Auditions at the Blair School of Music are a two-part process. All prospective students must submit a pre-screening video before being invited to Vanderbilt University for a live audition. For application information, including early decision options, video submission information, and deadlines please visit the Blair Admissions page.
Pre-Screening
1 selection is required from each category (total of 3 selections):
Snare Drum
One concert solo or étude
Marimba
One contemporary four-mallet solo or étude
Timpani
One solo or étude
Live Audition
Selections are required from all three areas
Snare Drum
Concert solo or étude (suggestion: Cirone Portraits in Rhythm, Delecluse Douze Études, Peters Advanced Snare Drum Studies)
Traditional rudimental solo or étude (suggestion: Pratt, Wilcoxon, Tompkins)
Marimba
Contemporary four-mallet solo
Contrasting two-mallet solo (suggestion: any movement of a cello suite or violin partita or sonata by J.S. Bach)
Demonstration of major scales and arpeggios
Sight-reading
Timpani
Solo or étude (suggestion: Hochrainer Etuden fur Timpani, Goodman Modern Method)
Demonstrate ability to recognize, sing, and tune pitches to intervals