ability to provide a bass line (walking bass, etc.) for a jazz standard or accompany a similar Popular music piece. A backing track may be used for this example (supplied by the auditionee).
- The other piece should be a written solo piece for bass, such as those found in Classical Masterpieces for Electric Bass by BassBooks Publishing, The Art of Solo Bass by Mel Bay Publishing, or arrangements for solo bass that include playing of melody (with or without accompaniment) or transcriptions from the orchestral bass, cello, low brass, etc. repertoire.
- Bassists may use Electric Bass, Acoustic Upright, or Steel-string Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric Bass and may play with pick and/or with fingers. Electric bassists need to bring their own cable. An amplifier will be provided.
- A small playback device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.) will need to be provided by the auditionee if they will play to a backing track.
- Copies of all prepared music should be provided to the panel members.
- All major and minor two octave scales and arpeggios
- Two pieces of contrasting styles, one technical and one lyrical, comparable to the following. These can be contrasting movements from the same work.
- J.S. Bach: A movement transcribed from any of the unaccompanied violin partitas and sonatas (any edition).
- Ettore Pozzoli: Etude No. 10 from Etudes of Medium Difficulty
- An orchestral cadenza; a concerto movement
- A programmatic work from the standard harp repertoire
Students who wish to study Classical Guitar at the undergraduate level should be prepared to demonstrate:
- The ability to read music.
- Knowledge of basic classical guitar technique. Including playing with nails.
- Scales in C, G, D, A & E.
- Repertoire: A minimum of two pieces are required. One piece must be performed from memory.
Pieces must be from the classic repertoire. Audition pieces must be on the level of a Carcassi or Aguado study, a simple etude by Leo Brouwer, or a Pavane by Luis Milan.
- Play two octave major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, and E.
- Demonstrate knowledge of both open position and barre chords for major, minor, and major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th chord forms.
- Read a short sight-reading example such as a Study from William Leavitt's Melodic Rhythms for Guitar or melody from a Jazz standard.
- Perform two (2) contrasting pieces demonstrating different playing techniques. Jazz, Rock, Country, Pop, Folk, Ethnic, etc. styles are acceptable.
- Both pieces may be in the form of arrangements for solo guitar of melody with accompaniment like those contained in William Leavitt's Classical Studies for Pick-Style Guitar or chord-melody style of Jazz standards like the arrangements of Ted Greene, Barry Galbraith, or similar Mel Bay publications for chord-melody guitar.
- One of the pieces may be an example that demonstrates the ability to play the melody, comp the chord changes and then improvise over the progression. A backing track may be used for this (supplied by the auditionee). Jazz Standards, Popular Songs, and arrangements of Classical works are acceptable, as are Jamey Aebersold Play-a-Long series.
- Guitarists may use Electric Guitar, Nylon- or Steel-string Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric Guitar, and may play pick and/or fingerstyle. Electric guitarists need to bring their own cable. An amplifier will be provided.
- A small playback device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, etc.) will need to be provided by the auditionee if they will play to a backing track.
- Copies of all prepared music should be provided to the panel members.
An accompanist will be provided, upon request. There is no fee for the accompanist, but you must send copies of the music to the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music at least one week before your audition. You can FAX your music to: 757-683-5056, or email to music@odu.edu All selections must be presented with accompaniment. Recorded accompaniment is not permitted, nor is singing a capella. Students are expected to dress appropriately.
- Women: Dresses, skirts or dress pants and blouses
- Men: Dress slacks and buttoned-down shirt, dress shoes, tie and jacket optional
- Music Performance
3 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Classical Foreign Language, 1 Other (Classical or Musical Theatre) - Music Education
2-3 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Classical Foreign Language, 1 Optional Song (Classical or Musical Theatre) - Sound Recording Technology
2 songs: 1 Classical English, and 1 Song in Classical, Musical Theatre, or Jazz in the language of your choice - Music Minor
2 songs: 1 Classical English, 1 Song in style and language of your choice
*All Audition Songs Must Be Memorized.
*All Songs must be accompanied by piano. Self-accompaniment is not allowed.
Note: Classical repertoire includes music from the Baroque through the 21st century, not only music from the Classical period.
Please direct questions about appropriate repertoire to Dr. Brian Nedvin.
Piano accompaniment is not required for any woodwind audition.
While recorded auditions are acceptable, a live audition is strongly recommended for scholarship consideration. Recorded auditions are only accepted via upload. Materials sent by any other method will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file to your audition application page at https://app.getacceptd.com/odmusic.
All wind/percussion auditions include sight-reading and matching pitches played on piano with your voice.
- Scales: Major scales as many octaves as possible for full range of the flute
- Chromatic scale from lowest C to highest C (3 octaves)
- Sight-reading
- Perform TWO contrasting selections that represent your playing at its best and are comparable in difficulty, but not limited to the following:
- J.S. Bach: 2 movements (slow-fast) from any sonata or one movement of a Mozart Concerto
- Major 20th Century repertoire (Poulenc, Prokofiev, French composers)
- A technical etude or study of your choice (Andersen, Berbiguier, Donjon, Altes)
- Memory is not required. The use of an accompanist is optional but must be provided by the auditioner.
- Scales: Major scales in two octaves up to e-flat
- Chromatic scale, low b-flat to high e-flat
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Barret: Oboe Method
- Ferling: Studies
- Albinoni: Oboe Concerto
- Haydn: Oboe Concerto
- Marcello: Oboe Concerto
- Mozart: Quartet or Concerto
- Hindemith: Sonata
- Hummell: Adagio, Theme and Variations
- Mozart: Quartet or Concerto
- Telemann: Sonata in A-minor
- Scales: All major scales, three octaves for B-flat and C, two octaves for all others
- Chromatic scale
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- Weissenborn: 50 Advanced Studies or Milde: Concert Studies, Vol. 1
- A movement from a standard concerto (Mozart, Weber, Vivaldi, Hummel)
- A movement from a standard sonata (Hindemith, Saint-Säens, Telemann, Hurlstone, Galliard, Marcello, Cascarino)
- Elgar: Romance
- Pierné: Solo de Concerto, Op. 35 or Prelude de Concert
- Bourdeau: Premier Solo
- Osborne: Rhapsody
- A movement from one of the Bach Cello Suites
- Scales: All major scales from low E to high G
- Chromatic scale
- Sight-reading
- Perform two contrasting movements, pieces or etudes from works comparable in difficulty to the following:
- David Hite, ed: Melodious and Progressive Etudes, Book 2
- Rose: 32 Etudes
- Weber: Concertos or Concertino
- Mozart: Concerto
- Brahms: Sonatas
- Schumann: Fantasy Pieces
- 20th-century works such as Niels Gade Fantasy Piece
- 6-10 minutes of alto saxophone literature representing your highest proficiency. Suggested literature includes:
- Creston: Sonata
- Glazunov: Concerto
- Purcell: Two Bourrées
- Heiden: Sonata
- Maurice: Tableaux de Provence
- Handel: Sonata (various)
- 4 copies of all solo parts should be provided for the audition panel.
- Accompanists are not required for the audition.
- Scales (from Kynaston's Daily Studies for All Saxophones): All full-range major & natural minor scales; chromatic scale.
- Be prepared to demonstrate altissimo skills, overtones, and/or altissimo scales. Tuning/pitch matching will also be assessed.
- Sight reading
If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled audition dates offered by the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music, but wish to come to Old Dominion University for a live audition, it may be possible to arrange an ad hoc audition with faculty from your performance area on another date. Ad hoc audition requests are made directly to the faculty. Once the faculty has granted the ad hoc audition, submit the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application with the Ad Hoc Audition section completed. Note that faculty members are not obligated to grant ad hoc auditions. Please note: Ad hoc auditions are not available during the summer session months, May through August. All F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application materials must be received at least one week prior to the ad hoc audition date.
*NOTE: Applicants that live within a two-hour radius from the ODU campus must complete the live audition. Those who live beyond a two-hour radius and are unable to visit the campus for a live audition may upload a recorded video audition as part of the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application. Scholarship consideration is prioritized to applicants who perform on-campus auditions instead of recorded auditions. All listed application deadlines must be met.
Audition recordings must conform to the same audition requirements as an on-campus audition unless otherwise noted. Audition recordings are only accepted via upload through our audition application page. Recordings sent by any other method (e.g., DVD, CD, YouTube or similar) will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file. Audio recordings are not acceptable; only video will be considered for audition. Recordings are reviewed only after all required F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application materials have been received and processed.
Please note: Prospective students that plan to complete the audition during August must attend the in-person audition date, as the recorded audition review process does not happen from June through mid-August.
For recorded audition videos, the sight reading and pitch matching portions of the audition will be completed via Zoom, before or on the actual audition date. Once the application is submitted, the ODU Music faculty will be in contact to schedule the sight reading and pitch matching portions of the audition.
If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled audition dates offered by the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music, but wish to come to Old Dominion University for a live audition, it may be possible to arrange an ad hoc audition with faculty from your performance area on another date. Ad hoc audition requests are made directly to the faculty. Once the faculty has granted the ad hoc audition, submit the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application with the Ad Hoc Audition section completed. Note that faculty members are not obligated to grant ad hoc auditions. Please note: Ad hoc auditions are not available during the summer session months, May through August. All F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application materials must be received at least one week prior to the ad hoc audition date.
*NOTE: Applicants that live within a two-hour radius from the ODU campus must complete the live audition. Those who live beyond a two-hour radius and are unable to visit the campus for a live audition may upload a recorded video audition as part of the F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application. Scholarship consideration is prioritized to applicants who perform on-campus auditions instead of recorded auditions. All listed application deadlines must be met.
Audition recordings must conform to the same audition requirements as an on-campus audition unless otherwise noted. Audition recordings are only accepted via upload through our audition application page. Recordings sent by any other method (e.g., DVD, CD, YouTube or similar) will neither be reviewed nor acted upon. Upload each selection as a separate recording file. Audio recordings are not acceptable; only video will be considered for audition. Recordings are reviewed only after all required F. Ludwig Diehn School of Music application materials have been received and processed.
Please note: Prospective students that plan to complete the audition during August must attend the in-person audition date, as the recorded audition review process does not happen from June through mid-August.
For recorded audition videos, the sight reading and pitch matching portions of the audition will be completed via Zoom, before or on the actual audition date. Once the application is submitted, the ODU Music faculty will be in contact to schedule the sight reading and pitch matching portions of the audition.