If you have any questions about the bassoon studio or audition requirements, please email Dr. Ben Roidl-Ward at broidlwa@illinois.edu.
Bassoon Audition Requirements
Undergraduate Requirements:
Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, lyrical playing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and phrasing. Students should prepare:
- All major scales (at least two octaves) and a full-range chromatic scale (2-3 scales will be chosen in the audition).
- Two contrasting works or movements from the standard solo repertoire (an etude is acceptable for one of these). Selections should demonstrate lyrical playing and technical proficiency.
On-campus audition dates can be found here. It is highly recommended that all undergraduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If you are unable to audition on-campus, please select the “recorded” audition format preference on your supplemental music form. Undergraduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should follow the steps outlined here.
Graduate Requirements:
Prospective students will be evaluated on their skills of tone production, intonation, musicality, lyrical playing, rhythmic accuracy, technical proficiency, and phrasing. Students should prepare:
- All major, melodic minor, and harmonic minor scales (three octaves when possible), and a full-range chromatic scale (2-3 scales will be chosen in the audition).
- Two movements from a standard concerto written before 1900 (for example: Mozart, Weber, Vivaldi).
- A 20th or 21st-century solo work. Works with piano accompaniment are acceptable, but no accompaniment will be used in the audition.
- 2 – 3 standard orchestral excerpts of the applicant’s choice.
It is highly recommended that all graduate candidates attend an on-campus audition. If an applicant is unable to travel to campus for a live audition, the faculty will accept a recorded audition, and a virtual interview will occur. Graduate applicants who would like to submit a recorded audition should upload the audition directly to their Graduate College application.
