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Who Needs to Audition?

• Undergraduate Students: Students interested in pursuing any Bachelor of Music (B.M.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs need to audition in their major performance medium (voice or instrument).
• Music Minors: Jazz Studies Minors and Music Minors who wish to explore the possibility of taking applied lessons need to audition in their performance medium. Those Music Minors who do not wish to take private lessons and World Music Minors do not need to audition for admission to that minor.

What Do You Need to Prepare?

• Audition pieces vary according to the candidate’s specific major performance medium.
• Live accompaniment is the ideal for those auditioning in voice.  If you cannot bring a pianist with you, you may request one on your audition form.  Accompaniment tracks will be used in the instance where an accompanist cannot be acquired.”
• See below for our audition requirements. If you have any questions about the materials or would like to substitute any literature, please contact the applied instrumental/voice teacher to discuss!

HOW TO APPLY FOR A LIVE AUDITION

1. Apply to �Ը������� University

2. Go to the  and log in using the email address and password used to access your �Ը������� application (if you applied with the Common Application, you received your login information in an email).

3. Select your audition date by selecting the appropriate College of the Arts: Music Auditions link.

4. Fill in the appropriate information. (Name, Intended Degree, Instrument, etc.) If you are a high school senior, you will be applying for a Bachelor’s degree.

5. Once filled out, you should receive a confirmation email. You will receive information regarding the schedule for the day approximately 10-14 days out from the audition.

Special Auditions

• If you wish to audition in person but none of the dates listed above work for you, a Special Audition can be arranged.
• Your special audition may be scheduled to be live or virtual, dependent upon what is best for you and your prospective applied faculty member.
• Email our Special Assistant to the Director, Dr. Sarah Labovitz, to learn more at slabovit@kent.edu

Scholarship and Graduation Assistantship Consideration Deadline

• Applicants who wish to be to receive priority music scholarship/graduate assistantship consideration should complete their audition on or by February 28, 2026.

• Students will submit videos of their required audition materials/
• On March 21, all students will virtually meet with the applied faculty member that teaches their instrument or voice part, and all prospective music education majors will virtually interview with our music education faculty.
• Students will receive an email with a Teams link for this meeting and their assigned meeting time early during the week of March 16.
• Students will also receive a link to a virtual Student Q & A Session that will happen from 11-11:45 a.m. and a Parent Q & A Session that will happen from 12-12:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 21. This will be an opportunity for students and parents to interact with Dr. Sarah Labovitz, special assistant to the director of the School of Music and ask any questions they may have about the programs, school, or university.
• Any students that want to audition virtually but are not available for the interactive sessions on March 21 should register for the March 21 audition day, submit their videos by the March 15 deadline and email the Special Assistant to the Director, Dr. Sarah Labovitz, at slabovit@kent.edu to set up an alternate time to connect with their prospective applied faculty member. 

What does the interview consist of?

• Meet with Music Education faculty members. 
• You'll be asked about your musical involvement in school and the community.
• You may be asked about your reasons and influences for pursuing the Music Education degree.
• You'll also have a chance to ask questions about the Music Education program.

Scheduling Your Interview

• You will be contacted with more specific information about scheduling after you submit the audition application.
• If you are auditioning on a designated day, we will make every effort for you to interview on that day as well. 

Contact Coordinator of Music Education, Dr. Jay Dorfman, at jdorfma2@kent.edu for more information. 

Music Scholarship and Creative Artist Award (CAA) Consideration

• Music scholarship and CAA (Creative Artist Award) considerations are based on the audition performance. There is not a separate application. 
• Only Music Majors are eligible for these scholarships. 
• Music Minors may have access to other scholarship funding once admitted into your program and enrolled at �Ը�������.
• Questions? Email Dr. Sarah Labovitz at slabovit@kent.edu. 

Orchestra Society Scholarships

• Most members of the �Ը������� University Orchestra receive scholarship support from the �Ը������� Orchestra Society.
• Students of any major at �Ը������� are eligible as long as they register for and perform in the KSU Orchestra.
• Questions? Email Isaac Terceros, Director of Orchestra, at itercero@kent.edu

Marching Golden Flash Award

• A $1,000 scholarship for undergraduate students.
• Requires membership and participation in all activities of the Marching Golden Flashes.
• Open to undergraduate students of any major at �Ը�������. 
• Automatically given to students in the Marching Golden Flashes, no additional application required. 
• Questions? Email bands@kent.edu.

More Information

Undergraduate Requirements (B.A. and B.M.)

Voice Major:

Concentration in: Performance or Music Education

• One song with English text. Must be memorized.
• One non-English song. Must be memorized. Examples of possible composers are below. 
  • Italian: Scarlatti, Caldara, Donaudy, Giordani, Bononcini, Monteverdi, Carlissimi, Gluck, Handel, Marcello, Pergolesi, Lotti.
  • German: Brahms, Schubert, Schumann.
  • French: Debussy, Faure.
  • If the candidate does not have a foreign language song, they may perform a second song in English.
• Candidates are requested to provide their own accompanist. If this is not possible, an accompaniment track is acceptable.
• Demonstration of sight-reading proficiency and pitch-matching. 
  • For those submitting a video audition, a member of the voice faculty will reach out to you to complete this step.
• Suitable voice audition repertoire is listed on the Ohio Music Education Association's “Solo and Small Ensemble” repertoire list, available from your high school choral director.  

Music Minor

• Classical repertoire (works by composers such as Barber, Scarlatti, Monteverdi, Brahms, Schubert, Debussy, etc.) is required. 
  • Suitable voice audition repertory is listed on the Ohio Music Education Association's “Solo and Small Ensemble” repertoire list, available from your high school choral director.  
  • If you have questions about acceptable selections reach out to Jay White, voice division coordinator, at jwhite99@kent. 
• Two contrasting memorized selections (preferably one in a non-English language).
• The audition needs to be accompanied by either a pianist or an accompaniment track.
• Auditionees will be asked to do some sight-reading and pitch-matching. 
  • For those submitting a video audition, a member of the voice faculty will reach out to you to complete this step.

Contact Voice Coordinator Dr. Jay White at jwhite99@kent.edu for more information. 

Undergraduate Requirements

Brass:

Concentration in: Performance, Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or General Music Minor

• Solo work and/or contrasting etudes (memorization and accompaniment not required).
• Major scales, 1 octave required (2 octaves optional).
• Chromatic scales, 1 octave required (2 octaves optional)
• Sight-reading

Contact our Brass Faculty for more information.
- Trumpet: Dr. Amanda Bekeny at abekeny@kent.edu
- Horn: Dr. Benjamin Hottensmith at bhottens@kent.edu
- Trombone & Euphonium: David Mitchell at demitche@kent.edu 
- Tuba: Dr. Kenneth Heinlein at kheinlei@kent.edu 

Woodwinds

Concentration in: Performance, Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or General Music Minor

• Major and chromatic scales—memorized.
• Solo.
  • Memorization not required.
  • Suggested repertoire is contained in the OMEA contest list.
  • Compositions of equivalent difficulty may be substituted. 
  • Accompaniment is not required. 
• Demonstration of sight reading proficiency.

Contact our Woodwind Faculty for more information.
- Flute: Dr. Suyeon Ko at sko1@kent.edu
- Oboe: Danna Sundet at dsundet@kent.edu
- Bassoon: Mark DeMio at mdemio@kent.edu
- Clarinet: Amitai Vardi at avardi@kent.edu
- Saxophone: Dr. Perry Roth at proth4@kent.edu 

Percussion Instruments:

Concentration in: Performance, Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or General Music Minor

• A solo on all of the following:
  • Snare drum.
  • Percussion keyboard (mallets).
  • Timpani (Proficiency in tuning).
  • Accompaniment is not required. 
•  Demonstration of sight reading proficiency on at least two of the above instruments. 
• Your percussion audition must be done in person or, if distance to the Kent Campus is an issue, via recorded video audition. 

Contact Dr. Matthew Holm at mholm2@kent.edu for more information. 

Undergraduate Requirements

Technical Skills

• Violin: All major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves minimum, memorized.
• Viola: All major and minor scales and arpeggios, three octaves minimum, memorized.
• Cello: All major and minor scales, three octaves minimum, memorized.
• Double Bass: All major scales, one-octave minimum, memorized.

Repertoire Requirements (accompaniment not required):

Concentration in: Performance

• Violin: one movement of a standard concerto and one movement of a Bach unaccompanied Sonata or Partita. Memorization is required.
• Viola: Two works contrasting in period and style. These works may be movements from a concerto/sonata or separate works. Memorization is required.
• Cello: Suggested repertoire - one movement of a standard concerto, and one movement of a Bach solo suite. Memorization is required.
• Double Bass: Marcello Sonata in E Minor (two contrasting movements) or work of comparable difficulty. Memorization is not required.

Concentration in Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Minor:

• Violin, Viola and Cello: Two-octave scales and two contrasting movements or pieces. Memorization optional.
• Double Bass: Marcello Sonata in E Minor (two contrasting movements) or work of comparable difficulty. Memorization is not required. Demonstration of sight reading proficiency.

Classical Guitar: Music Education, Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Minor:

• Perform two or three contrasting pieces from memory.
• All applicants must audition on a classical (nylon string) guitar and may not play with a pick.
• Pieces performed must be of at least equivalent technical difficulty to the following:
  • Heitor Villa-Lobos, Cinq Preludes
  • Fernando Sor, Study in B minor
  • J.S. Bach, Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1
  • Leo Brouwer, El Decameron Negro
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Stark Campus Admissions Representative, Cindy Deng, at cdeng@kent.edu.

Contact our string faculty for more information.
- Violin: Amy Glick at aglick1@kent.edu
- Viola: James Rhodes at jrhodes36@kent.edu 
- Cello: Hannah Moses at hmoses1@kent.edu 
- Double Bass: Bryan Thomas at bcthomas@kent.edu 
- Orchestra: Dr. Isaac Terceros at itercero@kent.edu 

Undergraduate Requirements

Concentration in: Performance 

• A Prelude and Fugue or Three-part Invention (Sinfonia) by Bach.
• A Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (excluding Beethoven, Op. 49).
• A composition characteristic of the Romantic or Contemporary Period.
• A composition of the candidate’s choice (optional). All of the above must be memorized.
• Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.)  

Concentration in: Music Education 

• A Two-Part or Three-Part Invention, or a Prelude and Fugue by Bach.
• A Sonata movement by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven.
• A Romantic or Contemporary Composition.
• At least one of the above must be memorized.
• Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.).

Bachelor of Arts in Music or Music Minor

• Two pieces in contrasting styles from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary style periods.
• At least one of the above must be memorized.
• Demonstration of sight reading proficiency and familiarity with technical skills (scales, etc.)  

Contact Dr. Donna Lee at dlee3@kent.edu for more information. 

INSTRUMENTALISTS:

Bachelor of Arts with a Jazz Concentration:

• All 12 major scales played up to the 9th and down.
• Pick a piece to perform from the following:
  • Just Friends (G major)
  • Lady Bird 
  • Stella By Starlight
  • All The Things You Are
  • Green Dolphin Street (Eb major)
  • Blue Bossa 
  • Au Privave
  • There Will Never Be Another You
• Sight Reading
• If you have done a transcription, please bring in an example.

Jazz Minor:

• All 12 major scales played up to the 9th and down.
• Pick a blues piece to perform from this list:
  • Now’s The Time
  • Billie’s Bounce
  • Tenor Madness
  • Bessie’s Blues
  • Chi Chi
• Sight Reading

VOCALISTS:

• Be prepared to sing from the standard repertoire in swing, ballad and Latin styles. (Bring a CD of the accompaniment. Jamie Aebersold play-along CDs are recommended)
• The purpose of the audition is to show your skill level and preferences.  

Contact Bobby Selvaggio at rselvagg@kent.edu for more information. 

Undergraduate Information

Audition:

• Follow the guidelines below for your given instrument.
• For piano or string auditionees, follow the guidelines for the music minor.

Portfolio:

• Scores for three to five compositions.
• Include accompanying recordings if available.

Contact Dr. Adam Roberts at arober86@kent.edu for more information.