Graduate Auditions

Please contact Dr. Laura Kellogg at laura.kellogg@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

1. Scales (Taffanel & Gaubert and/or Moyse patterns are suggested):
   1. All Major & Minor scales (harmonic & melodic) (Full Range)
   2. Chromatic scale (Full Range)
2. Excerpts: 3-4 Standard Orchestral Excerpts
3. Two contrasting works, preferably from the standard repertoire.
4. Sight-reading may be included.

Please contact Prof. Philip McKenzie at philip.mckenzie@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

1. Scales:
   1. All Major Scales (Two or more octaves)
   2. Any two Minor Scales: (Two or more octaves)
   3. Chromatic Scale (Low B-flat to 3rd octave G above staff)
2. Two contrasting complete works (ONE technical & ONE lyrical).Suggested Repertoire- Selections may be chosen from but not limited to:
   1. Solos
      1. C. Saint Saens: Sonata
      2. P. Hindemith: Sonata
      3. F. Poulenc: Sonata
      4. W.A. Mozart: Concerto or Quartet
      5. B. Britten: Six Metamorphoses
      6. Marcello: Concerto
3. Sight Reading

Please contact Dr. Cassie Keogh at Cassie.Keogh@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

1. Scales:
   1. All Major Scales (Full Range)
   2. All Minor Scales: (Harmonic & Melodic in full range)
   3. Chromatic Scale (Full Range)
   4. Please prepare all slurred and various articulation patterns for all major and minor scales.
2. Two contrasting works (ONE technical & ONE lyrical). These works may be chosen from studies and or contrasting movements of clarinet studies/sonatas/concerti. Suggested Repertoire- Selections may be chosen from but not limited to:
   1. Studies
      1. C. Rose: Studies (Set of 32 or 40)
      2. Polatschek: Advanced Studies for Clarinet
      3. Cavallini: 30 Caprices
      4. Baermann: Complete Method for Clarinet
      5. J.S. Bach: Partitas & Suites
   2. Solos
      1. C. M. von Weber: Concertino
      2. R. Schumann: Fantasy Pieces (I or II)
      3. W.A. Mozart: Concerto (I or II)
      4. I. Stravinsky: Three Pieces
      5. Other approved work by the instructor.
3. Two Contrasting Orchestral Excerpts
4. Sight Reading

Please contact Dr. Matthew Patnode at Matthew.Patnode@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

1. Scales:
   1. All majors and harmonic minors (Full Range & Various Articulation Patterns)
   2. Broken Thirds
2. Two contrasting works (ONE technical & ONE lyrical). The works may be chosen from studies and or contrasting movements of saxophone sonatas/concerti. Suggested Repertoire: Please contact Dr. Patnode
3. Sight Reading

Please contact Dr. Martin Van Klompenberg at m.vanklompenberg@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

1. Scales:
   1. All 12 major scales in 2 octaves
   2. F harmonic and melodic minor 2 octaves
   3. Bb harmonic and melodic minor 2 octaves
   4. Bb chromatic 3 octaves
2. Two contrasting works (ONE technical & ONE lyrical). The works may be chosen from studies and or contrasting movements of bassoon sonatas/concerti. Suggested Repertoire:
   1. Studies
      1. Milde
      2. Ozi
      3. Weissenborn
      4. Jancourt
   2. Solos
      1. Hindemith: Sonata
      2. Saint-Saens: Sonata
      3. Mozart: Concerto in Bb
      4. Weber: Concerto in F
      5. Bourdeau: Premiere Solo
      6. Hummel: Concerto in F
      7. Weber: Andante and Hungarian Rondo
      8. Zwilich: Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
3. Sight Reading

Please contact Dr. Jeremy Brekke at Jeremy.Brekke@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

Please contact Dr. Brekke for audition repertoire.

Please contact Prof. Kayla Nelson at kayla.l.nelson@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

Please contact Dr. Will Sutton at William.Sutton.1@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

Please contact Prof. Connor Challey at Connor.Challey@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

If you have any questions pertaining to the audition process, and/or to schedule an audition, please contact Dr. Daniel Lee at daniel.lee.3@ndsu.edu.

Please contact Dr. Mark DeMull at mark.demull@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition.

General Information

Please contact Dr. Kelly Burns at kelly.w.burns@ndsu.edu for any questions pertaining to the application process, audition requirements, and/or to schedule an audition for graduate programs in voice.

Application: To be fully considered for an assistantship in music, please submit your complete graduate application and pre-screening recordings by January 10, 2026. Audition and assistantship consideration is possible after this date if studio availability and/or awards remain available. We recommend applying to the NDSU Graduate School as soon as possible and notifying Dr. Charlette Moe, Director of Graduate Studies in Music, of your intent to apply.

Auditions and Interviews: Auditions and interviews are arranged after the applicant has successfully passed the pre-screening requirement (see Pre-Screening Requirements) and has submitted a complete graduate application to NDSU. Auditions are not granted to applicants with incomplete or partial graduate applications on file. A live, on-campus audition and interview is the ideal and strongly preferred mode of application; however, the voice faculty will review an application based on video recordings and an interview via Zoom in extenuating circumstances. Auditions and interviews are usually scheduled between late January and early March.

If you wish to arrange a video audition and interview, you must submit recordings of all the audition selections required of your intended degree program, and you must complete an interview with the voice faculty via Zoom. Both components are required to gain admission. Please note that audition repertoire requirements are different from the pre-screening requirements. Audition repertoire requirements for the M.M. and D.M.A. are provided below.

Applicants to the M.M. and D.M.A. voice programs must submit the following pre-screening requirements to Dr. Kelly Burns at kelly.w.burns@ndsu.edu by January 10, 2026:

• Three contrasting selections.
  • At least one art song
  • At least one aria from opera or oratorio sung in the original key and language
  • A third classical selection of your choice
• Your repertoire must demonstrate at least three languages inclusive of English and showcase a variety of styles and moods.
• Your pre-screening recordings should be videos that clearly show you performing your selections in a live, un-edited setting. Your body should be visible from the knees up. Your videos should be submitted as YouTube or Vimeo links.

• Prepare four classical vocal selections:
  1. At least 1 aria from an opera or an oratorio, mass, cantata, etc.*** sung in the original language and key.
  2. At least 1 art song in English.
  3. At least 1 art song in French or German.
  4. A fourth selection of your choosing.
• All repertoire must be sung from memory.
• Your selections must be contrasting in a variety of keys and moods and must represent a variety of major musical eras chosen from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and/or Modern periods.
• Your selections must cover English plus at least two languages chosen from French, German, and Italian. Additional languages such as Russian, Czech, Spanish, and Latin are welcome in the audition, but are not required.

***Exception: Arias from oratorio, mass, cantata, etc. may be sung in English translation if doing so is considered standard performance practice, for example: arias from Mendelssohn’s Elijah or Haydn’s Creation.

• Prepare six classical vocal selections:
  1. At least 1 opera aria in the original key and language.
  2. At least 1 aria from a standard oratorio, mass, cantata, etc.*** in the original key and language.
  3. At least 1 art song in English.
  4. At least 1 art song in French.
  5. At least 1 art song in German.
  6. A sixth selection of your choosing.
• All repertoire must be sung from memory.
• Your selections must be contrasting in a variety of keys and moods and must represent at least three major musical eras chosen from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and/or Modern periods.
• Your selections must demonstrate proficiency in English, French, German, and Italian lyric diction. Additional languages such as Russian, Czech, Spanish, and Latin are welcome in the audition, but are not required.

***Exception: Arias from oratorio, mass, cantata, etc. may be sung in English translation if doing so is considered standard performance practice, for example: arias from Mendelssohn’s Elijah or Haydn’s Creation.

The NDSU Collaborative Piano Program will be facilitating live auditions as well as accepting video auditions for applicants wishing to audition for the 2025-2026 academic year.

For those wishing to travel to Fargo, ND for a live audition: Please contact Dr. Tyler Wottrich to discuss dates and audition repertoire so that we can secure appropriate vocal and instrumental partners for your audition. Refer to the audition requirements in the yellow box below. For those submitting a video audition: Please contact Dr. Tyler Wottrich to discuss submission of your audition video as well as to arrange an interview by Zoom or comparable platform. Refer to the audition requirements in the box below.

For your audition to the NDSU Collaborative Piano programs, please prepare an audition program that includes the following repertoire (comparable repertoire substitutions may be permitted on a case-by-base basis):

• An outer movement of a Sonata by Beethoven or Brahms for violin, cello, or clarinet; or the 2nd movement of the Franck Violin Sonata.
• A set of three or more contrasting art songs, including at least one song by Franz Schubert

And, for D.M.A. applicants only, either one of the following arias:

• Any Mozart operatic aria

OR

• The first movement of the Fauré A Major Violin Sonata

If you have any questions regarding the audition requirements, please contact Dr. Tyler Wottrich at Tyler.Wottrich@ndsu.edu or 701.231.7884.

1. Email Daniel Lee with the following:
   • A brief introduction about yourself and/or your resume attached
   • A brief statement of why you are interested in studying at NDSU
   • Links to recent recordings (within the past two years) of both conducting in performance and ensemble rehearsals (camera showing your front, approximately 10 minutes of each)
2. Complete an online application to the NDSU Graduate School
3. If selected to advance, an on-campus visit will be arranged that may include:
   • Ensemble conducting and rehearsing (repertoire TBD)
   • Teaching demonstrations
   • Interviews with faculty and/or students
   • Opportunities to meet and converse with faculty and students

Audition requirements

1. Notify Dr. Dwight Jilek of your intention to apply.
2. Submit a recent video recording that includes both a rehearsal and a performance (10 – 15 minutes) from the front and/or side view. A URL link is acceptable.
3. Complete your online application with the Graduate School.
   1. Preference will be given to applications completed by January 7 but will continue to be considered on a rolling basis after that date.
4. After the choral faculty has reviewed your application, you will be contacted by Dr. Dwight Jilek.
5. If you are invited to campus for an audition/interview it will be scheduled at this point. Plan to be on campus for a full day.
6. Your audition will be with the NDSU Concert Choir.
   1. Warmup the choir
   2. Conduct one piece straight through from the current repertoire of Concert Choir
   3. Rehearse a piece of your choosing
   4. Total time with the choir – 25 minutes
7. The interview will be with choral faculty – Drs. Jilek and Moe.
8. Other activities on the day of your audition will include:
   1. Meeting with other graduate students
   2. Meeting with the Challey School of Music administration
   3. Aural skills and sight-reading evaluations
   4. Demonstrating functional piano skills