Students pursuing a degree in music are required to meet audition and entrance requirements for acceptance into their desired music specialization area. This audition process is separate from those held for the South Carolina State University choral and instrumental groups. Students must exhibit demonstrated potential for a successful career in Music through basic proficiency on their chosen instrument and provide verification of solo or ensemble experience. Enrollment in music courses does not qualify a student as a Music major/minor. Official declaration of the Music major/minor will be granted only after the student has successfully met the audition and entrance requirements for the appropriate Music faculty.
Audition Requirements and How to Audition
Click here to register for a live audition.
Applicants unable to attend a live audition should send VHS or DVD audition tapes to the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, Attn: (Instrumental / Vocal Professor-see names below) , Department of Visual and Performing Arts 300 College Street, NE Orangeburg, SC 29117 . Please clearly indicate your name, program applied to, contents of tape or CD and SCSU ID, if applicable.
For more information, Call the Department at 803-536-7176
Please contact the following to schedule a live audition and/or send notification that you will be sending an audition tape:
Program Coordinator
Dr. Rosetta Dingle
Music Education
Office: 803-536-8886
Email: rdingle@scsu.edu
Music Industry
Dr. Thomas J. Dempster
Music Industry
Office: 803-516-4719
Email: tdempste@scsu.edu
Instrumental
Mr. Eddie Ellis
Director of Bands
Office: 803-536-8570
Email: eellis@scsu.edu
Mr. Joey Celmer
Low Brass
Office: 803-536-8814
Email: jcelmer@scsu.edu
Dr. Steven J. Reid
Music Theory/Trumpet
Office: 803-536-7023
Email: sreid18@scsu.edu
Mr. Benjamin McKnight Jr.
French Horn / Assistant Director of Bands
Office: 803-536-8096
Email: bmcknig4@scsu.edu
Mr. John P. Robinson
Woodwinds / Assistant Director of Bands
Office: 803-516-4601
Email: Jrobin23@scsu.edu
Mr. Jay Ware
Percussion
Office: 803-536-7124
Email: rware1@scsu.edu
Voice
Dr. Richard E. Beckford
Director of Choirs
Office: 803-536-8825
Email: rbeckford@scsu.edu
Dr. Robert M. Grenier
Voice
Office: 803-536-8595
Email: rgrenier@scsu.edu
Piano
Dr. Jacob L. Clark
Piano
Office: 803-536-8830
Email: jclark16@scsu.edu
Strings
Dr. Julia M. Quick
Strings
Office: 803-536-8829
Email: jquick@scsu.edu
Woodwinds
- Major and/or Minor Scales, Chromatic Scale (2-3 octaves)
- Two contrasting pieces (lyrical and technical)
Recommended Books/Solo Repertoire:- Sonatas (Poulenc, Hindemith etc.)
- Concertos (Mozart, Marcello etc.)
- Etudes:
- Flute-Anderson Studies
- Clarinet-Rose Studies
- Bassoon- Weissenborn Studies
- Saxophone/Oboe-Ferling Studies
- Sight reading
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French Horn
- Performance Option 1: Perform two separate etudes. The etude selections should demonstrate both lyrical and technical performance proficiency within the composition.
- Performance Option 2: Perform a solo with at least two movements. The solo selection should demonstrate both lyrical and technical performance proficiency within the composition.
Recommended Books/Solo Repertoire
335 Selected Studies for horn (comprised and revised by: Max P. Pottag, Albert J. Andraud)
Kling 40 Studies for Horn (James Chambers)
Gally 30 Studies for Horn (James Chambers)
Kopprasch, Book II
Gugel 12 Horn Studies for Horn
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Trumpet*
*All repertoire should be taken from the following method book:Arban Complete Method for Trumpet, Jean-Baptiste Arban
- Major and minor scales (with arpeggios) up to 5 sharps (#) and 5 flats (b).
- (2) Two contrasting etudes/studies (One lyrical and One technical)
- (1) One solo piece.
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Strings
(It is required that students own their instruments)- 3 major scales out of 9 keys up to 4 flats and 4 sharps, and C major (one student’s choice, other by faculty)
- Two contrasting styles of solos, i.e., Baroque, Romantic, Classical, and 20th Century. (One slow and one fast) and/or Etude.
- Sight reading
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Low Brass (Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba)
- Major scales (two octaves when possible). Chromatic scale (beginning on any note over the full range of the instrument).
- Applicants are required to perform literature showcasing their lyrical and technical abilities. This may be in the form of a single solo with contrasting movements OR multiple etudes exhibiting proper techniques. Below are suggested solos and etude books (by instrument); however, applicants may choose other published pieces.
- Sight-reading
| Trombone |
|
| Suggested Solo Literature: Guilmant, Morceau Symphonique Barat, Andante et Allegro Rimsky-Korsakov, Concerto for Trombone and Piano Saint-Saens, Cavatine Bernstein, Elegy for Mippy II Galliard, Sonata No. 1 |
Suggested Etude Books: C. Kopprasch, Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone Rochut, Melodious Etudes Vol. 1 Tyrell, 40 Progressive Studies Rubank, Advanced Studies Volume 1 |
| Euphonium |
|
| Suggested Solo Literature: Barat, Introduction and Dance Curnow, Rhapsody DeLuca, Beautiful Colorado Galliard, Sonata (any movement) Haddad, Suite for Baritone Mozart, Concert Rondo (from Bassoon Concerto k. 191) Telemann, Sonata (any movement) |
Suggested Etude Books: C. Kopprasch, Sixty Selected Studies for Trombone Rochut, Melodious Etudes Vol. 1 Tyrell, 40 Progressive Studies Rubank, Advanced Studies Volume 1 |
| Tuba |
|
| Suggested Solo Literature: Bach, Air and Bouree Bach, Air and Bouree Barat, Introduction and Dance for Tuba Haddad, Suite for Tuba (any movement) Telemann, Adagio and Allegro Marcello, Sonata in f minor (any movement) Lebedev, Concerto in One Movement |
Suggested Etude Books: Fink, Studies in Legato H.W. Tyrell, 40 Advanced Studies Marco Bordogni, 43 Bel Canto Studies Blazhevich 70 Studies book 1 C. Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies |
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Percussion (Snare Drum, Mallets, and Timpani are required)
Snare Drum- One rudimental solo/etude from J. S. Pratt, C. Wilcoxon or equivalent (published works only).
- One concert solo/etude from Cirone, Peters, or equivalent (published works only).
- All major scales and the chromatic scale (two octaves).
- One two-mallet solo/etude from Goldenberg, Stout, Abe, J.S. Bach, Creston, Musser, Rosauro, or equivalent (published works only). A 4-mallet solo is preferred though not required (published works only).
- Demonstrate tuning ability (tune a given pitch and/or interval on any drum).
- One prepared solo/etude for 2-4 timpani from Goodman, Schinstine, Vic Firth, or equivalent (published works only).
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Piano
Technique- All major and harmonic minor scales. At a minimum, 2 octaves in both parallel and contrary motion in eighth notes at metronome marking 120 to the quarter. Preference will be given to students that can perform parallel scales 4 octaves in sixteenth notes.
- I-IV-I-V7-I cadences in all keys.
- Arpeggios in all white key major and minors. At a minimum, 2 octaves hands separately; preference will be given to students that can perform hands together 4 octaves in sixteenth notes.
- A pedagogical technical etude by composers such as Czerny, Cramer, Heller, etc. Preference will be given to students that can prepare an artistic performance etude by composers such as Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, or Scriabin.
Repertoire
Prospective students should prepare 2 pieces from the standard classical piano repertoire, one of which should be a sonata movement or single-movement sonata. It is expected that each piece represent a different style period, i.e. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary. Each selection must be performed by memory.
Potential piano majors must demonstrate an acceptable proficiency in sight-reading. Minimum expectations are the ability to fluently sight-read a late-elementary/early intermediate level classical miniature by pedagogical composers such as Gurlitt, Turk, Bartok, Kabalevsky, etc.
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Voice
(Copies of accompaniment should be provided)Two prepared pieces; a repertoire list of solos sung should be provided.
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