Auditions
All students interested in majoring in music must audition for the Townsend School of Music. All students who audition are considered for scholarships.
2009-10 Audition Dates
Townsend School of Music Audition Dates
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Schedule an audition for the Townsend School of Music.
Robert McDuffie Center for Strings Audition Dates
Saturday, February 21, 2010
Students interested in auditioning for the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, click here.
If you cannot attend one of the regularly scheduled audition dates, please notify the Music Coordinator and a convenient date will be arranged with the appropriate area faculty members. On-campus auditions are required of all students who live within 300 miles of Mercer University. If distance makes it difficult to appear for a live audition, a videotape or DVD recording may be submitted.
Auditions are approximately 20 minutes in length. The appropriate area music faculty members will hear the audition. It is not necessary for instrumentalists to bring an accompanist to on-campus auditions. An accompanist will be provided for vocal auditions. Instrumental auditions will include a short sightreading excerpt on the chosen instrument. Auditionees will also be asked to take a short musicianship exam as part of the audition process.
Audition Procedures
It is important that any potential music major formally apply through the Office of University Admissions, fill out the appropriate forms with the Office of Student Financial Planning, and then schedule an audition with Townsend School of Music on one of the designated music scholarship audition dates. A complete financial package offer will then be put together by the Office of University Admissions, Townsend School of Music and the Office of Student Financial Planning.
Audition Requirements
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Voice - Intended voice majors should prepare two contrasting pieces, to be performed from memory. The pieces performed should be taken from the standard classical, sacred, or Broadway repertory. Students' primary concern in choosing audition repertoire should be to present pieces with which they are comfortable and which show their voice to the best advantage. Students should bring the sheet music for their pieces with them; an accompanist will be provided. Voice students may also be asked to perform vocalises at the audition.
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Winds - Students auditioning should prepare two contrasting pieces displaying both lyrical and technical proficiency. Repertoire for an audition may include studies, sonata or concerto literature and orchestral excerpts. Students should prepare all major scales/arpeggios and will be asked to sightread.
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Strings - Students interested in pursuing a Performance degree through the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings should click here for more information.
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Piano - Pianists should prepare two contrasting pieces for the audition. Suggested repertoire might include a Bach two-part invention or a dance from a suite, a movement of a sonata or sonatina and another piece in contrasting style. Students should be able to play all scales/arpeggios and will be asked to sightread a short excerpt. The audition should be memorized.
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Guitar - Candidates for guitar study should be able to play all scales, studies corresponding in difficulty to those of Sor and Carcassi, and perform two contrasting solo works from memory. Students will be asked to sightread and should have a knowledge of the rudiments of music.
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Percussion - Percussionists should prepare a mallet solo and a selection on each of the following instruments: timpani, snare drum, and/or multiple percussion. A drum set selection may be presented if applicable. Sightreading will be requested on timpani, mallets and snare drum.
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Composition - Students planning to major in composition are welcome to apply to Townsend School of Music at Mercer. The formal application for the composition major will be completed in the sophomore year, thus no scores or recordings of compositions are needed at this time. Instead, students should schedule a performance audition in their main performance area.
Transfer Students
Transfer students are welcome to audition for admission to Townsend School of Music. In addition to their music audition, they will be given a diagnostic test in music theory. For clarification of these requirements, contact Dr. Douglas Hill at (478) 301-2752 or hill_dm@mercer.edu . The test will consist of the following:
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Roman numeral analysis of an example in 18th century chorale style. This example will include secondary dominants, diminished triads and chords of the seventh, plus their inversions.
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Brief examples of both melodic and harmonic dictation.
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A brief example to be sung at sight.
Janice Stubbington
Music Secretary
1-800-342-0841 ext. 5751 (within Georgia)
1-800-637-2378 ext. 5751 (outside Georgia)
Music Scholarships
The Mercer University Townsend School of Music is pleased to announce the availability of music scholarships for incoming students who plan to major in music. Qualified non-music majors may also audition for instrumental ensemble music scholarships. Music scholarships are available for students with outstanding talent in the areas of piano, harpsichord, voice, organ, composition, guitar, winds, strings and percussion. These scholarships are competitive and are awarded by audition.
It is important that potential music majors formally apply through the Admissions Office of Mercer University and then schedule an audition with Townsend School of Music on one of the designated music scholarship audition dates. Academic scholarships are awarded through the Admissions Office to students with exceptional ability. Financial aid based on need is available through the Financial Aid Office. Music scholarships are awarded annually for four years based on enrollment in a music degree program, maintaining a 3.0 GPA in music courses, and demonstrated improvement on the chosen instrument. For more information, please contact Dr. John Dickson, Dean, Townsend School of Music, at 1-800-342-0841 ext. 2748 (within Georgia) or 1-800-637-2378 ext. 2748 (outside Georgia), or by
e-mail at: john.dickson@mercer.edu.
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