My son is auditioning for a music minor at a State flagship- not a conservatory, not even for a major. His instrument is clarinet. Do you think he is expected to play his 2 music selections from memory? They have suggested repertoire which are difficult pieces!!
Perfectly fine to e-mail the admissions office and ask. The question won’t be held against him. Also, take a look at the requirements for the majors. If they say memorization not required, he’s golden! Unlike piano and strings where memorization is standard, woodwind auditions aren’t as standardized, so it’s quite a reasonable question.
According to my S, who plays string/piano, he says it is almost never required to memorize during live audition, in fact, the people there might want to see you have the ability to read and play at the same time, of course you should be familiar with the pieces. Good luck.
My D, auditioning at 4 state flagships to be a performance major does not have music memorized. Each school has different requirements, she had to prepare 8 different pieces, there’s not way to have all that memorized.
It might seem odd that I’m asking this at such a late date- but this is his only music audition. He wants to study more music theory and music composition, but every college has different kinds of music minors (IF they have a music minor) and this is the only one requiring a performance audition before Freshman year for a music minor.
He may also be able to study theory and composition without the minor. I understand he is planning on auditioning, but just wanted to add that some composers don’t major or minor in music at all. They do take lessons or enroll in theory classes. music history classes, or composition seminars (the latter sometimes offered to non majors) as electives or gen eds. Composers may need someone to study with, which can even be done privately- and often a lesson a month is enough. Summer programs are helpful. (A required instrumental audition for a composer is a pet peeve of mine! One of my kids is in a PhD program for composition and hasn’t touched an instrument in 10 years.)
OP, would you mind list the schools your DS applied to? My S has similar interests in music composition. Thank you.
Sure makemesmart! I need to post this separately too. In our research, most universities (non-LACs) would not let you take music composition/ theory classes unless you were majoring/minoring in Music. Some colleges have music composition minors that can only be done if you are a Music Major (Uggh!). Our home state is Colorado. Our criteria were that the school have a decent Engineering program in addition to the music minor- so most liberal arts schools were out. Also, DS started researching awfully late, so some deadlines for some schools had passed. Lessons learned… Some schools have a non-performance/academic (no instrument needed) minor and some have a specific music composition minor. This is not comprehensive, but just what we found for schools that have Engineering majors and have non-performance/academic (no instrument required) music minors in no particular order:
Miami University of Ohio (applied)- has a Music Composition minor (audition required:you submit compositions).
University of Arizona (applied)- non-performance based music minor, not specifically just composition though. Arizona State- Non-performance Music Minor (didn’t apply here).
Case Western Reserve University (applied) -non-performance minor (no audition).
University of Colorado- Colorado Springs (not so great Engineering, but it’s there) has unique music minors including Music Comp. & Sound design (no audition). Applied here.
Univ. of St Thomas (Minnesota) has music composition minor (Private catholic).
Texas Tech Univ. has a non-performance music minor.
Southern Methodist U. (Texas)- flexible music minor: can take composition instead of instrument classes.
University of Tennessee has a music comp minor.
Tulane University says composition classes are open to any student.
Univ. of Miami (FL) has music comp. minor.
Drexel Univ (PA) has music comp minor.
Ohio State has a pretty flexible music minor (no performance needed) We missed Ohio’s application deadline. Oregon State Univ- academic music minor.
Univ. of Illinois Chicago- academic music minor.
It’s very surprising that CU Boulder has no music minor.
An engineering student who composes dies not need a formal music minor. And you do not want to look at BM programs within universities for a student like this: some of those listed are BM programs . There are many many schools that will suit a student like this. Focus first on the engineering . A composer can take many paths as an undergrad. This list is a bit limiting I think
CU Boulder does list a music minor, although it may not be what you’re looking for. https://www.colorado.edu/music/academics/undergraduate-advising/music-minor
I PMed you. Many of the schools that your son applied to have music classes/degrees in a school of music . Colorado College in Colorado Springs is one on the list that is typical of the kind of program that offers a general academic degree in music with courses open to all students. That would be a good fit for a prospective engineer hoping to do some music. Otherwise, he might have to consider a double degree to do both at those other schools, right?
Stradmom- Oh my goodness. That is absolutely a new thing- that CU Boulder has a music minor. It’s so new that the “buttons” for degree checklist don’t go anywhere yet. I will certainly write to them to find out more. That could be a game changer!
Compmom- Sadly, Colorado College doesn’t offer an Engineering degree.
Just an update. After auditioning, son was NOT accepted to the music minor at state flagship school, so it seems they hold “minor” students to a similar standard as music majors. Also, CU Boulder does have a music minor that is new for Fall 2018.