Precollege

Classical Major

• The objective is to demonstrate the applicant’s level of proficiency, both musically and technically.
• Memorization is required for all students, with the exception of woodwinds and brass.
• Accompanists will be provided for voice, violin, and viola live auditions only.
• All other students may bring an accompanist but it is not required. The decision of the adjudicating judges is final.

Secondary Instrument
A student who wishes to study a secondary instrument at the Precollege Division must apply and audition on the secondary instrument.
Students studying a secondary instrument are required to take juries and to maintain musical standards similar to those required of students studying a primary instrument.
If applicants want to apply for cello, piano, or violin, they must submit the prescreening video by March 1 unless they are currently enrolled in the MSM Precollege.

Live Audition Requirements

Piano:
• Three contrasting pieces (no arrangements or transcriptions)
• Two major and two minor scales and arpeggios of the applicant’s choice
• Applicants may be required to sight-read

Organ:
• Two contrasting pieces
• Two major and two minor scales and arpeggios of the applicant’s choice

Auditions must be performed from memory.

Live Audition Requirements

• Three contrasting pieces
• Two major and two minor scales and arpeggios of the applicant’s choice

Auditions must be performed from memory. Piano accompaniment is required for violin and viola when applicable. Accompanists will be provided for violin, and viola live auditions only.

Live Audition Requirements

• Two contrasting pieces
• Two major and two minor scales and arpeggios of the applicant’s choice
• Clarinet students may be required to sight-read

Woodwind and Brass auditions are not required to be performed from memory.

Live Audition Requirements

•Two contrasting pieces preferably utilizing two different percussion instruments listed below:

Mallet Percussion
Snare Drum
Timpani

• Two major and two minor scales and arpeggios of the applicant’s choice

Live Audition Requirements

• Three contrasting songs
• One song must be in English

Auditions must be performed from memory. Piano accompaniment is required for voice auditions. Accompanists will be provided for live auditions only.

Live Audition Requirements

• Three contrasting pieces of the applicant’s works in PDF format

Applicants will meet with members of the composition faculty to present their music and discuss various topics of interest.

Jazz Major

The objective is to demonstrate the applicant’s level of proficiency, both musically and technically. Memorization is required for all students. The decision of the adjudicating judges is final.

Secondary Instrument

A student who wishes to study a secondary instrument at the Precollege Division must apply and audition on the secondary instrument. Students studying a secondary instrument are required to take juries and to maintain musical standards similar to those required of students studying a primary instrument.

1. Prepared selection: Charlie Parker’s “Billie’s Bounce” — medium tempo with standard or alternate chord changes. Include at least three choruses of improvisation. Accompanists will be provided.

Billie’s Bounce in C
Billie’s Bounce in Bb
Billie’s Bounce in Eb

2. Improvisation: Play a jazz classic or standard song in any jazz style. You must include at least three choruses of improvisation. The selection is your choice, and composers to consider are Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, George Gershwin, Tito Puente, Wayne Shorter, etc. Accompanists will be provided.

3. Scales: Concert B-flat and F major. Play scales to highest possible range up and down. Tempo: quarter-note=60 and quarter-note=120. Play one scale staccato and one scale legato.

4. Sight Reading: Applicants may be required to sight-read.

1. Prepared selection: Charlie Parker’s “Billie’s Bounce” — medium tempo with standard or alternate chord changes. Include at least three choruses of improvisation. Accompanists will be provided.

Billie’s Bounce in C (Treble Clef)
Billie’s Bounce in C (Bass Clef)

2. Chords: Demonstrate all basic chords: major, minor, etc.

3. Improvisation: Play a jazz classic or standard song in any jazz style. You must include at least three choruses of improvisation. Accompanists will be provided.

4. Sight Reading: Applicants may be required to sight-read.

Additional Requirement for Bass and Guitar

• BASS ONLY: WALK at least two choruses of “Billie’s Bounce” as well as improvise.
• Comping (GUITAR ONLY): Demonstrate comping: Rhythm guitar style and standard regular comping.

1. Play jazz time: slow, medium, fast on two choruses of 12-bar blues form. Accompanists will be provided.

2. Demonstrate time in: waltz, rock, Latin, ballad, and brushes. Play on song forms (2 choruses) or vamps (at least 2 minutes each style).

3. SOLO (improvisation): different styles: jazz, rock, waltz, Latin, and in all tempos.

4. Play the “Billie’s Bounce” blues choruses: 2 choruses of time, 2 choruses of trading 4s, 2 choruses of solo, repeat chorus of time. Accompanists will be provided.

Billie’s Bounce in C

5. Demonstrate on Latin instruments, if possible, including bongos and conga.

6. Sight Reading: Applicants may be required to sight-read.

1. Prepared selection: A lyrical melody selected from the songbooks of composers such as Gershwin, Ellington, Arlen, Rodgers & Hart, Kern, Berlin, etc. Please bring a lead sheet of your chosen selection in the key in which you wish to sing. An accompanist will be provided.

2. Milt Jackson’s “Bags’ Groove”: Be prepared to scat sing over 12-bar blues chord changes. An accompanist will be provided.

Bags’ Groove in C
Bags’ Groove in D
Bags’ Groove in Eb
Bags’ Groove in F

Callback auditions may include the following:

Chamber Music (for pianists only)

Chamber Music auditions are for assessing sight reading ability.

Senior Select Chorus

Students auditioning for Senior Select Chorus will be asked to sing in a group choral setting at the time of their audition, which will entail some sight-reading. In addition, the student should bring a prepared vocal piece which may be heard at the discretion of the choral directors in attendance. Placement in a chorus is determined by ability and age.

Orchestra

Orchestra auditions are held separately from primary instrument auditions. Assignments to orchestras are made by the Precollege Administration in consultation with conductors, and are based on audition and availability of positions in the orchestra. The placement decision is final.

Vocal Ensembles (Opera Workshop and Musical Theatre)

Students auditioning for a vocal ensemble will be asked to sing two contrasting pieces at the time of their auditions.  The objective is to demonstrate the applicant’s level of proficiency, both musically and technically, in singing standard repertoire. Students will be placed by audition. A placement is not guaranteed.

Please note:

Classical callback auditions for the 2025-26 academic year will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025. There are no jazz callback auditions.

 

International students should audition in person. If you are unable to audition in person, please contact precollege@msmnyc.edu.

To be eligible for a student visa, applicants must have a sponsor/guardian residing in the United States, who in addition to assuring financial support, must also make the necessary arrangements for enrollment in an academic school for general education. It is the academic school that issues the necessary documents for the student visa. To facilitate the processing, the Precollege Division must be provided with the name and address of the sponsor/guardian prior to registration.

Prospective students who are not citizens or residents of the United States must submit the following:

• The completed online application form and application fee
• Name, address, and telephone number of relative/sponsor in the the States
• Name, address, and telephone number of guardian with whom applicant intends to live
• Name, address, and telephone number of academic school (elementary, middle school, or high school) the applicant plans to attend in the United States
• Upon receipt of the items listed above, the Precollege Division will send notification of acceptance or rejection to the applicant.

Foreign applicants are required to submit an I-20 Form to the United States consulate in their country in order to receive a student visa. Only full-time schools (those that meet Monday through Friday) can issue the I-20 Form. Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division offers music subjects exclusively and meets on Saturdays only. Therefore, it cannot issue the I-20 Form.

 

The Scholarship Application is not mandatory but is required if you would like to be considered for any financial assistance. Scholarship is need-based and merit-driven. Scholarship is not available for new incoming students who are in their senior year of high school. The Scholarship Application is available to applicants on the status page of the submitted <a href=”https://apply.msmnyc.edu/apply/”>online application</a>.