Music Department Admission

The Music Department at Cornish College of the Arts requires all vocal and instrumental performance applicants to audition for admission to the program; music composition applicants must submit a portfolio for review. The audition or portfolio, in combination with a brief theory and eartraining placement exam, gauges your potential for success in the program and helps to ensure proper placement into specific first-year skills courses.

PRE-SCREENING SUBMISSION

Vocalist, composer, or instrumentalist, classical, jazz, or early music, it all starts with your pre-screening submission. All applicants for admission to the Music Department for Fall 2012 must submit an audio or video recording by the January 1, 2012 Pre-screening Submission Deadline. All pre-screening submissions are submitted online.

The Music Department will continue to review pre-screening submissions on a case by case basis after February 1, 2012. Please contact the Office of Admission with any specific questions. 800.726.ARTS Upload your Music prescreening audition recordings here.

No CDs, DVDs, or videotapes will be accepted

Based upon review of your pre-screening submission, the music faculty may then extend an invitation to you to audition live at Cornish in Seattle, Washington on one of the two Merit Scholarship Audition Weekends: February 4-5 and March 3-4, 2012.

EARLY AUDITIONS AND OPEN HOUSE

For those students who would prefer to audition early, and not have to submit an online pre-screening submission, the Music Department hosts Early Auditions on November 19, 2011 and a Music Open House on November 20, 2011. Students who audition early will receive notification from the Music Department in January. Students auditioning in February and March will receive notification in April .

REQUIREMENTS FOR VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS

Please prepare three selections, in contrasting style and tempi, totaling no more than 15 minutes. Each piece should show you at your best. We recommend one composition or movement of a work in a slow-to-moderate tempo, another in a faster tempo in a contrasting style, and a third selection in a style of your choice (this may be original). This third selection is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your creativity and unique style. Individual movements of larger works may be used; we encourage you to include contemporary works as well as traditional repertoire. Jazz instrumentalists or vocalists: please include at least one selection that demonstrates your improvisational skills.

REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPOSERS AND COMPOSER/PERFORMERS

Composers applying for admission to the Music Department should prepare recordings of three original works. Recordings may feature live musicians or a computer realization of your music; however, at least one of the recordings should feature live musicians, and may include yourself. Applicants to the Composer/Performer program should submit recordings of three original works; at least two of these works should feature you as a primary performer. All Composer and Composer/Performer applicants should also include a notated score or lead sheet for each selection submitted. Label each score or lead sheet with the title of the piece and your name.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING YOUR ONLINE PRE-SCREENING RECORDINGS

The Music Department only accepts and reviews online submissions. Do NOT submit CDs, DVDs, audiotapes, cassettes, MIDI files, or videotapes, as these will NOT be reviewed. Our online submission process will ask you to list the following information for each recording that you submit:

• Title of the selection
• Composer
• Instrumentation of the work
• What instrument(s) or part you play on the recording

Composers and composer/performers will also be asked to submit scores or lead sheets for each selection submitted. These can be uploaded as Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files or as Sibelius or Finale files. Further instructions can be found online.

ACCOMPANISTS / EQUIPMENT

It is highly recommended that all vocal or instrumental performance students auditioning for admission to the Music Department perform with accompaniment. This is true for your online pre-screening submission as well as your live audition. For your live audition you may bring your own accompanist or we will provide one for you. If you require an accompanist, please bring enough copies of any sheet music for yourself and the accompanist(s). For classical or early music students we will provide piano or continuo accompaniment; for jazz students we will provide piano and bass accompaniment. A four-piece drum set, and guitar or bass amplifier will be provided for those who require them; jazz drummers should bring their own cymbals.

THE DAY OF YOUR AUDITION

All Music Department campus auditions are conducted at Cornish at Kerry Hall, 710 East Roy St., Seattle, WA 98103. Plan to arrive well in advance of your scheduled audition time, so that you have adequate time to warm-up. Once you check in, we will assign you to a warm-up room. Your audition day will consist of three steps:

• Your live audition (15 minutes max.)
• An informal interview with members of the music faculty (10 minutes)
• Placement tests for theory, eartraining, and piano (30 minutes total)

MERIT SCHOLARSHIP AND ADMISSION AUDITION DATES

Early Audition Open to All Applicants - Saturday, November 19, 2011
By Invitation Only - Saturday/Sunday, February 4, 5 and Saturday/Sunday, March 3,4, 2012
Transfer Audition Day - By Invitation Only - Saturday April 14, 2012