Music
Percussion Audition Requirements
Admissions Auditions
In order to study Percussion 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.
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.
Undergraduate Percussion Audition
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Snare Drum: One prepared concert-style solo or etude demonstrating rhythmic accuracy, dynamic control, rolls, and fundamental sticking techniques. Repertoire may be selected from Anthony Cirone's Portraits in Rhythm: 50 Studies for Snare Drum or equivalent literature.
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Keyboard Percussion: One prepared two-mallet solo or etude on marimba, xylophone, or vibraphone. Repertoire may be selected from Masterworks for Marimba or equivalent literature. Applicants with four-mallet experience are encouraged to additionally prepare a four-mallet selection.
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Timpani: One prepared solo or etude demonstrating basic tuning, tone production, rhythmic accuracy, and rolls. Repertoire may be selected from Vic Firth's timpani method, Nick Woud's The Timpani Challenge, or equivalent literature.
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Scales: Major scales may be requested on keyboard percussion.
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Sight-reading: Applicants should be prepared to sight-read on snare drum and keyboard percussion.
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Additional Area: Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate an additional area of strength, such as drum set, rudimental percussion, multiple percussion, orchestral percussion, or world percussion.
Graduate Percussion Audition
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Snare Drum: One advanced concert solo or etude. Repertoire may be selected from Jacques Delécluse's Douze Études pour Caisse-Claire (Twelve Studies for the Snare Drum) or equivalent literature.
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Keyboard Percussion: One substantial four-mallet marimba or vibraphone solo appropriate for performance on a senior undergraduate recital. In addition, applicants should prepare one two- or four-mallet movement from Bach's violin sonatas and partitas, cello suites, or lute suites—no repeats.
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Timpani: One advanced solo or etude. Repertoire may be selected from Vic Firth's The Solo Timpanist: 26 Etudes, Nick Woud's The Timpani Challenge, Elliott Carter's Eight Pieces for Four Timpani (one player), or equivalent literature.
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Orchestral Repertoire: Two contrasting orchestral excerpts on each of the following: xylophone, snare drum, crash cymbals, and tambourine.
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Sight-reading: Applicants should be prepared to sight-read on keyboard percussion and/or snare drum.
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Additional Area: Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate an additional area of strength, such as drum set, multiple percussion, rudimental percussion, or world percussion.
Transfer Students
Transfer students who wish to be admitted at the 364 level, or higher, must demonstrate competencies equivalent to those listed on the appropriate Performance Standards section below.
Large Ensemble Auditions
Band and Orchestra
For new and returning percussion students wishing to play in a large ensemble, Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, and Symphonic Band auditions will take place during the first week of 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 percussion excerpts.
Contact Professor Josh Gianola for more information.
Jazz Band Auditions
Jazz Band auditions will take place during the first week of each new quarter. Visit the Jazz Auditions page for more information, charts, and scheduled times.
Contact Dr. Keith Karns if you have any further jazz audition questions.
Entrance Standards, Percussion
Transfer students who are pursuing percussion as their major instrument will be placed at an applied level that is based on their skill achievement. Following is a list of standards for entry at the junior level of percussion study at CWU.
"The man who think he can and the man who thinks he can't are both right" - Henry Ford
Junior Level, Music 364
- Half-hour recital of works for Mallets, Timpani and Multi-Percussion.
- (Three of the following four areas (Mallets, Snare, Timpani, Drum set) as well as the excerpts must be mastered and demonstrated in lessons or juries in order to advance to the next level.)
Mallets:
- More advanced solo literature such as Akira Miyoshi’s Conversation.
- Play vibraphone solo from Real book changes such as My Funny Valentine or In a Mellow Tone.
Snare Drum:
- Advanced Orchestral and Rudimental Literature.
Timpani:
- Perform two diverse Delecluse Etudes.
- Perform additional solo works.
Drumset:
- Transcribe and perform one tune.
- Perform from advanced method books such as:
- Riley The Art of Bop Drumming
- Goines/Ameen Afro-Cuban Grooves for Bass and Drums
- Davis' Drummers
- Steve Houghton Essential Styles, Book One and Two.
Orchestral Excerpts:
- Snare:
- Schuman 3rd Symphony (Toccata)
- Prokofiev Peter and the Wolf
- Ravel Bolero
- Xylophone:
- Gershwin Porgy and Bess
- Kleinsinger: Tubby the Tuba
- Copland Appalachian Spring
- Bells:
- Dukas Sorcerer’s Apprentice
- Mozart The Magic Flute
- Tambourine:
- Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture
- Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade
- Cymbal:
- Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
- Timpani:
- Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony (1st mvt.)
- Hindemith Symphonic Metamorphosis
- Beethoven Symphony #9
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