Brass Prescreening & Audition Procedures - Manhattan School of Music

Requirements for Classical Brass Instruments

There is no prescreen requirement for Classical Brass instruments.

Audition

Prepare ALL of the required audition repertoire for the degree level you are applying to, as listed in the dropdown menu below.
MSM offers in-person and recorded final auditions, except for the Doctoral of Musical Arts & Artist Diploma programs, which require an in-person audition.

Carefully review the specific repertoire requirements for your degree level in the dropdown menu below.

Classical Trumpet, Horn, Bass Trombone, & Tuba:

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- At least one major solo from the standard solo literature.
- Two contrasting etudes of choice showing the applicant’s level of technical and musical advancement.
- Four contrasting orchestral excerpts from standard audition repertoire.
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.
Master of Music (MM)
- Two contrasting recital works or concerti.
- Five to ten contrasting orchestral excerpts from standard audition repertoire.
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Two contrasting recital works or concerti.
- Five to ten contrasting orchestral excerpts from standard audition repertoire.
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.

Classical Tenor Trombone:

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- Two contrasting etudes showing the applicant’s level of technical and musical advancement.
- At least one major solo of the applicant’s choice.
- The following orchestral excerpts:
  
  W.A. Mozart – Requiem, K. 626 (“Tuba mirum”)
  
  Gioachino Rossini – La Gazza Ladra
  
  Maurice Ravel – Bolero
  
  Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 3: 3 measures after Reh. #13 to Reh. #17
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.
Master of Music (MM)
- Two contrasting etudes of choice showing the applicant’s level of technical and musical advancement.
- At least one major solo of the applicant’s choice.
- A complete concerto from the standard repertoire.
- The following orchestral excerpts:
  
  W.A. Mozart – Requiem, K. 626 (“Tuba mirum”)
  
  Gioachino Rossini – La Gazza Ladra
  
  Maurice Ravel – Bolero
  
  Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 3: 3 measures after Reh. #13 to Reh. #17
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Two contrasting recital works or concerti.
- The following orchestral excerpts:
  
  W.A. Mozart – Requiem, K. 626 (“Tuba mirum”), standard excerpt
  
  Gioachino Rossini – La Gazza Ladra, standard excerpt
  
  Maurice Ravel – Bolero, standard excerpt
  
  Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 3, 3 measures after Reh. #13 to Reh. #17
- Optional: One additional selection representing your musical interests and/or a work by a composer from a historically underrepresented racial/ethnic group, gender, and/or culture. Works that represent the applicant’s own cultural background are also welcomed.