Music
Saxophone Audition Requirements
All prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, musicality, lyrical phrasing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and overall musical experience.
For New Saxophone Students (BA, BM, BME)
In order to study Saxophone 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 for transfer students 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.
- Prepare major scales, full range. Please contact Dr. Wheeler if you would like a copy of the Full Range Scale Sheet.
- Prepare 1 selection from Category A and 1 selection from Category B listed below. Please note the specific movements that are required for the selections listed in Category B.
- Category A
- Aria by Eugene Bozza
- Aria by Jacques Ibert
- Romance by William Grant Still
- A lyrical etude from Ferling 48 Famous Studies
- Category B
- Improvisation et Caprice by Eugene Bozza
- Sonata, Op. 19 for Eb Alto Saxophone, Mvt. I, by Paul Creston
- Sonata for Eb Alto Saxophone, Mvt. I, Bernard Heiden
- Tableaux de Provence, Mvt. I or V, by Paule Maurice
- Scaramouche, Mvt. I or III, by Darius Milhaud
- Sonatine Sportive for Alto Saxophone by Alexandre Tcherepnine
- Category A
Graduate Requirements (MM)
- All major, harmonic, and melodic minor scales full range.
- Prepare two works, one a selection of your choice and one from the following list (please note the specific movements required for the following selections):
- Albright, Sonata, Mvt. I and II
- Dahl, Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra, Mvts. I and II
- Dubois, Concerto, for Alto Saxophone, Mvt. I,
- Gotkovsky, Variations et Pathetiques, Mvts. I & VI
- Gotkovsky, Brilliance
- Husa, Elegie et Rondeau
- Ibert, Concertino da camera, Mvt. I and II
- Martin, Ballade
- Maslanka, Sonata, Mvt. I
- Robert, Cadenza
- Sancan, Lamento and Rondo
- Scott, Three Letter Word
- Villa Lobos, Fantasia, Mvts. I, II, and III
- Waignen, Rhapsody, Mvt. I and II
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.
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.
If you have any questions regarding saxophone audition requirements, please contact Dr. Kendra Wheeler.
Large Ensemble Audition Requirements
For new and returning saxophone 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 saxophone excerpts.
Contact the Music Department 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.
Contact: Dr. Kendra Wheeler
Assistant Professor of Saxophone
509-963-1312
Kendra.Wheeler@cwu.edu
Entrance Standards, Saxophone
To begin your studies at the 364 level in the Saxophone 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 Saxophone 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:- Saxophone Repertoire
- Syrinx, Debussy
- Sonata, Wilder
- Sonata, Dubois
- Sonate, Eychenne
- Gavambodi 2, Charpentier
- Three Romances, Schumann
- Dittico, Stevens
- Sarabande and Gigue, Fisher Tull
- Rapsodie, Vellones
- Aria, Ibert
- Duo, Hartley
- Pieces Carateristiques, Dubois
- Ballade, Tomasi, Leduc
- Cinq Danses Exotiques, Francaix
- Sonatine Sportive, Tcherepnine, Leduc
- Piazolla, Tango Etudes
- Concerto, Galzounov
- Concerto, Hartley
- Sonata, Bourrel
- Sonata, Heiden
- Concertino, Donizetti
- Sonata, Muczynski
- Tableaux, Maurice
- Sonata, Creston
- Valse Vanite, Weidoft
- Prelude and Salterelle, Planel
- Scaramouche, Milhaud
- Saxophone Repertoire
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