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Graduate Vocal Arts Program

Graduate Vocal Arts
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Audition Requirements

Changes to Spring 2021 Audition Process

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all final auditions for the Graduate Vocal Arts Program will be held via recording and virtual interview with faculty. There will be no changes to the pre-screening process. 

Please continue to visit this webpage for updates.

Changes to Spring 2021 Audition Process

Q: Will there be any live auditions as a part of this year’s audition process? 
A: No, there will be no live in-person or remote auditions as part of the audition process. All applicants invited for a final audition will submit a recording with all of the required final audition repertoire and schedule an interview via Zoom with the Vocal Arts Program audition committee. 

Q: I do not have access to any high quality recording equipment. Is this a problem? 
A: While external microphones do enhance the sound quality of recordings, you do not need any high quality recording equipment for your pre-screening or final audition recordings. The audition committee will certainly accept recordings made on your mobile device or laptop, as long as you can be clearly seen and heard. If you are recording on your mobile device or laptop, experiment with its placement to optimize the audio quality of your recording and reduce distortion. 

Q: Do I need to record my pre-screening and final audition recordings with accompaniment? 
A: All pre-screening and final audition recordings must include accompaniment. Acceptable accompaniment options include: 
  • In-person accompanist with proper social distancing protocols 
  • A high-quality piano accompaniment app 
  • Pre-recorded accompaniment tracks, ideally from a pianist you have worked with previously 
  • Self-accompaniment at the piano 
You know yourself and your situation best--please choose the option that works best for you. 

Q: When will I be notified about my pre-screening results? 
A: Pre-screening recordings will be reviewed during the first two weeks of December. You should expect to hear from the Conservatory admissions office by December 20 with your pre-screening results. You will be able to schedule your final audition interview with our faculty at this time, as well. 

Q: Should all selections for my final audition be recorded in one take? 
A: Each selection for your final audition may be recorded separately. Applicants may use some or all of their pre-screening recordings as part of their final audition, and they may also use recordings from before the pandemic began, if they are representative of their current singing and meet the repertoire requirements. Please include the date of the recording either in the title of the recording or in the introduction of your video. All tracks should be unedited. 

Q: When are final audition recordings due? 
A: Final audition recordings should be uploaded to your application portal by Friday, February 12. If you are granted a final audition and interview, you will receive instructions for uploading your final audition recording. 

Prescreening Auditions

  • Audio vs. Video
    As part of your online application, you will be asked to submit a recording with the following repertoire. No preference is given to audio or video recordings, however the audio quality must be high in either file type.
  • Three Selections
    Genre requirements: Include at least one art song and one operatic aria.

    Language requirements: Three languages; one must be English.

    Style requirements: One selection must be written in a more modern idiom. (Many works written after 1950 would fall into this category, although works by Stravinsky or Schoenberg, for example, would also be suitable.)
  • File Sizes and Types
    Although Slate does support media files as large as 2 GB, please be advised that larger files will take longer to upload from your Internet connection and may stall if you are on a wireless connection or one that cannot sustain a connection for the necessary period of time. Uploaded documents may contain no more than 75 pages.

    File Sizes and Types

    • Video: .avi, .flv, .m1v, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .wmv
    • Audio: .aac, .aif, .aiff, .iff, .fla, .m4a, .mpa, .mp3, .ra, .wav, .wma

Final Auditions

  • Final Auditions for Spring 2021
    Final audition recordings and interviews are by invitation only, and shortlisted applicants will receive an invitation to submit new recordings and schedule an interview by December 21, 2020. 

    All applicants invited to submit a final audition recordings 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. 

    In addition to the submission of a final audition recording, all applicants will interview with the Vocal Arts Program faculty via Zoom. Interview dates are: 
    • Saturday, February 27, 2021 
    • Sunday, February 28, 2021
    Questions regarding the final audition process may be sent to the Conservatory Admissions Office at conservatoryadmission@bard.edu.
  • Repertoire Requirements
    Five selections: 
    • Genre requirements: Include three art songs and two arias (one may be from an oratorio).
    • Language requirements: Three languages; one must be English, and one should be in the singer’s native language (if the singer is not a native English speaker).
    • Style requirements: The repertoire presented should be in a variety of time periods and styles, tempos, mood, and character. One piece must be written in a contemporary idiom (see prescreening guidelines for clarification).
  • Sample Audition Repertoire
    Example audition offerings by singers whose native language is English.

    Package One Arias:
    • Cipullo: "My Darling Jim" from Glory Denied
    • Mozart: “Deh vieni, non tardar” from Le nozze di Figaro
    Package One Art Songs:
    • Clara Schumann: “Er ist gekommen”
    • Florence Price: “Night"
    • Prokofiev: “The Grey-Eyed King” from Five Poems of Anna Akhmatova, Op. 27
    Package Two Arias: 
    • John Adams: "Batter my heart" from Doctor Atomic
    • Felix Mendelssohn: "Gott, sei mir gnädig" from St Paul
    Package Two Art Songs: 
    • Cécile Chaminade: "N'est-ce pas?"
    • Hall Johnson: "Ain't got time to die"
    • Jennifer Higdon: "Red"
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