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Music Auditions

We want you!

Music Audition Form 

 

Who Should Audition?

Please audition if: 

  • You’re interested in Music Education, Music Industry, Music Performance, Musical Theatre or Music and a Field of Your Choice
  • You like performing, but don’t want to pursue music as a major 

Audition Application Instructions

We are delighted you are considering being a part of Missouri Southern’s internationally recognized Music Department! 

It is our preference that you come to campus for your audition – we value the time to meet you, hear you, and offer suggestions in our new audition/lesson format.  However, we are open to reviewing auditions via video submission especially if you would be driving some distance to get here.

In-Person Audition

To audition in person, please:

  1. Remember to apply to MSSU here: https://mssu.edu
  2. Fill out the audition form completely to the best of your ability.
  3. Select the date that best fits your schedule.
  4. List the instrument(s) you will be auditioning on. Please note, more than one instrument is acceptable (i.e., voice and saxophone; voice and percussion; trumpet and horn, etc.) 

Video Audition

To audition by video, please:

  1. Remember to apply to MSSU here: https://mssu.edu
  2. Fill out the audition form completely to the best of your ability.
  3. Record your audition: Submitted videos do not have to be professionally recorded. You may use your cell phone or computer.
    1. Please say your name and what school you are from at the beginning of the video.
    2. Please introduce the piece(s) that you will perform in the video.
  4. Upload your video to YouTube and set it as unlisted or private. Videos with these flags are not searchable or viewable by anyone unless they have a link.
  5. Please send an invitation to music@mssu.edu letting us know your video is ready to view.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Remember, we want to hear you perform something you are comfortable with.  Our goal is to see the potential you have with collegiate training over the years you are here.  We want you to do well!  

Please prepare:
  1. Two selections that are contrasting in style and tempo.
  2. Choose selections that show off your ability, range, and performance best.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Vocal

  1. Your prepared pieces could be: an aria, an art song, a folk song, or a musical theatre selection (please perform only 1 musical theatre piece).
  2. It is suggested that one piece be in a modern language, although not required.
  3. Memorization is recommended but not required.
  4. It is preferred that you sing with some sort of accompaniment. Karaoke-style accompaniments may be found on YouTube or mobile apps such as Accompanist iPhone app (which is free to students for a limited time). If your school music program has a subscription to SmartMusic, there may also be accompaniment options for your pieces through that software. Contact your choir director for information to see if your school has a SmartMusic subscription.

Instrumental

  1. Your prepared pieces could be a solo, movements from a solo, or an etude.
  2. Memorization is not required.
  3. Piano: If possible, play one of your selected pieces from memory.
  4. Jazz:
    1. Wind and piano players should play a standard melody and improvise at least one chorus over the changes.
    2. Accompaniment from Jamey Aebersold, Band in a Box, iRealPro, or any other virtual rhythm section is acceptable.
    3. Piano players should comp one chorus if possible.
    4. Bass players should play the changes for a 12-bar blues. Improvisation or playing the changes with a separate jazz standard is encouraged.
    5. Drummers should play 4 measures of time and 4 measures of fills in an alternating patter (4 bars of time, 4 bars of fill, 4 bars of time, etc.) in the following styles: medium swing and a Latin style.