Woodwinds Prescreening & Audition Procedures

Information for prospective woodwind students applying to Manhattan School of Music.

Woodwind Prescreening Requirements

Bassoon

There are no prescreening requirements for Bassoon.
Clarinet
If you are applying for the Classical Program you are required to submit a video recording to be considered for an invitation to a live audition. The recording must include all of the repertoire listed below and be uploaded directly to your application. Professional or studio recordings are not required, but the sound quality should be as good as possible. You must be accompanied on your prescreening recording.
- Two contrasting works (or single movements taken from full-length works), representing two different styles and or periods (accompanied)
- Two orchestral excerpts displaying a balance of technical and lyrical playing (unaccompanied)
- One etude
Flute
If you are applying for the Classical Program you are required to submit a video recording to be considered for an invitation to a live audition. The recording must include all of the repertoire listed below and be uploaded directly to your application. Professional or studio recordings are not required, but the sound quality should be as good as possible. You must be accompanied on your prescreening recording.

Undergraduate (BM)
- Mozart Concerto in G or D – Exposition of 2nd movement
- One of the ten pieces (student’s choice) from the book “Flute music by French composers” (Schirmer*L. Moyse)
- One additional work of choice (other than Mozart or the French book)
- One movement from a Baroque sonata
- Excerpt from Mendelssohn Midsummer Night’s Dream plus one additional excerpt
Graduate (MM) and Postgraduate (DMA, PS, and AD)
- Mozart Concerto in G or D – Exposition of 2nd movement
- Two contrasting works of different styles or periods (excluding Mozart and Bach)
- One movement from a Bach sonata
- Stravinsky Variations from Firebird (counting the rests) plus two additional excerpts
Oboe

There are no prescreening requirements for Oboe.

Please Note: The oboe faculty highly recommends that you arrange a free trial lesson with one of the professors with whom you are most interested in studying. This is a great way for the oboe faculty to assess you early on, and for you to see if MSM is a good fit. Please email admissions@msmnyc.edu to tell the Admissions Team with whom you would like to take a trial lesson, and they will give you the best contact information for that faculty member.
Saxophone

There are no prescreening requirements for Saxophone.

Woodwind Audition Requirements

Undergraduate and graduate auditions are approximately 10 minutes in length, and doctoral auditions are 20 minutes. You will choose a first work and the faculty will choose a second and possibly third work from the repertoire you provide.

For clarinet, flute, and bassoon 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 cost.

Below you’ll find audition information for all degree levels based on instrument.

Bassoon
Undergraduate (BM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition/clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Graduate (MM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods (one work must be a concerto and one work must be from the 20th century)
- Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro Overture and one other contrasting orchestral excerpt
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Orchestral Performance (OP)

Visit the Orchestral Performance page

Doctoral (DMA) & Professional Studies (PS)
- A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th Century
- Orchestral excerpts: The Marriage of Figaro; Scheherezade: solo and cadenzas; The Rite of Spring: opening; Bolero; Tchaikowsky Symphony No. 4, second movement;
- Beethoven Symphony No. 4, fourth movement
Clarinet
Undergraduate (BM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Graduate (MM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods (one work must be a concerto and one work must be from the 20th century)
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Orchestral Performance (OP)

Visit the Orchestral Performance page

Doctoral (DMA) & Professional Studies (PS)

A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th century, plus four orchestral excerpts
Flute
Undergraduate (BM)
- Mozart Concerto in G or D major – Exposition of 1st and 2nd movements
- One of the ten pieces (student’s choice) from the book “Flute music by French composers” (Schirmer*L. Moyse)
- One additional work of choice (other than Mozart or French book)
- Two contrasting movements from a Baroque sonata
- Excerpt from Mendelssohn Midsummer Night’s Dream plus two additional excerpt
- Sight-reading
Graduate (MM)
- Mozart Concerto in G or D – Exposition of 1st and 2nd movements
- Two contrasting works of different styles or periods (excluding Mozart and Bach)
- Two contrasting movements from a Bach sonata
- Excerpt from Stravinsky Variations from Firebird (counting the rests), plus two additional excerpts
- Sight-reading
Orchestral Performance (OP)

Visit the Orchestral Performance page

Doctoral (DMA), Professional Studies (PS), and Artist Diploma (AD)

A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th century, plus four orchestral excerpts.
Oboe
Please Note: The oboe faculty highly recommends that you arrange a free trial lesson with one of the professors with whom you are most interested in studying. This is a great way for the oboe faculty to assess you early on, and for you to see if MSM is a good fit. Please email admission@msmnyc.edu to tell the Admissions Team with whom you would like to take a trial lesson, and they will give you the best contact information for that faculty member.

Undergraduate (BM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Graduate (MM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods (one work must be a concerto and one work must be from the 20th century)
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Orchestral Performance (OP)

Visit the Orchestral Performance page

Doctoral (DMA) & Professional Studies (PS)

A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th century, plus four orchestral excerpts
Saxophone
Undergraduate (BM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Graduate (MM)
- Two contrasting etudes
- Two complete works from contrasting periods (one work must be a concerto and one work must be from the 20th century)
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
- Knowledge of transposition*clefs where applicable
- Sight-reading
Doctoral (DMA) & Professional Studies (PS)

A full-length recital from contrasting style periods including a work from the 20th century, plus four orchestral excerpts