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School of Music

Review the drop-down menus below for specific repertoire requirements.

Flute | Oboe | Clarinet | Bassoon | Classical Saxophone | Trumpet | Horn | Trombone | Tuba | Euphonium

All applicants should be prepared to perform the following:

  • Two contrasting pieces/movements/etudes from standard repertoire, performed unaccompanied
  • All major scales and chromatic scale covering the practical range of the instrument
  • Optional: a piece on a secondary instrument or a jazz/standard song

Prospective classical woodwind and brass applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition.

Questions? Contact Dr. Nick Volz

All applicants should be prepared to perform all of the following:

  • Standard drum rudiments in open-closed-open style
  • Snare drum rudimentary-style solo or etude
  • Keyboard percussion solo or etude using 2- and/or 4-mallet technique 
  • Timpani solo or etude
  • Optional: demonstration of basic jazz styles (swing, bossa, funk, etc.) on drum set or a piece on a secondary instrument

Prospective classical percussion applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition.

Questions? Contact Dr. Nick Volz

Violin | Viola | Cello | String Bass

  • Applicants should prepare two pieces in contrasting styles (i.e. one technical and the other lyrical) from the standard repertoire. The selections may be movements of a sonata, concerto, etude, etc. Unaccompanied
  • One major and one minor scale of your choice: 3 octaves, at least 2 notes per bow
  • Sight reading proficiency will be tested for applicants auditioning on-campus: Applicants will be asked to perform 4-8 measures of orchestral excerpts

Prospective string applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted.

Questions? Contact Amy Thiaville

Applicants should prepare two standard orchestral excerpts in contrasting styles. Unaccompanied

  • Applicants should prepare two pieces in contrasting styles (renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, or contemporary) from the standard repertoire - Unaccompanied
  • Applicants must perform their selections from memory

Prospective classical guitar applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted.

Questions? Contact Dr. Jean Montes

The piano repertoire level necessary would necessarily include some of the Bach Two-Part Inventions and some Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Works by later composers would include: Mozart Piano Sonatas; earlier Beethoven Piano Sonatas; Mendelssohn Songs Without Words; Chopin Preludes and Waltzes; and, smaller-scales works by Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms.

If the prospective student has already had organ study, they should prepare at least two organ works as follows:

1. An original organ composition by Johann Sebastian Bach, preferably of at least average difficulty, such as:

  • Any of the Preludes, Toccatas or Fugues, including the smaller-scale early ones
  • Any chorale preludes, including the OrgelbĂĽchlein
  • A movement from any of the Trio Sonatas

2. A second piece of contrasting style and time period of at least moderate difficulty. Preferable would be an original organ composition written in the 19th century, such as:

  • Anything by Felix Mendelssohn or Johannes Brahms
  • Any of the twelve major organ compositions of CĂ©sar Franck -Anything by Charles Marie Widor, Alexandre Guilmant, Eugène Gigout or LĂ©on BoĂ«llmann The second piece may also be by one of Bach’s predecessors or contemporaries such as François Couperin, Dietrich Buxtehude, J. G. Walther and Vincent LĂĽbeck.

Also acceptable are works from the 20th or 21st Centuries, such as:

  • Anything by Louis Vierne, Joseph Jongen, Jean Langlais, Marcel DuprĂ© or Maurice Duruflé ;
  • Anything by Olivier Messiaen or Jehan Alain;
  • Any Movement from one of the three organ sonatas of Paul Hindemith;
  • Original organ compositions by American composers.

If the student has learned how to play hymns, they will also be asked to play a standard hymn with minimum preparation time.

If the prospective student is auditioning at the organ, they will be given preparation and practice time at the organ used for the audition, and should plan to arrive in New Orleans at least two days before the scheduled audition date to have ample time to prepare. The identity of the builder and the specification of the organ will be sent to the prospective student ahead of time, as well as information about the church or synagogue in which it is located. The instrument for the audition will be selected to suit the repertoire of the prospective student; hence, the student should submit the list of audition repertoire at least two weeks before the audition date.

Prospective organ applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted.

Applicants should prepare two jazz or standard songs in contrasting styles (memorization is encouraged):

  • The first, swing style in a medium-to-fast tempo: Blues or standard melody
  • The second, a slow ballad that demonstrates jazz interpretation
  • Be prepared to demonstrate improvisation on both selections

Applicants will audition with jazz backing tracks of their own choosing. You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition. Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription is optional.

Prospective jazz woodwind and brass applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition.

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

Applicants should prepare two jazz or standard songs in contrasting styles (memorization is encouraged):

  • The first, swing style in a medium-to-fast tempo: Blues or standard melody
  • The second, a slow ballad that demonstrates jazz interpretation
  • Be prepared to demonstrate improvisation on both selections

Applicants will audition with jazz backing tracks of their own choosing. You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition. Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription is optional.

Prospective jazz guitar applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

Applicants should prepare two jazz or standard songs in contrasting styles (memorization is encouraged):

  • The first, swing style in a medium-to-fast tempo: Blues or standard melody
  • The second, a slow ballad that demonstrates jazz interpretation
  • Be prepared to demonstrate improvisation on both selections and a walking bass line

Applicants will audition with jazz backing tracks of their own choosing. You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition. Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription is optional.

Prospective jazz bass applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition.

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

Applicants should prepare two jazz or standard songs in contrasting styles (memorization is encouraged):

  • The first, swing style in a medium-to-fast tempo: Blues or standard melody
  • The second, a slow ballad that demonstrates jazz interpretation
  • Be prepared to demonstrate improvisation on both selections

You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition. Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription is optional.

Prospective jazz keyboard applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

  • Applicants will be asked to demonstrate proficiency in the basic styles: Swing, Shuffle, Bossa, Funk and Latin grooves
  • Be prepared to demonstrate soloing (trading 4’s or 8’s), brush playing, and sight-read a short big band excerpt
  • Play-alongs are encouraged if the tunes selected are in an appropriate style. You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition
  • Ability in mallet percussion and classical styles may also be demonstrated
  • Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription is optional.

Prospective jazz drum applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition.

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

Applicants should prepare two jazz or standard songs in contrasting styles (memorization is encouraged):

  • Be prepared to demonstrate improvisation on one or both selections
  • You are encouraged to use resources such as learnjazzstandards.com to prepare for your audition

Applicants will audition with jazz backing tracks of their own choosing. Students should be prepared to play a short excerpt of a jazz solo transcription performed along with the original recording. If the student is submitting a video audition, this transcription must be is optional.

Prospective jazz keyboard applicants can complete the audition requirement by submitting an audition video or registering for an on-campus audition. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Gordon Towell

Applicants auditioning for a Bachelor of Music in Performance major should prepare:

  • A work by J.S. Bach (Prelude and Fugue from WTC, French or English Suite, Partita)
  • Two contrasting movements from a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven
  • A work from either the 19th or 20th century (for example, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev)
  • Candidates should also be able to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios (4 octaves) in a moderately rapid tempo

Applicants auditioning for Music Therapy, Music Industry, Music with Elective Studies, Music Composition, or Music Education with piano as their principal instrument should prepare:

  • All major and minor scales and arpeggios (2 octaves) in a moderately rapid tempo
  • A work from the Baroque period (for example, a J.S. Bach Invention or Sinfonia, a dance/movement from a Suite or Partita, a prelude and Fugue, or a Scarlatti Sonata)
  • One additional work of the applicant's choice (Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic, 20th Century)

Prospective classical piano applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted.

Questions? Contact Professor Qifan Wu

  • Singers should prepare three contrasting selections from the art song, aria, spiritual, or classical Broadway repertoire.
    • One of your selections must be in a foreign language
    • NO jazz tunes, original songs, songs with lead sheets, pop or pop/Broadway, or a cappella songs
    • Complete songs must be performed from memory

Prospective classical voice applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted. If the applicant chooses to audition in-person, they must bring a copy of their sheet music for the accompanist.

Questions? Contact Dr. Tyler Smith

Music Education applicants will need to interview and audition for admission to Loyola. Please prepare to audition with your primary instrument and see the requirements per instrument in the sections above.

Applicants can register for both their audition and interview through your Loyola Application Portal. You should have received access to this portal 24 hours after submitting your application. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Ed McClellan

Music Therapy applicants will need to interview and audition for admission to Loyola. Please prepare to audition with your primary instrument and see the requirements per instrument in the sections above.

Applicants can register for both their audition and interview through your Loyola Application Portal. You should have received access to this portal 24 hours after submitting your application. 

Questions? Contact Dr. Victoria Vega

Music Industry Studies (BM) applicants will need to interview and audition for admission to Loyola. Please prepare to audition with your primary instrument and see the requirements per instrument in the sections above.

Applicants can register for both their audition and interview through your Loyola Application Portal. You should have received access to this portal 24 hours after submitting your application. 

Questions? Contact Timothy Kappel

Popular and Commercial Music applicants will need to audition for admission to Loyola. Please prepare to audition with your primary instrument by reviewing these requirements.

Applicants can register for their audition through their Loyola Application Portal, which they should have received access to within 24 hours of submitting their application. 

Prospective Popular and Commercial Music applicants can complete the audition requirement by registering for either an on-campus audition or virtual Zoom audition. Video submissions are not accepted.

Questions? Contact Kate Duncan

Hip Hop and R&B applicants will need to interview for admission to Loyola.

Applicants can register for their interview through their Loyola Application Portal, which they should have received access to within 24 hours of submitting their application. 

Questions? Contact Kate Duncan