Music
Clarinet Audition Requirements
Admissions Auditions
In order to study Clarinet at CWU, you must first audition for the music faculty. This step is required to complete your acceptance into the CWU Department of Music program. This audition gives us an opportunity to hear the level you have achieved in your musical skills and it gives you the opportunity to discuss your development with collegiate instructors. Performance entrance standards may be found at the bottom of the page. For more details about the admissions process please visit our Music Program Auditions & Admissions page.
For your audition we recommend the following:- Select music which best displays your performance level.
- We strongly recommend you prepare your audition material under the supervision of your private teacher and/or music director.
Requirements:
- Major scales, C, F, G, Bb, D, Eb, A - at least two octaves - F & G should be three octaves.
- Chromatic scale from low E to High G and back (three octaves and a third).
- Scales need to be fluent and smooth. Please play them slurred and at a quick pace.
- Two contrasting selections.
- For example, a quick and a slow etude from the 32 Etudes by C. Rose
- a fast and slow movement from a sonata or concerto, etc.
- Sight reading may be required
- Performance majors should also prepare three works to include 20th century and earlier styles.
Admissions Audition Registration
Before you can audition you must register for an audition time. Please visit our Music Program Auditions & Admissions page for further information.
Ensemble Audition Requirements
For New and Returning Clarinet Students wishing to play in a large ensemble. Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Band auditions take place during the first week of each new quarter. Fall auditions have specific materials for all who intend to play in a large ensemble. For the schedule, and further details, please visit our Ensemble Auditions page. Auditions for Winter and/or Spring will be announced as needed. Check our Audition Excerpts page for specific clarinet excerpts. Please note bass clarinet auditions have no specific excerpts. Please play excerpts of your choice.
Contact Professor Josephine Wells for more information.
Entrance Standards
Transfer students with clarinet as their major instrument will be placed at an applied level based on their skill achievement. To begin your studies at the 364 level in the Clarinet Studio at CWU you must demonstrate proficiency on your instrument in an audition or placement lesson based upon the guidelines below. Students not meeting these standard may be placed in the 164 or 264 level based upon the discretion of the auditioning faculty.
"The man who thinks he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right"- Henry Ford
Junior level
To pass into the 364 level, the student should demonstrate Minimum competencies:
- All major, melodic minor, chromatic and whole tone scales from The Foundation Studies for Clarinet by David Hite
(quarter note = 100 for music ed majors, 112 for performance majors) - Two selections
- One lyrical
- One highly technical
(approx. 10 minutes of music) selected from the following list:
Clarinet Repertoire
- Milhaud: Sonatine
- Poulenc: Sonata
- Schumann: Fantasy Pieces
- Stravinsky: Three Pieces For Clarinet Solo
- Weber: Concerto No. 1, Grand Dou Concertante, Variations 0 p. 33
- Bernstein: Sonata
- Brahms: Sonatas
- Haydn, Cello Concerto
- Jacob, Five Pieces
- Jeanjean: 18 and 25 Studies
- Lutoslawski: Dance Preludes
- Manevich: Concerto
- Martinu: Sonatina
- Messager, Solo De Concours
- Mozart: Concerto
- Perier: Sonata Collection
- Saint-Saens, Sonata
- Spohr, Concerto No. 1
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