School of Music Undergraduate Admissions

Students wishing to gain admittance into undergraduate programs with a concentration in Trumpet should be prepared to present the following material in an audition:

• Two contrasting works that demonstrate your ability technically and musically. One of these can be your All-State or District solo.
• Major and Chromatic Scales as requested.
• Possible Sight Reading.
• Any additional material that you feel exemplifies your musicianship and versatility (i.e. excerpts, jazz, etc.)

Undergraduate (BM, BMME, BA, Music Minor)

• Two Contrasting Selections (etude, solo, etc)
• Major Scales

For Undergraduate auditions, please prepare two contrasting works. These can be etudes or contrasting movements/sections from a solo work. Scales up to four sharps, four flats, and sight reading may be asked. 

Recommended Studies - Tuba

• Marco Bordogni : 43 Bel Canto Studies
• Concone/Shoemaker Legato Etudes for tuba/bass trombone
• Clarke Technical Studies
• Reginald Fink Studies in Legato
• Vladislav Blazehvich: 70 Tuba Studies Vol I
• Vladislav Blazehvich: 70 Tuba Studies Vol II
• C. Kopprash 60 Selected Studies for Tuba
• H.W. Tyrell 40 Advanced Studies for Tuba
• Phil Snedecor Low Etudes for Tuba Vol I
• Phil Snedecor Low(er) Etudes for Tuba Vol II
• The Brass Gym
• Michael Davis 20 Minute Warm Up
• Full Range Major/Minor Scales & Arpeggios

Recommended Excerpts - Tuba

• Stars & Stripes-Sousa
• Toccata Marziale-Vaughan Williams
• The Planets-Holst
• Ein Heldenleben-Strauss
• Ride of the Valkyries-Wagner
• Die Meistersinger Overture-Wagner
• Ein Faust Overture-Wagner
• Symphony No. 5-Prokofiev
• Hungarian March-Berlioz
• Symphony No. 1-Mahler
• Symphony No. 5-Mahler
• Pertroushka-Stravinsky
• Fountains of Rome-Resphigi
• Symphonic Metamorphosis-Hindemith
• Symphony Fantastique-Berlioz

Recommended Solos - Tuba

• Fantasy for Solo Tuba-Malcolm Arnold
• Air & Bouree-Arr. William Bell
• Introduction & Dance-J.E. Barat
• Andante and Rondo-Capuzzi
• Sonata No. 1-Marcello Arr. Little
• Sketches for Tuba & Piano-Martin McFarland
• Sonata for Tuba-Thomas Beversdorf
• Concerto for Tuba-Edward Gregson
• Sonata for Tuba-Walter Hartley
• Sonata fur Tuba und Klavier-Paul Hindemith
• Concerto in One Movement-Lebedev
• Serenade No. 12-Persechetti
• Impromptus-Robert Muczynski

Recommended Studies - Euphonium

• Rochut Melodius Etudes
• Concone/Shoemaker Legato Etudes for Trombone
• Clarke Technical Studies
• Bousquet 36 Celebrated Studies for Baritone or Trombone
• Steven Mead New Concert Studies Vol. I
• Reginald Fink Studies in Legato
• Vladislav Blazehvich: 70 Tuba Studies Vol I (low register training)
• C. Kopprash 60 Selected Studies for Trombone Book 1
• C. Kopprasch 60 Selected Studies for Trombone Book II
• Voxman Selected Studies for Baritone
• H.W. Tyrell 40 Progressive Studies for Trombone
• The Brass Gym
• Michael Davis 20 Minute Warm Up
• Full Range Major/Minor Scales & Arpeggios
• Clef Studies (treble, bass, tenor) Blazevich, Fink etc.

Recommended Excerpts - Euphonium

• Stars & Stripes-Sousa
• Colonial Song-Grainger
• Molly on the Shore-Grainger
• When Jesus Wept-Shuman
• Festive Overture-Shostakovich/Hunsberger
• Toccata Marziale-Vaughan Williams
• Second Suite in F-Holst
• The Planets-Holst
• Bydlo-Mussorgsky/Ravel
• Theme and Variations-Shoenberg
• Roman Carnival Overture-Berlioz/Godfrey III
• Pinapple Poll-Sullivan/Mackerras
• Ein Heldenleben-Strauss
• Don Quixote--Strauss

Recommended Solos - Euphonium

• Rhapsody for Euphonium-James Curnow
• Beautiful Colorado-DeLuca
• A Walk in the Woods-Jiro Censhu
• Fantasy Variations-Ito Yasuhide
• Sonata for Euphonium and Piano-Eric Ewazen
• Concert Piece-P.V. De La Nux
• Andante and Rondo-Capuzzi
• Bassoon Concerto-W.A. Mozart
• Mirror Lake-Edward Montgomery
• Sonata for Unaccompanied Euphonium-Clinard
• Fantasy-Philip Sparke
• Lyric Suite-Donald White
• Variations for Ophicleide-Kummer
• Fantasy Pieces for Euphonium-Derek Bourgeois
• The Green Hill-Bert Appermont

Please prepare:

• Two contrasting works that demonstrate lyrical and technical ability (At least one solo work is required, the second piece can be another solo or etude)
• Major scales up to four sharps and flats
• Possible Sight Reading

Piano accompaniment is not required.

Prepare at least 15 minutes of music, two or three pieces of contrasting styles, preferably memorized. Also review and be prepared to play any scales or other technical material you have studied. You will also be asked to sight-read some unfamiliar piano scores.

Please contact either Irina Voro or Jacob Coleman with any questions you may have.

The following list serves only as a guide in choosing appropriate audition material for incoming undergraduate students. Although this list serves only as a suggestion, please choose literature that is similar in style, depth, and breadth. You are encouraged to go beyond the scope of All-State audition music. The purpose of an audition is to demonstrate your talents and ability to prepare. Choose repertoire you can perform at a high level of musical and technical proficiency rather than simply trying to impress with the literature you select.

Prospective music majors and minors should demonstrate ability in three (3) core percussion areas: Mallet Keyboard, Snare Drum, and Timpani. Since time constraints of the audition process limit the total interview time, students may choose to submit additional video links that includes other performance areas. Please note that students must play from original scores of their selected music – no duplicated copies will be allowed. If a personal audition is not possible, you may submit a video link audition (audio recordings will not be acceptable for auditions). However, only live auditions can be considered for a music scholarship unless special arrangements are made with the student and director of percussion studies.

Please bring a resume, audition repertoire list, and copies of your prepared materials to your audition.

Mallet Keyboard

• Technical demonstration and/or theoretical understanding of all major and minor scales and arpeggios - two octaves.
• Any four-mallet marimba or vibraphone solo.
  • This can be any standard solo work or study to demonstrate musicianship. (“Three Preludes” Ney Rosauro; “Rhythm Song” Paul Smadbeck; “Michi” Keiko Abe; “Land” Takatsugu Muramatsu; Impressions on Wood, Julie Davila; Mirror from Another, David Friedman; or similar).
• Any two-mallet marimba or vibraphone solo.
  • This can be any solo, concerto, rag, or etude that demonstrates technical and musical abilities with two mallets. (Two, Gene Koshinski; “Log Cabin Blues” George Hamilton Green, Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone, Morris Goldenberg; Masterpieces for Marimba, Thomas McMillan; Sonatas & Partitas for Violin by J.S. Bach; or similar).
• Sight Reading (two mallets).

Snare Drum

• A solo or etude in concert style.
  • Examples include: Portraits in Rhythm, Anthony Cirone; Advanced Snare Drum Studies, Mitchell Peters, Douze Études or Keiskleiriana 1, Jacques Delécluse; or similar.
• A solo or etude in rudimental style.
  • Examples include: 14 Modern Contest Solos, John S. Pratt; Rudimental Cookbook, Edward Freytag, The Blue Book, David Ratliff; Modern Rudimental Swing Solos for the Advanced Drummer, Charley Wilcoxon; or similar.
• Sight Reading (concert style).

Timpani

• A standard work or etude to demonstrate musicianship and technical ability.
  • A Movement from Four Pieces for Timpani, John Bergamo; Six Concert Pieces for Solo Timpani, William Cahn; The Solo Timpanist, Vic Firth; or similar.
• Sight Reading and demonstrated ability to tune multiple drums from a single given pitch.

OPTIONAL: Areas for Video Submission

• Multiple-percussion
  • A standard work or study to demonstrate musicianship such as “Tork” or “Engine Room” by James Campbell, a movement from the French Suite, William Kraft, a solo from The Blue Book, Vol. 2, David Ratliff; or similar
• Drum Set
  • Demonstrate jazz, rock, Latin, Afro-Cuban, Asian, and/or other musical styles. Display time keeping and solo fills in each style.
• World Percussion
  • Steel pan, hand percussion, frame drum performance, or any other instrument not listed above.

Applicants should prepare 2 or 3 contrasting works, preferably including a movement of a standard concerto and a movement of unaccompanied Bach. The audition will last about 15-20 minutes, and may include major and minor scales and sight-reading.

Auditions will be in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. Please plan to arrive 30 minutes ahead of your scheduled time. Please prepare your printed music in a binder for the pianist (the pianist will be provided for you).

Audition Requirements:

1. Please prepare (at least) two vocal selections which are varied in style/language and display a range of technical facility.
2. You will start with one piece and the Vocal/Choral faculty may choose from one of your other selections to be heard.
3. For Performance and Music Education majors you will also be asked to sight sing and show rhythm and tonal memory skills.

For any questions concerning the audition itself or about scheduling, contact Michael Preacely.

Due to the number of auditionees on audition weekends, we are not able to schedule individual lessons, however, if you are interested in a certain teacher, contact that teacher to schedule a time that you can meet later in the semester.

Michael Preacely
Coordinator of Vocal Auditions
michael.preacely@uky.edu

• Three octave chromatic scale, slurred, as fast as you can accurately play.
• Three octave B major scale, tongued, as fast as you can accurately play.
• One fast movement, and one slow movement from a work of your choice. For example, the two movements could come from a Galliard Sonata.

• 3 octave chromatic scale starting on low E (both slurred and legato articulation)
• Major scales: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, G, D, A, E
• One fast etude, and one slow etude from either the Rose 32 Studies for Clarinet, or the Rose 40 Studies for the Clarinet
• One solo of your choice from the standard solo clarinet repertoire (Mozart, Weber, Stravinsky, Devienne, etc.)

• All major scales, 2 octaves; chromatic scale, full range; tempi should be as fast as can be comfortably and accurately played
• Two contrasting works of your choice (etudes or solos); ideally, repertoire should be from NFA Graded Repertoire Level “H” or higher (ie, Bach/Handel Sonatas, Mozart Concerti, Hindemith Sonata, or works from the Flute Music by French Composers collection); see nfaonline.org for more repertoire suggestions
• Sightreading

• All major and minor scales
• Chromatic scale (low B-flat to high F)
• Two contrasting works (or movements) of your choosing to demonstrate the full range of your technical and lyrical ability.
• Sight-reading
• Those auditioning for the BM in Oboe Performance should also prepare a fast Ferling Etude. 

Please contact Professor Miles Osland for details at miles.osland@uky.edu.

For music education majors at UK, even though preparation for teaching is a primary goal, it is equally important that all students are expected to be well-trained musicians. In most cases, there is minimal difference between the performance and academic expectations for music education majors and those who are classified as performance majors.

Please prepare for your audition according to the repertoire listed for your instrument/voice of choice.

Yes, all prospective music students will need to register for an audition, which is a separate link from the UK application. Please see Step 1 for the registration links for incoming freshmen & transfers (form available Friday, September 4th, 2026), and for current students changing or declaring a music major.

Most “E” lots are unregulated on Saturdays, but you should read the restrictions posted at the entrance to any parking lot. Be prepared to park a block or more from your audition venue. The Singletary Center has a drop-off entrance on Rose Street. For the Fine Arts building, use the lower level entrance on Patterson Drive. Parking structure #5 is close to our facilities. Although you will have to pay to park here it may be easier than trying to find an available spot. Allow plenty of time to find parking. Visitor parking information and maps are available from UK Transportation Services.

Please see the UK Visitors Center for information.

Information sessions and campus tours should be arranged through the UK Visitors Center, and College of Fine Arts tours can be arranged through our Visit Us page.

You will hear from us about your acceptance into the School of Music before you hear about scholarships. Scholarships are competitive, so we need to have heard all prospective students before making final decisions. For new students, scholarship decisions will be made during late March/early April.

For information about specific music programs at UK, contact the faculty in charge of your area of interest.

• Brass
• Keyboards
• Percussion
• Strings
• Voice and Choral
• Woodwinds
• Music Education

To confirm or change an audition time or date: Contact the person who sent your assignment. Do NOT submit a second audition request through our form.

Most ensembles are open to all UK students regardless of Major or Minor, and we encourage you to join! Ensemble audition signup sheets are posted beginning the week before classes each semester in the Fine Arts Building. Please check the bulletin boards or contact the faculty in charge of each ensemble for more details.

• Choral
• Contemporary
• Jazz
• Opera Theatre
• Strings and Orchestra
• UK Bands
• Winds, Brass, and Percussion
• World Music
• Faculty Chamber