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.

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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

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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