Choral Hearings for choral ensembles will take place Thursday and Friday, August 17-18, from 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:30 - 4:00 PM in Sheryl Crow Hall located in the Sinquefield Music Center, Room 132 on the first floor. Hearings are for all new students interested in joining a choral ensemble for the Fall Semester, as well as any returning students interested in auditioning into University Singers who did not audition this past Spring. Returning members of University Singers are not required to audition in the first round but will participate in call-back auditions. Students interested in ensembles not requiring an audition (Choral Union and Sankofa Chorale), should still sign up for a hearing time listed below to ensure proper vocal part assignment.

MU Choral Ensembles and Meeting Times

• Choral Union Symphonic Chorus, Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 PM
• Concert Chorale (University Treble Chorus and University Glee Club), Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:20-1:45 PM
• Hitt Street Harmony Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 2:00-2:50 PM
• Sankofa Chorale, Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00 PM
• University Singers, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 12:15-1:45 PM

For more information about each ensemble, visit the website here: https://music.missouri.edu/ensemble/choirs

Please sign up for an audition time here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BAFA823A0FF2-choral10

At the hearing, singers are asked to:  

• Fill out an audition form provided at the audition time.
• Perform a solo of any style that best demonstrates your vocal abilities
• Feel free to sing a classical, musical theater, original composition, or folk/traditional song. If you cannot prepare a solo, we will vocalize you to determine your range for ensemble placement. A collaborative pianist will be provided. Please bring printed music for the accompanist.
• Demonstrate your sight-reading skills.  
• Demonstrate your tonal memory skills.  

The complete process takes approximately seven minutes. 

Forms to complete when you arrive for your audition:

1) Choral Audition Student Information Form

2) School of Music Student Release Agreement

Please contact Dr. Brandon A. Boyd, Director of Choral Activities, at boydba@missouri.edu for questions regarding Choral Ensemble Hearings.

Lesson placement for new voice majors and non-music majors (space permitting) will take place Friday, August 18, from 2:00-4:30 PM in McKee 204.

Please sign up for an audition time here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BAFA823A0FF2-voice3

Preparation: Please prepare a song that has printed sheet music (Classical or Musical Theatre are most commonly done). If you do not have a prepared selection, you will be asked to sing “My Country ’Tis of Thee.” An accompanist will be provided, so please bring a copy of your sheet music for them. The hearing process will take approximately six minutes.

Acceptance: Music major teacher assignments will be posted by Thursday, August 24. Non-music major acceptances will also be posted that same day. Private lessons will begin the second week of classes.

Questions? Please contact Prof. Steven Tharp at tharpst@missouri.edu.

Participation in Opera Workshop is by permission of the Director of Show-Me Opera, Professor Christine Seitz. Please contact Prof. Seitz directly at seitzc@missouri.edu for more information. 

All new and returning instrumental students are required to audition for ensemble placement at the beginning of the Fall Semester. Non-music majors interested in joining University Band will not need to audition.

String, wind, and percussion auditions will be held Friday, August 18 in the Sinquefield Music Center:

• 9:30-11:30 AM – Strings (SMC 130)
• 12:00-2:30 PM – Saxophone/Clarinet (SMC 383)
• 11:30-1:30 PM – Percussion (SMC 130)
• 1:30-3:30 PM – Strings (SMC 130)
• 3:30-5:30 PM – Flute/Oboe/Bassoon (SMC 383)
• 3:30-5:30 PM – Trombone/Tuba/Euphonium (SMC 130)
• 5:30-7:00 PM – Trumpet (SMC 130)
• 7:00-8:30 PM – Horn (SMC 130)

Please sign up for an audition time here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BAFA823A0FF2-concert4

Wind and Percussion Audition Excerpts:

• Flute
• Oboe
• Clarinet
• Saxophone
• Bassoon
• Trumpet
• Horn
• Tenor Trombone
• Bass Trombone
• Euphonium
• Tuba
• Percussion

*String Audition Excerpts:

• Violin
• Viola
• Cello
• Bass

*Incoming first-year string players should prepare the excerpts for their instrument OR contrasting excerpts from a solo work of their choice not to exceed 5 minutes in length demonstrating technical command and expressive range. Returning string players should prepare the excerpts for their instrument only.

Forms to complete when you arrive for your audition:

1) Band and Orchestra Audition Student Information Form

2) School of Music Student Release Agreement

Auditions for big bands will include 1-3 sight-reading examples selected from classic jazz charts. Students are also encouraged to learn one (or two) of the posted jazz etudes. Improvisation is also encouraged, but optional for students comfortable with soloing. Chord changes for the etudes are provided and can be used to improvise over.  Auditions for combos will include improvisation on 1-2 tunes of the student’s choice. Students should select tunes that they are comfortable with and demonstrate their abilities. Jazz big bands and combos are open to students of any major.

Jazz audition schedule:

Thursday, August 17

• 3:00-5:00 PM – Trumpet/Trombone/Saxophone/Vocals (SMC 306)

Friday, August 18

• 12:00-3:00 PM – Rhythm Section (SMC 385)
• 3:00-8:00 PM – Trumpet/Trombone/Saxophone/Vocals (SMC 306)

Saturday, August 19

• 1:00-3:00 PM – Trumpet/Trombone/Saxophone/Vocals (SMC 306)

Sign up for a jazz audition here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BAFA823A0FF2-jazz7

Audition Requirements

Instrumentalists:

• Sight-reading (big band only)
• Improvisation (required for combo, optional for big band)
• Players select a tune of their choice. Performers newer to improvisation are encouraged to improvise over a blues. More advanced improvisers are encouraged to select a more challenging tune.
• Prepared Etude (optional for big band - available at https://music.missouri.edu/ensemble/jazz-ensembles) Prepared etudes can be used to help determine chair and/or band placement. They are encouraged but not a required part of the audition process.

 Drummers:

• Various grooves at a variety of tempos (swing, shuffle, bossa nova, funk, ballad with brushes, etc.)
• Sight-reading (big band only)
• Soloing (optional – if demonstrating solo ability, be prepared to solo over the form of a song, as well as trade 4 or 8 bar phrases).

 Vocalists:

• Two pieces, memorized (one medium-up tempo swing, 32 bars maximum; one ballad, 16 bars maximum)
• Improvisation is optional
• If you have selected a tune that falls outside the Great American Songbook, please have your own accompaniment prepared.

Forms to complete when you arrive for your audition:

1) Jazz Audition Student Information Form

2) School of Music Student Release Agreement

Questions? Please contact Dr. Sam Griffith at GriffithSV@missouri.edu.

Requirement to audition: 3 years of previous classical-style study.

Auditions will take place by appointment only on Friday, August 18. Please email Dr. Peter Miyamoto at miyamotop@missouri.edu by Thursday, August 17 to schedule an appointment on Friday.

Preparation: Be prepared to play two contrasting classical-type selections – at least one must be memorized. Neither has to be long—in fact, shorter is better. You will be asked to sight-read a simple piano piece.
 
Acceptance: If qualified, student is placed on waiting list until the third day of class, pending space in piano studios.
 
Piano students who have previously auditioned and been accepted to a piano program do not have to audition again in August. If you have not already auditioned on piano as a music major or minor, please contact Dr. Peter Miyamoto at miyamotop@missouri.edu to schedule an audition.