Department of Music
Music Entrance Audition Requirements
The Fresno State Department of Music Audition Day provides prospective students an opportunity to audition for department faculty and become eligible for departmental scholarships. (Instrumental students may be required to complete a studio audition at the beginning of the Fall semester)
Auditions for Instrumentalists, Vocalists and the Bulldog Beat will take place on the same day. Students who are auditioning for more than one area will be scheduled for separate auditions times.
High school, transfer and graduate students who have applied for admission to Fresno State for the 2024-2025 academic year are eligible to audition.
Audition Days
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (time and events subject to change)
Saturday, March 9, 2024, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (time and events subject to change)
Requirements
- Select your instrument from the list below. Please read carefully as some instruments require different auditions for different degree programs.
- Register by filling out the Audition Form
- If you have questions regarding appropriate repertoire, please contact the faculty member listed for your instrument.
Faculty
Ashlea Sheridan, asheridan@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Scales:
B-flat chromatic scale, 3 octaves
A major and E-flat major scales, 2 octaves
Repertoire:
Prepare two selections in contrasting styles. One selection may be a standard etude. Select the most appropriate works to demonstrate your musicianship and technical skill. No accompaniment is necessary.
The following are examples (but not limited to the list) of standard repertoire.
Etudes:
Weissenborn, Advanced Studies
Milde, Concert Studies
Orefici, 20 Melodic Studies
Solos:
Bach Cello Suites Nos. 1-4
Devienne, Sonata for Bassoon, Op, 24, Nos. 3 or 4
Mozart, Concerto in B-flat
Telemann, Sonata in F minor
Villa-Lobos, Ciranda Das Sete Notas
Vivaldi, any Bassoon Concerto
Vivaldi, Cello Sonata in B-flat Major RV 45
von Weber, Concerto in F major
von Weber, Andante and Hungarian Rondo
Faculty
Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, tloewenheim@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Two pieces in contrasting styles
Faculty
Dr. Amelia Smith, ameliasmith@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Undergraduate Audition Requirements
Please prepare the following:
Major scales by memory, up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, slurred (2 or 3 octaves if possible).3-octave chromatic scale from low E, slurred.
Two contrasting etudes or movements from the same piece (without piano) that demonstrate lyrical and technical playing.
Suggested etude & solo repertoire includes (but is not limited to):
Rose 32 or 40 Etudes, Hite Melodious & Progressive Studies, Voxman Selected Studies.
Hindemith Sonata, Weber Concertino, Saint-Säens Sonata, Tartini Concertino.
Graduate Audition Requirements
Please prepare the following:
All major and minor scales by memory, slurred (2 or 3 octaves if possible).
Two contrasting etudes or movements from the same piece (without piano) that demonstrate lyrical and technical playing.
Please also choose 3 standard orchestral excerpts to perform at your audition.
Suggested etude & solo repertoire includes (but is not limited to):
Rose 32 or 40 Etudes, Uhl 48 Studies, Jeanjean 18 Études.
Poulenc Sonata, Brahms Sonata Nos. 1 or 2, Mozart Concerto, Weber Concerto Nos. 1
or 2.
If you have any questions about your selections or excerpts, feel free to reach out to Dr. Smith via email.
Faculty
Dr. Corey E. Whitehead, cwhitehead@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
One etude
One concert work
One major scale (2-3 octaves)
One minor scale (2-3 octaves)
Audiation (pitch-matching)
Suggest repertoire includes:
Any large work from the guitar, lute or vihuela repertoire from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century, Flamenco
Faculty
Dr. Maria Briggs, mbriggs@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Two classical solo songs (no choral solos or parts), one of which must be in a language other than English.
One song can also be a folk song or a musical theater piece.
An ascending and descending major scale.
All songs must be memorized and sung with piano accompaniment.
You will also have a short ear training test that includes a sight-singing excerpt and a pitch matching exercise
Accompaniment will be provided by our collaborative pianist Dr. Drew Quiring. Please forward your PDF accompaniments to him at least 2 weeks prior to your audition date: dquiring@csufresno.edu
Suggested repertoire includes songs from:
26 Italian Art Songs & Arias (G. Paton, ed) or 24 Italian Art Songs (G. Schirmer)
Any art songs by German, French, English, American, Spanish composers
Opera arias
Check out these pages and links with many photos and videos of our student and faculty performances:
Fresno State Concert Choir - There Was A Time
Fresno State Concert Choir - Say Her Name
Fresno State Chamber Singers - Come to Me, My Love
YouTube - “Madama Butterfly” full production performance
YouTube - “Der Fledermaus” full production performance
YouTube - “Lucinda y las Flores de la Nochebuena” studio performance
YouTube - Hansel and Gretel opera production, 2023 ACT 1 - 2
YouTube - Hansel and Gretel opera production, 2023 ACT 3
Become a Fresno State voice major for a day! Contact Dr. Briggs - mbriggs@csufresno.edu to arrange a day visit! Spend a day with our amazing professors and students: attend classes, rehearsals and performances!
Faculty
Dr. Kenneth Froelich, kfroelich@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Students are required to audition and be accepted into their primary instrument or voice.
Students will be interviewed by composition faculty during audition day. This interview will review a portfolio of compositions. Additionally, students will be asked questions pertaining to their knowledge of 20th and 21st century concert music, music theory knowledge, and general musicianship.
For their portfolio, students should prepare the following:
• Three representative compositions. These scores should be notated, either in music notation software (i.e. Finale, Sibelius, etc.) or by hand. Compositions should demonstrate potential skill in music notation, basic instrumentation, and creative work. Scores should be printed either as PDF files or as bound scores.
• Audio recordings of each piece. Recordings may be MIDI realizations (for students applying to the MA program, MIDI is strongly discouraged). Recordings should all be included in Google Drive folder (or similar sharing platform) or on a single Audio CD.
Faculty
Professor Bruce Bransby, bbransby@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Two pieces in contrasting styles
Faculty
Dr. Russ Zokaites, zokaites@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Scales:
Two-octave major scales with arpeggios up to four sharps and/or flats
Perform:
1. Bordogni (Rochut), Melodious Etude of your choosing
2. One (1) work selected from or of comparable difficulty to the list below. Accompaniment is optional.
Telemann Sonata in F Minor
Guimant Morceau Symphonique
Barat Andante et Allegro
Barat Morceau de Concours
PV de la NUX Concert Piece
Capuzzi Andante and Rondo
Falcone Mazurka
Vaughan Williams Six Studies on the English Folk Song
Rachmaninoff Vocalise
Curnow Rhapsody
Faculty
Dr. Angelica Ruiz-Nuby, angelicaflute@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Undergraduate students:
Two etudes or pieces of contrasting styles.
Etude examples (or comparable):
Andersen Op. 33
Berbiguier etudes
Druoet 25 studies for Flute
Karg-Elert Caprices
Melodious and Progressive Studies revised by Robert Cavally (Book I or Book II)
Kohler Op. 66 Etudes
Boehm Etudes
Solo piece examples (or comparable)
Debussy Syrinx
Honegger Danse de la chevre
J.S. Bach Sonatas
Telemann Fantasias
J.S. Bach Partita in a minor or CPE Bach Sonata in a minor
Mozart Concerto in G major or D major
Any piece from the French Music by French Composers (edited by Louis Moyse)
Poulenc, Hindemith, Blavet or Handel Sonatas
Any piece from “24 Short Concert Pieces” revised by Robert Cavally (Southern)
Any piece from “Concert and Contest Collection for C flute” (Voxman)
Graduate students:
Same requirements as above with the addition of 2-3 contrasting orchestral excerpts
Some examples include:
Brahms Symphony no.1 or Brahms Symphony no. 4
Mendelssohn Midsummer Night’s Dream
Beethoven Overture no. 3 Leonore
Ravel Daphnis et Chloe Suite no. 2
Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
(*most of the above pieces/etudes/excerpts are available online as free pdfs (imslp.org)
Faculty
Dr. Thomas Hiebert, tomh@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Perform the Bb, G, and F major scales over two octaves, and the chromatic scale from your lowest to highest note.
Perform two contrasting solos or etudes or portions thereof, one demonstrating your technical and one demonstrating your lyrical ability. No accompaniment is necessary for solos.
Sing the first couple of phrases (approx. 16 measures) of one of the above solos or etudes.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Suggested etudes: Kopprasch, Maxime-Alphonse, Kling, Schantl/Pottag, Gallay, or similar.
Suggested solos: Beethoven, Horn Sonata; W.A. Mozart, Concertos 1 & 3; C. Saint-Saëns, Romance or Morceau de concert; R. Gliere, Intermezzo, Valse Triste, or Nocturne; F. Strauss, Nocturno or Concerto; R. Strauss, Concerto No. 1; B. Heiden, Horn Sonata; Glazinov, Reverie , or similar.
Faculty
Ms. Laura Porter, lauraporter@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Two contrasting solos -- original repertoire for harp preferred. At least one piece should be memorized. Suggest a solo work by Grandjany, Renié, Tournier or Salzedo.
Suggest repertoire includes:
It is acceptable to include one transcription of a Baroque work by Scarlatti, Bach, Couperin, or Rameau, or any Classical composer.
Faculty
Mr. Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr., rgiddensjr@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Please prepare 3 songs of contrasting styles, 1 must have a swing feel, and 1 must be a ballad, the third is up to you.
Please be able to perform the melody, walk or accompany the songs as needed by the music. Also, please be prepared to solo on each tune. You can use backing tracks or a live band, etc.
** If you are unable to come to campus for a live audition please submit a VIDEO recording of you performing the prepared pieces for your instrument.
•• Please state your NAME and ID# at the beginning of your video audition.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Just about anything from the Great American Songbook, or most Jazz Standards will suffice.
Faculty
Mark Ferber, mferber@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
- Please prepare 3 songs of contrasting styles, 1 must have a swing feel, and 1 must be a ballad, the third is up to you.
- Please be able to sing the melody, play the time or groove as needed by each song. Also, please be prepared to solo on each tune and or trade bars. You can use backing tracks or a live band, etc.
- Ability to demonstrate 3 rudiments - paradiddle, flamacue, 9 stroke roll
- Identify 3 Jazz drummers
** If you are unable to come to campus for a live audition please submit a VIDEO recording of you performing the prepared pieces for your instrument.
•• Please state your NAME and ID# at the beginning of your video audition.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Just about anything from the Great American Songbook, or most Jazz Standards will suffice.
Faculty
Dr. Corey Whitehead, cwhitehead@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
1) Perform one solo arrangement (chord-melody)
2) Perform one standard with accompaniment, backing track is ok.
3) Read a few melodic examples from the real books.
4) Demonstrate knowledge of Major and minor scales (three forms) with arpeggios.
Faculty
Mr. Craig VonBerg, cvonberg@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Major/minor scale proficiency
Can form Maj7, min7 and 7 chords in root position
Can name 7 jazz artists who you are inspired by and why.
Play 1 standard and 1 blues.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Monk tune
Evans tune
Hancock tune
Parker tune
Coltrane tune
Faculty
Dr. Alan Durst, adurst@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Major and chromatic scales, full range
Prepare three standard songs/jazz standards representing a variety of key centers, tempos, and rhythmic format. Applicants must perform the melody and demonstrate improvisational skills. Performance by memory is strongly encouraged. You may use backing tracks or other accompanying materials.
Suggest repertoire includes:
It is recommended that repertoire be selected from the Great American Songbook.
Faculty
Dr. Russ Zokaites, zokaites@mail.fresnostate.edu
Facebook - Fresno State Jazz Studies
Audition Requirements
Please prepare 3 songs of contrasting styles, 1 must have a swing feel, and 1 must be a ballad, the third is up to you.
Please be able to perform the melody (from memory, if possible), and be prepared to solo on each tune. You can use backing tracks or a live band, etc.
** If you are unable to come to campus for a live audition please submit a VIDEO recording of you performing the prepared pieces for your instrument.
•• Please state your NAME and ID# at the beginning of your video audition.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Just about anything from the Great American Songbook or most Jazz Standards will suffice.
Faculty
Max Hembd, mhembd@mail.fresnostate.edu
Facebook - Fresno State Jazz Studies
Audition Requirements
Please prepare 3 songs of contrasting styles, 1 must have a swing feel, and 1 must be a ballad, the third is up to you.
Please be able to perform the melody (from memory, if possible), and be prepared to solo on each tune. You can use backing tracks or a live band, etc.
** If you are unable to come to campus for a live audition please submit a VIDEO recording of you performing the prepared pieces for your instrument.
•• Please state your NAME and ID# at the beginning of your video audition.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Just about anything from the Great American Songbook, or most Jazz Standards will suffice.
Faculty
Jason Kennedy, dwidget1@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Two contrasting solos
Suggest repertoire includes:
Handel, Telemann, St. Saens, Hindemith sonatas. Cimarosa, Marcello, Telemann or other concerti.
Faculty
Dr. Matthew Darling, matthewd@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
I. Snare Drum
A. Etude or Solo (one from list rep list below or choose your own)
B. Long roll, closed. Start ‘pp’, crescendo to ‘ff’, decrescendo to ‘pp’. 30 seconds.
C. 3 Rudiments: Selected from the “PAS 40” or “Standard 26”
D. Sight reading
II. Mallets
A. Solo or Etude, 2 or 4 mallets
B. Scales & Arpeggios: Major (up to 4 #s/bs). Three octaves.
C. Sight reading
III. Timpani
A. Solo or Etude
B. Tuning: Ability to tune drums accurately and match pitch with voice
Suggest repertoire includes:
I. Snare Drum (one solo/etude): Portraits in Rhythm (Cirone); The Solo Snare Drummer (Firth); Intermediate Snare Drum Studies (#15 – #32) (Peters); Representative etude or solo of your choice
II. Mallets (one solo):
A1. 2 Mallets: Masterpieces for Marimba (McMillan); Representative etude or solo of your choice
A2. Mallets: Yellow After the Rain (Peters); Rain Dance (Gomez); Ghanaia (Schmitt); Libertango (Sammut); Concerto #1 for Marimba - one movement of choice (Rosauro); Representative etude or solo of your choice
Timpani (one solo/etude): Fundamental Method for Timpani (Etudes 19-63) (Peters); Exercises, Etudes and Solos for Timpani (pgs 127-158) (Carroll); Representative etude or solo of your choice
Faculty
Dr. Peter Klimo, pklimo@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Prepare two original works for solo piano composed within any two of the following time periods:
- Baroque (1600 - 1750)
- Classical (1750 - 1820)
- Romantic (1820 - 1900)
- 20th Century (1900 - 2000)
- Contemporary (2000 on)
Both pieces should be memorized. You may be asked to sight read as well.
Faculty
Dr. Alan Durst, adurst@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
Major and chromatic scales, full range
Two movements or etudes of contrasting style and tempo or one larger work from the standard repertoire
Suggest repertoire includes:
Paule Maurice: Tableaux de Provence
Henri Eccles: Sonata
Paul Creston: Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Alexander Glazunov: Concerto for Alto Saxophone
Darius Milhaud: Scaramouche
Eugene Bozza: Aria
Voxman: Selected Studies
W. Ferling: 48 Famous Studies
M. Mule: Etudes Variees
Faculty
Dr. Russ Zokaites, zokaites@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
1. Bordogni (Rochut), Melodious Etude of your choosing
2. One (1) work selected from or of comparable difficulty to the list below. Accompaniment is optional.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Tenor Trombone:
Barat Andante et Allegro
Boda Sonatina
Galliard Sonata No. 1
Guilmant Morceau Symphonique
Gregson Divertimento
Sandstrom, Song for Lotta
Saint-Saëns Cavatine
Sulek Sonata vox Gabrieli
Weber Romance
David, Concertino (first page)
Bass Trombone:
Hindemith Drei leichte Stücke
Lebedev Concerto in One Movement
McCarty Sonata
Lassen/Bollinger 2 Fantasy Pieces
Galliard/Mortimer Sonata #1
Semler-Collery, Barcarolle et chanson bachique
Tcherepnin, Andante
Warburton Among Us.
Faculty
Dr. Nathan Sobieralski, nsobieralski@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
1. Perform contrasting solos and/or etudes (two selections). These can be any combination of a movement from a concerto/sonata and or etudes from the standard repertoire.
2. Sing a short phrase from any of your submitted audition materials. For instance, if you chose to perform Haydn mvmt II you can sing the first statement of the melody. I am not looking for amazing vocal work, just a demonstration that you can match pitch and carry a tune.
Suggested repertoire:
Sonatas/Concerti:
Haydn- Concerto for Trumpet
Hummel- Concerto for Trumpet
Kent Kennan- Sonata
Halsey Stevens- Sonata
Brandt- Concertpiece No. 2
Geodicke- Concert Etude
Etudes:
Charlier 36 etudes
Bousquet 36 etudes
Brandt 34 etudes
Wurm 20 studies
Wurm 40 studies
Faculty
Cody Forcier, codyforcier@mail.fresnostate.edu
Audition Requirements
2 major scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, 2 octaves minimum. Scales to be chosen by audition panel.
Chromatic scale showcasing your entire range.
Two contrasting pieces/etudes from the standard literature.
Sight reading will be required.
Please provide copies of the chosen repertoire for the audition panel.
Suggest repertoire includes:
Blazhevich - 70 Studies
Bordogni - Vocalises
Kopprasch - 60 Selected Studies
Tyrell - Advanced Studies
Hindemith - Sonate
Gregson - Tuba Concerto
Hartley - Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba
Faculty
Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman, LToren@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Two pieces in contrasting styles
Faculty
Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman, LToren@csufresno.edu
Audition Requirements
Two pieces in contrasting styles
Music Theory Diagnostic
As part of the audition process, you will take a brief diagnostic to assess your basic written theory and aural skills.
Topics covered include:
- Identify note names in treble and bass clef, with key signatures and accidentals.
- Recognize and write major key signatures up to 5 sharps and/or 5 flats in treble and bass clef.
- Identify note names on the piano keyboard including enharmonic spelling
- Identify rhythmic value equivalences (for example: 1 half note+ 1 quarter notes + 2 eighth notes = 1 whole note, etc.)
- Identify a basic rhythm being clapped.
- Write out a short melodic pattern that is played for you.