Percussion Prescreening & Audition Procedures - Manhattan School of Music-火博体育

Requirements for Percussion

Percussion applicants for all Graduate-level programs must submit a prescreen video in order to be considered for an invitation to an in-person or recorded audition.

Step 1: Prescreen

Include ALL required repertoire for the degree level you are applying to, as listed in the dropdown menu below.
Upload your prescreen recordings directly to your application.
Prescreen Deadline: December 3.
Videos do not have to be a professional or studio recording, but the sound quality should be of high quality and should accurately reflect your musicianship.
Each piece or movement should be uploaded as a separate video. However, each individual video must be unedited.

Step 2: Audition

Applicants who pass the prescreen round will be invited to audition.

Prepare ALL of the required audition repertoire for the degree level you are applying to, as listed in the dropdown menu below.
Note that audition repertoire requirements may differ from prescreen requirements. However, applicants may choose to include selections from their prescreen submissions in the audition where requirements overlap.
MSM offers in-person and recorded final auditions, except for the Doctoral of Musical Arts & Artist Diploma programs, which require an in-person audition.

Carefully review the specific repertoire requirements for your degree level in the dropdown menu below. Please upload your videos to your application.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
Step 1: Prescreen

There is no prescreen requirement for Undergraduate Percussion applicants.

Step 2: Audition

Snare Drum:
- Two contrasting solos or etudes of the applicant’s choice, one of which must be in rudimental style
Marimba:
- Two contrasting solos of the applicant’s choice, one of which may be played on xylophone or vibraphone
- One with two mallets
- One with four mallets
- Sight reading
Timpani:
- One solo or etude of the applicant’s choice
Master of Music (MM)
Step 1: Prescreen

Please record all of the following requirements for each instrument listed.

Snare Drum:
- A solo piece or etude of the applicant’s choice
- Sergei Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije (Movement I, Rehearsal 1-2)
Mallets:
- Excerpts from two contrasting solos (one with two mallets, one with four mallets) – solo excerpts should be 2-4 minutes each
- George Gershwin – Porgy and Bess (opening)
Timpani:
- A solo piece or advanced etude of the applicant’s choice
- Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 9 (Movement 1, measure 513 to the end)
Tambourine:
- Antonin Dvorak – Carnival Overture (beginning to letter C)
*You are currently viewing the requirements for the Classical division at MSM. For graduate students interested in pursuing a degree program in Orchestral Studies, please see the Orchestral Performance Program requirements here. The OP program is a small, specialized curriculum that includes rigorous orchestral repertoire classes and regular mock auditions in place of traditional recital requirements. All applicants to the Orchestral Performance Percussion are also considered for the Classical Percussion program with a single application.

Step 2: Audition

Snare Drum:
- Two contrasting solos or etudes of the applicant’s choice, one of which must be in rudimental style
Marimba:
- Two contrasting solos of the applicant’s choice, one of which may be played on xylophone or vibraphone:
- One with two mallets,
- One with four mallets
- Sight reading
Timpani:
- One solo or advanced etude of the applicant’s choice
Orchestral Excerpts:
- Three to four contrasting excerpts each for snare drum, xylophone, and timpani
- One or two contrasting excerpts each for glockenspiel, tambourine, and cymbals
*You are currently viewing the requirements for the Classical division at MSM. For graduate students interested in pursuing a degree program in Orchestral Studies, please see the Orchestral Performance Program requirements here. The OP program is a small, specialized curriculum that includes rigorous orchestral repertoire classes and regular mock auditions in place of traditional recital requirements. All applicants to the Orchestral Performance Percussion are also considered for the Classical Percussion program with a single application.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), & Artist Diploma (AD)
Step 1: Prescreen

Please record all of the following requirements for each instrument listed.

Snare Drum:
- A solo piece of the applicant’s choice
- 2 contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicant’s choice
Mallets:
- Two solos in contrasting styles
- 2 contrasting orchestral xylophone excerpts
Timpani:
- A solo piece of the applicant’s choice
- 2 contrasting orchestral excerpts
Tambourine:
- Antonin Dvorak – Carnival Overture (beginning to letter C)
Multiple Percussion:
- A solo piece of the applicant’s choice
*You are currently viewing the requirements for the Classical division at MSM. For graduate students interested in pursuing a degree program in Orchestral Studies, please see the Orchestral Performance Program requirements here. The OP program is a small, specialized curriculum that includes rigorous orchestral repertoire classes and regular mock auditions in place of traditional recital requirements. All applicants to the Orchestral Performance Percussion are also considered for the Classical Percussion program with a single application.

Step 2: Audition

A selection of video recordings of multi-percussion performances should be submitted to augment the live audition. The videos may include any additional performances that the candidate would like the faculty to hear. In addition to the requirements listed below, the live audition will include a dialog with the faculty regarding your goals and expectations for study at MSM.

Portions of a full-length recital:
- The audition must include works of contrasting style for mallets, timpani, snare drum, and multi- percussion.
Orchestral repertoire for all instruments at the professional level:
- Three to six excerpts each for snare drum, xylophone, and timpani
- Two excerpts each for glockenspiel, tambourine, and cymbals
*You are currently viewing the requirements for the Classical division at MSM. For graduate students interested in pursuing a degree program in Orchestral Studies, please see the Orchestral Performance Program requirements here. The OP program is a small, specialized curriculum that includes rigorous orchestral repertoire classes and regular mock auditions in place of traditional recital requirements. All applicants to the Orchestral Performance Percussion are also considered for the Classical Percussion program with a single application.