Hello, has anyone had experience with music auditions at UCLA or UCSB?
If anyone can offer some guidance please dm me, thank you.
UCLA has a music school that is audition only, UCSB you audition once you are in the program. Don’t know much more than that.
My D is auditioning at UCLA and UCSB this year. If you are wanting info for this year, can’t tell you much. But if you will be applying next year or later, I can PM you to let you know what it was like when she is finished.
I’d be interested, @BearHouse. My son might be applying to transfer to UCSD as a music major (cello is his instrument), but he should probably look at other schools. Please share how it goes, thanks.
I’m not sure how it works for transfer students but I had to submit 3 videos, there was no live audition for UCSD
UCLA & USC requires pre-screen with application. Did not apply after visiting campuses and area.
If you are not selected for a live audition, your application is over. UCLA also does not consider alternate major in application process. UCLA does not have BM, only BA - you need to check for the music division you are interested in (did not end up applying bc interest was in BM degree).
UCSB signed up for live audition. On the day, there was no representation for instrument auditioning for. Accepted to program, but did not have a strong impression, based on the audition experience and the information session (our questions were generically answered, did not have many current students participate in audition day logistics). No scholarship offer after applying.
If you are considering alternates/safeties:
UCSC, UCD No audition, as you declare in 2nd year.
UCSC: You can send video for scholarship consideration (did not spend time on it, just sent something from solo recital in the same year). They gave very late notice of award (days before SIR deadline) for 1st year 50% tuition (you would have to apply for scholarship every spring).
University of Pacific: Live audition, very informative information session and organized audition logistics. It’s private and Stockton area has limitations (though they have a mall and food options that are commutable/scooter/bus), it did have a very small community vibe. They awarded renewable scholarships to bring cost down to a UC tuition.
University of Puget Sound: Live auditions are held in selected regions (SF or LA for example). Though, they also recorded video, there was no informational session available as they were travelling to conduct auditions. It’s private and they awarded renewable scholarships to bring cost down to a UC tuition. They also reimburse flight cost and local transportation to campus, if you are admitted, to attend pre-SIR orientation over 2 days - so you can get a feel of campus.
SIR decision was based on:
- Student-teacher fit (after having trial lesson and quality of correspondence after meeting). Some lessons done before audition, some after. Scheduling just worked itself out on own: depending on teacher’s availability and our travel schedule. For cases where lesson could not be arranged before audition and teacher would charge for the lesson; our impression of audition and orientation influenced whether to invest any more time into the lesson/college program itself.
- What performance opportunities were available each semester:
a-Did school offer Orchestra - was it undergrad and grad students
b-Did school offer Chamber - was it undergrad and grad students
c-Did school offer instrumental performance, together with Opera/Choir program
d-What was cadence of playing opportunities: usually offer minimal 4 programs per semester. (Desired more)
e-Would department/staff circulate playing opportunities not affiliated with the school (This gives an idea of how ‘connected’ faculty is to the community and outside programs. Why did we care?: Spending the next 4 years in this relationship - want to know who is just doing a job vs who are true ‘mentors’, those who are invested in the next generation and setting them up for for success. You can do research by looking up youtube videos of teachers and check for quality of their online presence, to see what groups they play with, what recordings have they done, do they teach at other colleges in addition to the one you are applying to, do they have own studio currently, is their style something you aspire to or matches your current interests, etc)
f-For all performance opportunities at school, getting into a group/program usually entails audition. Be aware of the program dynamics. Ex: If undergrad only or if grad program offered - grad students may have priority in selection process.
To summarize, our experience was varied. This isn’t meant to scare you, just set expectations as anything can happen:
- Prepare your pieces as specified, including scales if they state.
- Ensure you prepare and bring clear copies of music (even if they do not specify), and in case there is an accompanist on hand.
- They usually provide warm up rooms. Sometimes the timing of warm up (usually in separate room/area) and actual audition has lead time, so you are stuck waiting outside for your audition - if you have a tendency to get cold - bring gloves/mittens/scarf - just be prepared to strip it off quickly and leave it on the ground outside before you enter the audition.
- You may not have time to finish playing a piece, you may not be asked to play all the prepared pieces.
- The audition committee may purposefully interrupt you during playing - to see how you react and adjust.
- The audition committee may stop you and ask to pick up playing from a different section in the piece.
- You may be asked questions.
- You may be recorded during the live audition.
What are some “safeties” in CA for jazz (our daughter is a double bassist and not big on academics).
Here is a CSU that may not be a safety but is excellent, I have heard http://web.csulb.edu/depts/music/areas/jazz-studies/
Not sure if anyone here is aware that the UCSD grad music dept. is world-renowned for its excellence in contemporary classical music: composition, instrumental, vocal, computer music and integrative studies. Not sure how much effect that has on undergrad but at the very least, TA’s are from the grad school 
compmom raised a good point on grad school TAs leading classes, which is prevalent in UC’s, across all majors/depts. You need to inquire at each university: some place you w/ private instructor at start of session (implies you don’t get a choice or very limited choices & may be w/ faculty, visiting faculty, or Grad student). My kid required having trial lessons and needed to definitively know which music studio (for individual lessons) accepted him before committing SIR. He passed on UC acceptances to go to a CSU because this criteria was important to him. Additionally, the undergrad courses for BM degree so far, have not been lead by TA’s.
At the UC I know best, grad students generally serve as teaching assistants in many classes, or “readers.” This means they lead discussions, hold office hours, and do grading, but they do not teach the class or do the lecture. This is how they earn stipends. There is still a professor teaching the class and doing the lectures. TA’s do not “lead the class.”
That said, once doctoral candidates pass their qualifying exams (which leaves them “all but dissertation,” meaning substantial progress through their doctorate) they may lecture and teach. At that point, they are well-qualified.
This system prevails in most large universities, including Ivies like Harvard.
And even at Yale, where there is a renowned School of Music, many undergrads will study with a grad student.
Just coming back to add that with music, there is a lot of variation among UC’s and some have schools of music, some don’t. UCLA has a school of music but no BM. You have to look carefully at each school because generalizations don’t really work.
We have noticed something different with the UCs. My D applied to four - Irvine, UCLA, UCSB and Santa Cruz. The vocal programs are very small. A few years back Irvine didn’t admit anyone because the studios were full. So while general education classes may involve TA’s and impaction, we didn’t get that feeling at the UC’s if you are in music performance. UCSB is the only UC (I think) that has a BM you can apply to directly as a freshman. UC Irvine and Santa Cruz admit you as BA student and then you apply with an audition your junior year for the BM track. Irvine auditions you twice - for admission initially and your junior year for the BM. UC Santa Cruz does not audition for admission. UCLA is a BA program but it does look a lot like a BM program.
The course map at Irvine for the first two years looks a lot like a BM program. However, at the junior year level a student either tracks into more performance classes as a BM student or can remain a BA student depending on audition and what the student wants to do.
The CSU’s have strong reputations in music but appear to have larger programs as well. My D was more attracted to the smaller UC programs.
The UCLA audition process for violin that my S went through was pretty much the standard across all the other schools that he live auditioned at. The one major difference I believe was that instead of all the faculty for the instrument being present at the audition, only the 1st choice (in his case, only choice) professor was present. So, it seems that if you dont get into your first choice professors studio, you basically dont get in. In my S’s case, he was accepted but after narrowing his choices down to 3 schools all with great professors, he chose not to go to UCLA. On the plus side, he still maintains a relationship with the other two profs who both wanted him to go to their schools.
Does anyone know if the UC San Diego music department is strong for a classical violinist or violist? It appears there is only one violin professor on staff there.
My jazz guitarist son applied to Global Jazz Studies program at UCLA. Any thoughts on that program which just kicked off this Fall?
@KrazyMusicMama, my son has two friends who are double majoring in music and a science, and both are violinists. They seem to be enjoying the experience. Don’t know anything more, though.