Classical Strings & Harp Prescreening & Audition Procedures

Requirements for Classical Strings & Harp

Violin, Viola, and Cello applicants are required to submit video prescreen recordings in order to be considered for an invitation to the live audition round.

MSM does not expect or require professional recordings, but the audio should be of high quality and accurately represent your tone quality. Therefore, we recommend the use of an external microphone.
Applicant prescreen recordings must include the repertoire below and should be uploaded directly to the application by the December 1 deadline.
Each piece or movement should be uploaded as a separate video. However, each individual video must be unedited.

Step 1: Prescreen

Carefully review the specific repertoire requirements for your degree level in the dropdown menu below. Please upload your videos to your application.

Classical Violin
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- One movement of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
Master of Music (MM)
- Two movements of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
- One movement of a work of the applicant’s choice
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Two movements of a concerto
- One movement of a sonata
- One movement of a work of the applicant’s choice
Zukerman Violin
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM) & Master of Music (MM)
- Two movements of an unaccompanied sonata by Bach
- First movement of one of the following concerti (2 movements are required for graduate applicants):
  
  Henri Vieuxtemps, Concerto no. 5
  
  Édouard Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole
  
  Niccolò Paganini
  
  Antonin Dvorak
  
  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
  
  Jean Sibelius
  
  Béla Bartok
  
  Johannes Brahms
  
  Ludwig van Beethoven
- A virtuoso concert piece on the level of Paganini, Sarasate, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, or Ysaÿe
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Applicants must prepare a full-length recital of works from contrasting style periods.
Classical Viola
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- One movement of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
Master of Music (MM), Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Two movements of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
- One movement of a work of the applicant’s choice
Zukerman Viola
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM) & Master of Music (MM)
- First and second movement from Johannes Brahms Sonata in F minor, Brahms Sonata in E-flat Major, or Franz Schubert “Arpeggione”
- Two contrasting movements of your choice from a cello suite by J.S. Bach
- First movements of one of the following (2 movements are required for graduate applicants):
  
  Béla Bartok, Viola Concerto
  
  William Walton, Viola Concerto
  
  Ernest Bloch, Viola Suite
  
  Paul Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
  
  Hector Berlioz, Harold in Italy
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Applicants must prepare a full-length recital of works from contrasting style periods.
Classical Cello
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- One movement of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
Master of Music (MM), Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Two movements of a concerto
- Two contrasting movements of solo Bach
Classical Double Bass

There is no prescreen requirement for Double Bass.
Classical Harp

There is no prescreen requirement for Harp.

Step 2: Audition

Applicants who pass the prescreen round will be invited to the final audition round.

MSM offers in-person and recorded final auditions, except for the Doctoral of Musical Arts & Artist Diploma programs, which require an in-person audition.
In-Person Bachelor of Music and Master of Music auditions are approximately 10 minutes in length, Professional Studies auditions are 15 minutes, and Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma auditions are 20 minutes. In-person auditionees will choose a first work and the faculty will choose other works from repertoire you provide. Applicants submitting a recorded audition must Include ALL required repertoire for the degree level they are applying to, as listed in the dropdown menu below
For violin, viola, and cello in-person applicants, MSM provides an accompanist, or you may bring your own. If you wish to rehearse with Manhattan School of Music’s accompanist before audition, you must arrange rehearsal time and payment directly with the accompanist. For more information about audition accompanists, please refer to our Audition Information page.

Classical Violin
All music must be played from memory except for sonatas.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- Three octave major and minor scales and arpeggios
- First movement of a concerto with applicable cadenza
- Two contrasting movements of a Bach partita or sonata
- A virtuoso concert piece
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Master of Music (MM)
- Two contrasting movements of a concerto including all applicable cadenzas
- Two movements of an unaccompanied Bach partita or sonata
- A virtuoso concert piece
- One movement of a sonata
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Complete concerto with all applicable cadenzas.
- Four significant recital works in their entirety from a wide range of style periods, including the 20th or 21st century.
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Zukerman Violin
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM) and Master of Music (MM)
- The first and second movement from an unaccompanied sonata by Bach
- First movement of one of the following concerti (two movements are required for graduate applicants):
  
  Henri Vieuxtemps, Concerto No. 5
  
  Édouard Lalo, Symphonie Espagnole
  
  Niccolò Paganini
  
  Antonín Dvorak
  
  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
  
  Jean Sibelius
  
  Béla Bartok
  
  Johannes Brahms
  
  Ludwig van Beethoven
- A virtuoso concert piece on the level of Paganini, Sarasate, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, or Ysaÿe
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Applicants must prepare a full-length recital of works from contrasting style periods.
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Classical Viola
Concerti and solo Bach must be played from memory; all other works may be played with or without music at the applicant’s discretion.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- First movement of a concerto with applicable cadenza
- Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied Bach partita, sonata or suite
- A movement of a sonata, short piece with piano, or solo work
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Master of Music (MM)
- Complete works from three style periods, including one from the 20th or 21st century. One work must be a concerto with all applicable cadenzas. Repertoire should demonstrate a graduate level of performance
- Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied Bach partita, sonata, or suite
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Complete concerto with all applicable cadenzas
- Four significant recital works from a wide range of style periods, including one from the 20th or 21st century and an unaccompanied Bach partita, sonata, or suite
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Zukerman Viola
Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM) and Master of Music (MM)
- First and second movement from Johannes Brahms, Sonata in F minor, Sonata in E-flat Major, or Franz Schubert “Arpeggione”
- Two contrasting movements from a Bach cello suite
- First movements of one of the following (2 movements are required for graduate applicants):
  
  Béla Bartok, Viola Concerto
  
  William Walton, Viola Concerto
  
  Ernest Bloch, Viola Suite
  
  Paul Hindemith, Der Schwanendreher
  
  Hector Berlioz, Harold in Italy
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- Applicants must prepare a full-length recital of works from contrasting style periods.
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Classical Cello
Concerti and solo Bach must be played from memory; all other works may be played with or without music at the applicant’s discretion.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- First movement of a concerto with applicable cadenza, or approximately ten minutes of music from either Bloch’s Schelomo or Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations
- Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied Bach suite
- A work of the applicant’s choice, such as a movement of a sonata or a short concert piece
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Master of Music (MM)
- Two movements of a concerto with applicable cadenzas
- Three movements of an unaccompanied Bach suite
- A complete sonata
- A complete 20th or 21st century work.
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- A complete concerto with all applicable cadenzas.
- Four significant recital works from a wide range of style periods, including one from the 20th or 21st century.
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Classical Double Bass
Concerti and solo Bach must be played from memory; all other works may be played with or without music at the applicant’s discretion. Applicants are expected to bring their own instrument to the audition.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- One work from the Baroque period (may be a movement from a sonata or solo Bach)
- One solo work of applicant’s choice
- Two standard orchestral excerpts of the applicant’s choice of contrasting styles and/or periods
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Master of Music (MM)
- One movement of solo Bach
- Two contrasting solo works
- Three standard orchestral excerpts of the applicant’s choice of contrasting styles and/or periods
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- A recital program including the four periods in music (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary)
- Five orchestral excerpts demonstrating varied styles and periods
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Classical Harp
Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Professional Studies auditions are approximately 15 minutes in length. Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma auditions are approximately 20 minutes in length. You will choose a first work and the faculty will choose a second and possibly third work from the repertoire list you provide. You must perform solo works from memory and may be asked to sight-read and take a test of tuning ability. Music may be used for the orchestral works for graduate applicants.

Undergraduate: Bachelor of Music (BM)
- A major work which demonstrates level of proficiency
- A Bach transcription
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Master of Music (MM)
- Two complete works comparable in difficulty and scope to the Sonata of Hindemith or the Impromptu of Fauré
- First movement from a standard concerto
- Choose two of the following five excerpts:
  
  Gaetano Donizetti, cadenza from Lucia di Lammermoor – Scena e Cavatina, from 7 bars before rehearsal 23 to rehearsal 24
  
  Maurice Ravel, cadenza from Tzigane, rehearsal 4 to 5
  
  Hector Berlioz, entire first harp part of Symphonie Fantastique “Un Bal”
  
  Igor Stravinsky, Symphony in Three Movements- Second movement Rehearsal 112 to 120 and 132 to 134. Third movement, one bar before rehearsal 172 to rehearsal 177
  
  Benjamin Britten, Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Variation I Cadenza, Variation J, Fugue (rehearsal I to second bar of J, and 14 bars after Rehearsal M to 14 bars before the end)
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.
Professional Studies (PS), Professional Performance Diploma (PPD), Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) & Artist Diploma (AD)
- A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th century and a standard concerto with applicable cadenzas
- At least 20 minutes of representative selections from a concerto
- The MSM String Faculty encourages applicants to explore the enormous variety of string repertoire, including the many important contributions from culturally diverse composers when choosing repertoire for auditions.