Woodwind Audition Requirements
Rehearsal
An official accompanist will be arranged for your audition and you will be given the opportunity to rehearse with them, but please note that rehearsal time will be limited to about 10 minutes.
If you are bringing your own accompanist, you will be allocated a room so that you can rehearse with your accompanist for 25 minutes prior to your audition. Please can you inform us by email if you will be bringing your own accompanist.
Audition Requirements for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Woodwind Applicants
Audition
Undergraduate Woodwind candidates must perform two pieces (or movements) of different styles and periods of their own choice. Candidates will also be asked to play scales (ABRSM Grade VIII standard) and sight read.
Postgraduate Woodwind candidates Please present a varied programme of about 15 minutes’ duration which may be drawn from the concerto repertoire. Players of Orchestral Woodwind instruments should also prepare two contrasting orchestral excerpts.
Please visit our Audition Advice page to help you prepare for your virtual audition and interview.
Interview
As part of your audition there will be an informal interview. The panel will be interested to hear you talk about your artistic influences, your inspiration to be a musician and your career objectives.
This is also an opportunity for you to ask the panel questions about your Department and what life will be like as a musician in Birmingham. If you are an undergraduate applicant, during your interview, as well as a selection of scales, we might ask you to play part of your audition piece(s) again. If you are a postgraduate applicant, we might ask you to play part of your audition piece(s) or orchestral extracts again.
This will be an informal opportunity for us to work together and get to know you better as a musician and performer.
Postgraduate Audition requirements for Theatre Doubling/Multi-instrument Specialism (MMus/PGDip)
Audition
Candidates are asked to present a programme totalling no more than 15 minutes duration. Repertoire will be welcomed from traditional classical lists but may also reflect the music theatre genre. Candidates will be expected to perform on each of their three chosen instruments and if possible, a piece should be included that demonstrates current doubling abilities.
During the interview, candidates will also be required to perform a varied selection of scales from a recognised Grade VIII (or equivalent) examination syllabus on your primary instrument and scales with up to five sharps and flats on your secondary instruments in a combination of legato, legato tongued and staccato articulations.
- Major scales
- Harmonic minor scales
- Melodic minor scales
- Major arpeggios
- Minor arpeggios
Please visit our Audition Advice page to help you prepare for your virtual audition and interview.
Recorded Audition for international applicants:
Candidates are asked to present a programme totalling 15 minutes’ duration, performing a piece on each of their three chosen instruments. The music should relate to the genre of music theatre. Candidates will also be required to perform a varied selection of scales from a recognised Grade VIII (or equivalent) examination syllabus on each instrument. Please play one scale from each of the following categories on each instrument. Your chosen selection should include scales with up to five sharps and flats and a combination of legato, legato tongued and staccato articulations.
- Major scales
- Harmonic minor scales
- Melodic minor scales
- Major arpeggios
- Minor arpeggios
Please visit our Audition Advice page to help you prepare for your virtual audition and interview.