Music Admission & Auditions

The College of New Jersey Department of Music offers a superior experience for undergraduates in music education and performance. Majors in the areas of voice, strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, piano and accordion will be considered. Admission to the Department of Music is competitive. You will be contacted about scheduling an audition upon receipt of an application to the College.

If you would like to schedule a visit to the Music Department, please call or email the Department at least two weeks in advance. Please note that visits cannot be scheduled during the first or last two weeks of each semester or on an audition date.

Students who wish to audition for the music major should:

 

1. Complete TCNJ's Admissions Application
2. Consult 2009~10 Audition Requirements Handbook
   

 

Special Instructions for Vocalists:

PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT:

Taped or CD accompaniment will NOT be permitted under any circumstances. Candidates are encouraged to rehearse with and bring their own accompanist to the audition. If this is not possible, an accompanist will be provided for vocal auditions. Please be aware that because of time constraints, rehearsal time will not be available with this accompanist. There will be enough time to discuss tempo and musical markings only.

If the candidate plans to use the accompanist provided by TCNJ, the candidate must make this request and must provide the following information to the Music Department no later than five business days before his/her audition:

• Titles and composer names for musical selections (not the music itself unless specifically requested to do so)
• Title of collection or edition
• Publisher name of music to be sung
• Key of piece (please use letter key, not voice part or “medium-high”)

The candidate may email this information to Dr. Hickman at hickman@tcnj.edu or fax it to her at 609.637.5182.

 

Special Instructions for Pianists:

 

Pianists who will audition for the music major are asked to submit a list of the standard works that they have performed and/or studied during the past three years to Dr. Kanamaru at kanamaru@tcnj.edu or fax it to her at 609.637.5182. This list should be submitted at the time of application or by four weeks prior to the audition date, whichever comes later. Please include your audition date if it has been scheduled by that time.

Sample Repertoire List (This is meant to serve as a model only; the format is not limited to this particular format.)

 

 

Special Note for Pianists & Guitarists:

 

Pianists and Guitarists are required to audition on a secondary instrument as well. Please consult the Audition Requirements Handbook for further information about this requirement.

 

 

2009 ~ 2010 Audition Dates:

 

• Wednesday, November 18, 2009
• Wednesday, February 3, 2010
• Wednesday, February 17, 2010
• Saturday, February 20, 2010
• Wednesday, February 24, 2010
• Wednesday, March 3, 2010

 

 

Advanced Placement Tests:

 

During the orientation program in June, students who have been accepted into the College as music majors will be given the option of taking advanced placement tests in Keyboard Skills and in Musicianship. Please consult the following documents for further information about the skills to be assessed in each of these tests:

1. Keyboard Skills
2. Musicianship

 

Ensemble Auditions:

 

Ensemble auditions are held during the first week of the Fall semester. Audition sign-up sheets are posted outside of the respective ensemble directors' studios in the Music Building. For more specific information about these auditions, please contact the ensemble director.