Dear Student

Thank you for your interest in the Department of Music at Hofstra University We are pleased that you wish to audition for acceptance into one of our Bachelor of Science (BS) programs (Music Education Music Business Jazz and Commercial Music Music Performancemdashvocal and instrumental Music Theory and Composition and Music History and Literature) and for one of our departmental grants-in-aid Please note neither the BA in Music Business nor the general BA in Music (liberal arts degree in music) require an audition

Due to the limits of the pandemic all auditions for winterspring 2020-2021 will occur virtually over the Zoom platform with students presenting links to pre-recorded videos to our faculty jurors Virtual auditions will be scheduled on the following dates Saturday February 6 Saturday February 13 and Saturday February 20 2021 It is important to set aside one of these dates on your calendar now as the faculty will use the results of these auditions to determine whether you will be accepted into one of our BS degree programs as well as to determine the disbursement of departmental Grant-in-Aid scholarship awards

Attached you will find an audition guidelines form and an audition confirmation form Please follow the instructions on the audition confirmation form to secure an audition date You must APPLY for admission to the university before your audition day but you do NOT need to have received an admissions decision Many students will audition before hearing anything from the University as to their academic acceptancendashthis completely normal To apply please visit wwwhofstraeduadmissions

On the day of your audition you will sign into our Zoom registration room at a predetermined time via a link that will be shared via email well in advance of the audition day for now it is safest to hold the hours between 9 am and 3 pm open on the day you request After signing in parents and students will be invited to an informal Zoom meeting room where you can mingle with faculty current students and other prospective students and parents We will provide breakout rooms for specific music degree concentrations and admissions personnel and current student liaisons will be on hand throughout the entire day as well During this time you will also receive the link to your individual audition room where you will meet with your faculty auditioner(s) and share your pre-recorded audition videos (unlisted YouTube link) with them

Once again please follow the instructions on the audition confirmation form (attached) to secure an audition date We look forward to hearing from you soon and meeting you virtually in February If you need additional information or clarification please contact me personally at (516) 361-7868 or at DavidFrylingHofstraedu (I am much quicker to respond to email but will monitor both)

Best Regards

Hofstra Music Social Channels Dr David Fryling Assistant Chair wwwfacebookcomhofstramusic Professor of Music Director of Choral Studies

Instagram HofstraMusic (516) 361-7868 bull DavidFrylingHofstraedu Twitter HofstraMusic wwwDavidFrylingorg

1

AUDITION GUIDELINES FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE

BS OF MUSIC DEGREE

AND GRANT-IN-AID CONSIDERATION

The Department of Music at Hofstra University requires all prospective Bachelor of Science music majors (BS in Music Education BS in Theory and Composition BS in Performance Jazz and Commercial Music BS in Music Business and BS in Music History amp Literature) to audition for acceptance into the degree program the Bachelor of Arts degrees (general BA in Music amp the BA in Music Business) do not require an audition

The Department also provides a number of Grants-in-Aid to undergraduates who are musicians of exceptional ability While there are no restrictions as to the performance media priority will be given to performers most needed by departmental organizations

Due to the limits of the pandemic all auditions for winterspring 2020-2021 will occur virtually with students presenting links to pre-recorded videos to our faculty jurors during a Zoom session

The following procedures should be initiated as soon as possible

1 Students must make a formal application to Hofstra University on official application forms available fromthe Admissions Office or on the web at httpwwwhofstraeduadmissions The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form should be completed indicating a copy of the results for Hofstra University

2 Students will reserve a Zoom audition meeting for the Music Department on one of the prearranged datesby visiting the web address on the enclosed ldquoAudition Confirmation Formrdquo All auditions must be pre-recorded and must be presented as a link or links to a video service (YouTube or similar) on the day of auditions Links to video files on storage services (Google Drive or similar) will NOT be accepted Auditionees will also be tested in sight-reading during the Zoom session The following instrument-specific guidelines will be in place

a Singers should prepare from memory two contrasting songs from the classical repertoire At leastone of the songs must be in one of the following languages Italian French German or Spanish A music theater song may be included as a third selection The auditionees sight reading ability will also be tested

i Jazz amp Commercial applicant singers may substitute a jazz standard for the thirdselection

ii Music Business applicant singers may substitute another memorized song in a genre oftheir choosing (MTJazzGreat American SongbookGospelRockPop) in lieu of a second classical piece

Remember that all submissions must be uploaded to a video service (YouTube or similarndash ldquounlistedrdquo links are fine) you will present the links to your faculty auditioners on the day of the auditions

b Pianists should be prepared to play representative compositions from two to three of the followingstyles

i Baroque iii Romanticii Classical iv Twentieth Century

A composition of the appropriate level will also be presented for sight-reading Remember that all submissions must be uploaded to a video service (YouTube or similarndash ldquounlistedrdquo links are fine) you will present the links to your faculty auditioners on the day of the auditions

2

c Jazz students (except Singers and Percussionists please see ldquoSingersrdquo above or ldquoPercussionistsrdquobelow) should be prepared to play the following

i All jazz scales and modesii A Blues for improvisation

iii Two jazz standards of their choiceiv A prepared etude or solo transcription

Remember that all submissions must be uploaded to a video service (YouTube or similarndash ldquounlistedrdquo links are fine) you will present the links to your faculty auditioners on the day of the auditions

d Percussionists should prepare to perform on snare timpani and mallets in addition they may alsoperform on the drum kit Applicants should demonstrate proficiency in each area as follows

i Snare Drum Perform both following totaling about three minutes1 Rudimental solo (Suggested composers Pratt Campbell Wilcoxon)2 Concert eacutetude (Suggested composers Peters Cirone Deacuteleacutecluse)3 All rolls

ii Mallets (xylophone marimba vibraphone - your choice)1 Perform both following totaling at least four minutes

a Two-mallet solo Suggested composers Bach (preferably from Sonatas andPartitas for Unaccompanied Violin OR Suites for Unaccompanied Cello) Kreisler Bozza (Fourteen Arabesque- Studies for Flute)

b Four-mallet solo Suggested composers Abe Friedman Finkel OrsquoMearaPeters Gomez Stout

iii $Timpani Total duration should be about three minutes One or two eacutetudes utilizing twothree or four drums Demonstrate technical proficiency with pitch matching and interval tuning rolls etc Suggested composers Firth Peters Hochreiner

iv $Drum Set Demonstrate various styles Sight-readingRemember that all submissions must be uploaded to a video service (YouTube or similarndash ldquounlistedrdquo links are fine) you will present the links to your faculty auditioners on the day of the auditions

e All Other Instrumentalists should prepare diatonic and chromatic scales as well as two solos incontrasting styles displaying their 1) technical proficiency and 2) lyrical interpretive abilityRemember that all submissions must be uploaded to a video service (YouTube or similarndashldquounlistedrdquo links are fine) you will present the links to your faculty auditioners on the day of theauditions

Please do not hesitate to contact me personally if you have any questions

Dr David Fryling Assistant Chair Professor of Music Director of Choral Studies (516) 361-7868 bull DavidFrylingHofstraedu bull wwwDavidFrylingorg

3

AUDITION DATE CONFIRMATION FORM

D O N O T M A I L T H I S F O R M To request your audition date please follow the link in theaccompanying email or scan the QR Code to the right

If for any reason you are unable to use the online form you mayinstead email us at musichofstraedu as soon as possible making sure to include all of the following information

bull Name bull Address bull Town State Zipbull Telephone amp Emailbull Hofstra (if you have been assigned one)

bull Whether you are planning to be a music Major or Minor

bull If yoursquore applying as a major what will be your Area of Concentration

BS in Music Education BS in Music Business BS in Jazz and Commercial Music BS in Music HistoryBS in Music Theory CompositionBS in Music Performance

BA in Music Business (audition not required) BA in Music (audition not required)

bull Instrument(s) or Voice type

bull Preferred Audition Date Saturday February 6 2021Saturday February 13 2021Saturday February 20 2021

Please note that we cannot guarantee your 1st choice of date due to scheduling complexitiesYou will be contacted if your 1st choice is not available

4