Audition Requirements
Applicants must submit a prescreening recording along with their Conservatory application by December 1. Prescreening and final audition requirements can be found below. Prescreening recordings must include both audio and video. -
General InformationAll final auditions are by invitation only, and shortlisted applicants will receive an invitation to either schedule an audition or submit new recordings by December 15. All live auditions are by invitation only in February and March. Unless otherwise noted, all live auditions are held at Bard College Conservatory of Music in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. Applicants invited for the final live auditions will be notified through their application portal by mid-December.
All applicants who choose to submit a final audition recording will receive instructions for how to upload your new videos to the applicant portal. Only video recordings will be accepted for the final round, and applicants must include all required final audition repertoire. Final audition video recordings are due on February 1.
Questions regarding the final audition process may be sent to the Conservatory Admissions Office at [email protected]. -
Final Auditions in Spring 2026Final in-person and remote audition dates will be announced in the fall. Please continue to visit this page for updates.
At this time, Bard Conservatory is planning to offer the following final audition options:- Live in-person auditions at Bard
- Live remote auditions via Zoom
- Recorded video audition
Equal consideration will be given to applicants who choose to submit a recorded audition and applicants who choose to schedule a live in-person or live-remote audition.
Bassoon
Pre-screening Requirements:
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- A work of your choice
- An etude
- A concerto movement
- A 20th-century work
- A work of your choice
Clarinet
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- A work of your choice
- An etude
- A concerto movement
- A 20th-century work
- 2 orchestral excerpts of your choice (example, Beethoven - Symphony No. 6, Mendelssohn - Scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream)
- A work of your choice
Cello
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- A movement from an unaccompanied Bach suite
- A movement of a concerto
- A work of your choice
- Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach suite
- A movement of a standard concerto
- A movement of a sonata
- A work of your choice
Double Bass
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- Two contrasting sonata movements
- A work of your choice
- A movement of solo Bach (6 cello suites) of your choice
- A work of your choice
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
Flute
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- A work of your choice
- An etude
- A concerto movement
- A 20th-century work
- A work of your choice
Harp
Pre-screening Repertoire:
Two pieces of the following level of difficulty:
- Bach/Grandjany études
- Marcel Tournier: Feerie
- Nina Rota: Sarabande and Toccata
- Handel: Concerto in B-Flat Major
1. Two contrasting solos of the following level of difficulty:
- Handel: Concerto in B-flat Major
- Faure: Impromptu
- Britten: Suite for Harp
- Wagner: Liebestod
- Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
- Ravel: Tzigane
- Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
- Stravinsky: Symphony in 3 Movements, 2nd mvt
Horn
Pre-screening and Final Audition Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- Wagner: Short Call from Siegfried's Rheinfahrt
- Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte
- Shostakovich: Low tutti from Symphony No. 5 (1st movement)
- Brahms: Symphony No. 3 (3rd movement)
- Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (opening)
Oboe
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- A work of your choice
- An étude
- A concerto movement
- A 20th-century work
- A work of your choice
Percussion
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- Marimba: Mallet solo (5-12 minutes)
- Timpani: An étude of choice. The following are recommended: Elliott Carter Eight Pieces for Solo Timpani, Richard Hochrainer Etuden Für Timpani, Jacques Delecluse Vingt Etudes
- Snare Drum: An étude of choice. The following are recommended: Cirone Portraits in Rhythm, Delecluse Douze Etudes, Smith Publications' The Noble Snare Collection
- Something Else (optional): Send us something else that makes you a unique musician. Possibilities could include orchestra excerpts, steel drum playing, multiple percussion solo, drumset, even another instrument
- Marimba:
- Four mallet solo (5-12 minutes in length)
- Two mallet solo (transcription of J.S. Bach or other substantial work)
- Two mallet sight-reading may be asked at live audition
- Timpani:
- An étude of choice. The following are recommended: Elliott Carter Eight Pieces for Solo Timpani, Richard Hochrainer Etuden Für Timpani, Jacques Delecluse Vingt Etudes
- Interval knowledge and basic tuning may be examined
- Snare Drum:
- An étude of choice. The following are recommended: Cirone Portraits in Rhythm, Delecluse Douze Etudes, Smith Publications' The Noble Snare Collection
- Sight-reading may be asked
- Chamber Music:
- Candidate will be asked to sight-read an excerpt from the chamber music repertoire with members of the percussion faculty. Music and instruments will be provided
- Something Else (optional): Please feel welcome to bring in something else that makes you a unique musician. Possibilities could include orchestra excerpts, steel drum playing, multiple percussion solo, drumset, even another instrument.
Piano
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- A work by J. S. Bach
- A movement of a classical sonata
- A movement or work from the romantic era
- A work by J. S. Bach
- A movement of a classical sonata
- A movement or work from the romantic era
- A work composed in the 20th or 21st century
- A work of your choice
Trombone
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto or sonata movement
- A work of your choice
- An etude
- A concerto or sonata movement
- A 20th-century work
- A work of your choice
Trumpet
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- An étude
- A concerto or sonata movement
- A work of your choice
- An étude
- A concerto or sonata movement
- A 20th-century work
- A work of your choice
Tuba
Pre-screening Repertoire:
An étude
A concerto or sonata movement
A work of your choice
Final Audition Repertoire:
An étude
A concerto or sonata movement
A 20th-century work
A work of your choice
Viola
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- A movement from an unaccompanied Bach suite (originally for cello) or partita or sonata (originally for violin)
- A sonata or concerto movement
- A work of your choice
Final Repertoire:
- Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach suite (originally for cello) or partita or sonata (originally for violin)
- A concerto movement or étude
- A movement of a sonata
- A work of your choice
Violin
Pre-screening Repertoire:
- A movement from an unaccompanied Bach partita or sonata
- A movement of a standard concerto
- A work of your choice
- Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied Bach partita or sonata
- A complete standard concerto
- A movement of a sonata
- A work of your choice