<p>the only one i know of is UCSD... any others?</p>
<p>To the best of my knowledge, most comp. programs don't require an audition but rather you have to submit a sample portfolio of compositions you've written. They want to see how and what you are currently writing, since that will give them an idea of how likely you are to succeed in their program and in the future. Auditions are normally required for performance programs and often for Music Ed. programs, where your ability as a performer is most important. Composers aren't required to play, but to write playable music.</p>
<p>well actually almost every school i checked out so far has required some sort of performance audition, even if it's not for a performance program. maybe i misunderstood these admissions requirements, but that's how i read them.</p>
<p>I know for sure that this is true about graduate studies, but I believe this is also true for undergraduate studies.</p>
<p>You're not required to play anything. You're merely required to submit a portfolio of your compositions, and a lot of the schools prefer that you submit accompanying CDs of your compositions being performed (the more performances you get, the better, in general).</p>
<p>A lot of the admission requirements are awkwardly worded, and from what I recall, a lot of them gave the impression that all music majors "had to have a performance audition," but there's often a separate set of requirements for composition applicants. Sometimes, universities and conservatories will require you to schedule an interview in lieu of the auditions that the performance majors have to take, so perhaps that's what they're alluding to. As a composer, though, you're almost universally not required to declare or be proficient in a primary instrument, though you may be required to take some piano proficiency classes (as all music majors are) during the course of your program.</p>
<p>If all else fails, go ahead and contact the music department of whatever schools you're applying to. They handle questions like these all the time, and rest assured that most music composition admissions requirements are consistently and incurably vague, so you won't be the first to ask. =)</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!
Amy
(-girlfriend of a PhD-candidate composer; has been through this rigamarole before, twice!)</p>
<p>No, I believe the OP is right. At least for undergrad at most schools, you're required to demonstrate proficiency on an instrument. You don't have to be at the level of a performance major, you just have to show some proficiency.</p>
<p>thanks for your input, i will make sure to confirm the admissions requirements at the schools i'm looking at. but my original question still remains: does anybody know of any schools that for sure do not require auditions? thanks. :)</p>
<p>You cannot get a BM at these schools, but schools with good comp programs within a BA (and therefore do not require an audition) are Yale, Williams, Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Bard (liberal arts division-- the conservatory hasn't yet opened its comp major, but Joan Tower teaches there), Wesleyan U (excellent program).</p>
<p>bumpbumpbumpbump</p>
<p>Four years ago DS applied to New England, Eastman and Peabody Conservatories, Ithaca College and NYU. None of them required a performance audition for his composition application. However, since he applied for both a composition degree and a Music Ed. degree, he was required to audition on his primary instrument, the piano, as part of his Music Ed. application. But for the composition part of the application, he was only required to submit a sampling of his composition portfolio. He also had an interview with someone from the comp. dept. at each school, at his request, so I don't know if that would otherwise have been required.</p>