Undergraduate Auditions
Please submit a Slideroom application and plan to audition in-person at an on-campus audition day found here.
Audition Repertoire Requirements:
- Two solo classical* selections from memory - one in English and the second selection in another language (maximum of 5 minutes will be heard in the audition).
- All selections must be from solo classical vocal repertoire with piano accompaniment. If you intend to audition for the Music Theatre concentration, the English selection may be from the musical theatre repertoire. Pop songs or voice parts from choral material are not acceptable for your audition.
- All works must be performed from memory.
- A collaborative pianist will be provided for your in-person audition. There will be no rehearsal time with the pianist, so please have all of your music in the appropriate key with any changes marked. No pre-recorded accompaniment tracks will be permitted in in-person auditions.
*Classical repertoire may take the form of art songs, arrangements of folksongs or spirituals, or oratorio or operatic arias. When choosing repertoire to satisfy these requirements, we encourage you to express your individuality through classical works of traditionally underrepresented composers or other works you find personally meaningful. Choosing repertoire is an excellent opportunity to showcase works that best reflect your culture, gender, or other forms of self-identity.
On your designated JMU Audition Day, after you have presented your vocal repertoire, you will have a short interview with JMU Voice Faculty members.
During your interview, you will:
- sight-read a short selection;
- share with us a little bit about yourself as a musician, including career goals;
- have the opportunity to ask questions of the Voice Faculty.
For more information, contact Dr. Sonya Baker at bakersg@jmu.edu.
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Master of Music Graduate Auditions
The application process for graduate music admissions involves submitting two applications:
1) The Graduate School Application
2) School of Music Application via Slideroom
All MM applicants in voice are required to submit a pre-screening audition video. The recording should be in unedited digital video with good quality sound, shot with one camera angle only. Please note that pre-screenings submitted after the deadline cannot be considered for application to enter the graduate program for the following year.
The video should be comprised of:
- Two (2) art songs
- Two (2) arias from opera or oratorio
Selections should be chosen to demonstrate competency in all four core languages—English, French, Italian, and German, as well as demontrate facility with contrasting styles and periods.
If selected for an on-campus audition, candidates should preparing the following (which may include selections from the pre-screening video):
- An Italian Art Song or Aria from 18th Century or before
- One German Lied
- One French Mélodie
- One 20th or 21st Century Art Song
- An Operatic Aria
- An Oratorio Aria
Four langauges must be represented: English, French, German, & Italian.
Please contact Dr. Sonya Baker at bakersg@jmu.edu if you have any questions.
Areas will contact the applicants that pass the pre-screening round with the next steps in their on-campus auditions. In conjunction with those auditions, invited applicants will need to complete a writing prompt, solely for the purpose of assessing language skills. Date to be announced.
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Doctor of Musical Arts Graduate Auditions
The application process for graduate music admissions involves submitting two applications:
1) The Graduate School Application
2) School of Music Application via Slideroom
All DMA applicants in voice are required to submit a pre-screening audition video. The recording should be in unedited digital video with good quality sound, shot with one camera angle only. Please note that pre-screenings submitted after the deadline cannot be considered for application to enter the graduate program for the following year.
The video should be comprised of:
- Two (2) art songs
- Two (2) arias from opera or oratorio
Selections should be chosen to demonstrate competency in all four core languages—English, French, Italian, and German, as well as demontrate facility with contrasting styles and periods.
If selected for an on-campus audition, DMA applicants will prepare and perform selections from a full recital program which may include selections from the pre-screening audition repertoire.
The program should include representation forom the following areas of repertoire and should contain music of a minimum of 50 minutes. Four languages must be presented: Italian, German, French, and English.
- Baroque Period Art Songs or Arias
- Classical Period Art Songs
- Romantic Period Art Songs
- 20th Century Art Songs
- Operatic and Oratorio Arias
Please contact Dr. Sonya Baker at bakersg@jmu.edu if you have any questions.
Areas will contact the applicants that pass the pre-screening round with the next steps in their on-campus auditions. In conjunction with those auditions, invited applicants will need to complete a writing prompt, solely for the purpose of assessing language skills. Date to be announced.
