General Audition Requirements - Music

Suggested Audition Material

The audition process for all prospective Music majors and Music minors consists of the following:

Demonstrate sufficient proficiency in an instrument, voice, or composition
Receive an 80 percent or higher score on the Theory Placement Entrance Exam
Prepare and play a Piano Proficiency Entrance Exam. (Please see details below—not required for INFA/Music Theater track or Music minors)

Theory Placement Entrance Exam

This exam tests basic musical literacy (i.e., scales, rhythm, notation, key signature, etc.) and determines placement in freshman level theory classes. Students must receive a score of 80 percent or higher on this exam in order to be able to register for Theory I should they choose to attend IUP. Students will be allowed to retake the test on any subsequent Fine Arts audition date, and may take the test up to three times. If these requirements are not met, students must remedy this deficiency by completing MUSC 110 Fundamentals of Music Theory prior to being able to register for Theory I. This course is only offered in the second Summer session as an online course.

Piano Proficiency Entrance Exam

All IUP Music majors are required to take at least two semesters of piano (exceptions noted below). Based on their piano ability and the results of this placement exam, students who successfully audition and enroll at IUP will be placed in either Applied Piano (private instruction) or Class Piano (group setting). Students who do not pass the exam or do not choose to take the exam will automatically be placed in Class Piano I. Prospective students who indicate on their audition application that they have at least one year of piano background are strongly encouraged to prepare for and take the piano proficiency exam on the day of their audition.

Please note: Piano proficiency exams will not be administered except on audition dates.

B.F.A. Composition

Those students desiring a major in Music Composition are required to have a successful audition on an instrument/voice for admission into the Music Department. At the time of the audition, students are requested to present a portfolio of their compositions, which will be evaluated along with their performance audition. Students whose audition and portfolio demonstrates sufficient musical development will be admitted directly into the composition program. Students who complete a successful performance audition, but whose portfolio does not demonstrate sufficient development, will be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in music degree program and will be reevaluated after their first and/or second year of study. Students who have already been admitted into the B.A., B.S.Ed., or B.F.A. in another area and want to switch to the Composition major do not need to re-audition on an instrument/voice, but they must present a portfolio .

Vocal Majors

All prospective voice majors (excluding INFA) with more than one year of piano background should prepare for and take the piano proficiency exam at their audition. If students are placed into Class Piano, they will have to complete two semesters of class piano and a jury before they will be allowed to begin their applied piano (private instruction) requirements. The B.S. Education in voice requires four semesters of Applied Piano, and the B.A. and B.F.A. require two semesters of Applied Piano.