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Tuba Application Requirements

Pre-screening recording and submission instructions for all tuba applicants:

Applicants will submit a video recording of their audition material for pre-screening by December 1. Audition and pre-screening requirements are the same. Applicants who pass pre-screening will be notified of their invitation to audition by January 10. The audition schedule can be found here.

Each selection may be recorded separately (including individual movements of solo selections, and excerpts). Adjustments to EQ and reverb are allowed, but there may not be any additional editing or splicing within each selection. Audio may be recorded separately, and synced with video.

Create a separate file for each selection, and label each clearly with the last name of the applicant and the name of the selection.

Applicants are encouraged to use the best recording equipment available to them, and to carefully select the best microphone placement and recording level to reduce distortion. Devices such as a Zoom Handy Recorder will yield good results, and if using a phone, laptop, or tablet, an external USB microphone or microphone attachment can greatly improve the audio. If you do not own or have access to a quality recording device, consider checking with a local or school library, band director, or teacher about borrowing one. Experiment with the recording process in advance, so that your recordings represent you as well as possible.

All undergraduate applicants to the tuba studio should record the following material for their audition, as per the recording and submission instructions for tuba applicants:

  • A lyrical etude by Bordogni
  • A technical etude by Kopprasch, or similar (no repeats)
  • At least 5 minutes of solo material of sufficient difficulty to demonstrate the applicant's musical and technical level of achievement. Suggested material: Gregson Tuba Concerto (1st movement); or Hindemith Tuba Sonata (1st movement plus 3rd movement recitative); or Hartley Suite for Unaccompanied Tuba (contrasting movements); or Vaughan Williams Folk Song Suite (contrasting movements); or Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto (1st movement); or an alternate selection of similar difficulty of the applicant's choice.
  • 2 orchestral excerpts (one from each list): Wagner, Meistersinger Overture (Letter J-L); OR Berlioz, Hungarian March (Rehearsal 20 - 4th m. of Rehearsal 21)
    AND
    Wagner, Ride of the Walkure (standard excerpt) OR
    Prokofiev, Symphony No. 5, movement 1 (Rehearsal 3-6)


All performance candidates are required to complete an audition. Note: All solo instrumental auditions are unaccompanied.

All graduate applicants to the tuba studio should record the following material for their audition, as per the recording and submission instructions for tuba applicants:

  • 2 contrasting movements from a standard concerto (such as the Vaughan Williams or John Williams) or other major solo work of similar difficulty, comprising approximately 10 minutes
  • Snedecor Etude #4 from Low Etudes for Tuba, Book 1, performed on CC tuba
  • A technical etude by Kopprasch, or other similar work, performed on CC tuba
  • The following orchestral excerpts
    Wagner, Die Meistersinger Overture (Letter J-L)
    Wagner, The Ride of the Walkure (standard excerpt)

All performance candidates are required to complete an audition. Note: All solo instrumental auditions are unaccompanied.

All certificate applicants to the tuba studio should record the following material for their audition, as per the recording and submission instructions for tuba applicants:

  • 2 contrasting movements from a standard concerto (such as the Vaughan Williams or John Williams) or other major solo work of similar difficulty, comprising approximately 10 minutes
  • Snedecor Etude #4 from Low Etudes for Tuba, Book 1, played on CC tuba
  • A technical etude by Kopprasch, or other similar work, played on CC tuba
  • The following orchestral excerpts
    Wagner, Die Meistersinger Overture (Letter J-L)
    Wagner, The Ride of the Walkure (standard excerpt)
    Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, Tuba 1, Movement 4 (Rehearsal 56 - m.6 of Rehearsal 57)
    Stravinsky, Petroushka 1911, Bear solo, (Rehearsal 100-101)

All performance candidates are required to complete an audition. Note: All solo instrumental auditions are unaccompanied.