Undergraduate B.Mus. Auditions
Overview
- Beginning with Fall 2025 admissions, the Department of Music will only audition prospective B.Mus. in Music students in the following specializations: Piano, Strings (Violin, Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass), and Vocal Arts. Students who play other instruments are invited to consider the B.A. in Music degree, which does not require an audition. (Please see the Overview of Undergraduate Programs page for more information.)
- First-round prescreen (video) auditions are required for all B.Mus. applicants, including incoming 1st year students, incoming transfer students, and current UCI students seeking to add the B.Mus. in Music as a major. Prescreen video submissions are due in early December.
- Applicants who pass the first-round prescreen audition will be invited to a second-round, in-person audition. Second-round auditions are held at UCI, during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. During the audition weekend, the department hosts noon panels each day featuring current students and faculty, and answers questions from applicants and their families and supporters.
- Repertoire and deadlines for auditions are detailed below and updated each year as needed.
- Please see our Auditions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for more information.
Audition instructions for prospective students entering in Fall 2026
First-round prescreen auditions:
- View the “Prescreen Audition Video Requirements” and “Undergraduate Prescreen Audition Repertoire Requirements” below.
- Submit your prescreen audition here by 11:59 pm on December 12th, 2025.
- Applicants will receive their prescreening audition result no later than January 5, 2026. Those who pass the prescreening will be invited to attend a second round audition, to take place during the weekend of January 17–18, 2026.
Second-round auditions:
- A second audition is required for all applicants who pass the prescreen.
- The audition day and time will be assigned and sent no later than January 12th, 2026.
- Refer to Dates and Deadlines at UCI Undergraduate Admissions for final admission decisions, timelines, and more.
Prescreen Audition Video Requirements
- Perform ONLY repertoire which meets the stated requirements below. If you have questions about the repertoire, contact the faculty member listed as a contact on the Repertoire Requirements page for your instrument.
- Submit unlisted YouTube VIDEO links only, not audio-only files (We must see as well as hear you. Unlisted links preserve your privacy from search).
- Clearly state your name and the repertoire you will be performing at the start of each video.
- Verify your links work and that permissions are set correctly before submitting. We do not troubleshoot broken links; auditions that cannot be accessed may not be considered.
- If applying for more than one instrument, submit links separately. Do not combine multiple instruments in one submission.
Prescreen Repertoire Requirements (Undergraduate)
Please use the links below to find the repertoire requirements for your instrument. If you do not see your instrument listed below, it is not a program that is offered at UCI.
Piano Audition Requirements
Applicants should be prepared to perform:
- A prelude and fugue from J. S. Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier
- The first movement of a classical sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, or others
- A romantic work from the nineteenth century OR a twentieth or twenty-first century work. Diverse repertoire, including works by women, composers from historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, and/or composers from one’s own cultural background, is welcome.
All works must be performed from memory.
Questions? Contact: Professor Lorna Griffitt and/or Professor Nina Scolnik
Strings Audition Requirements
- One movement from one of the major cello concertos (movement must be longer than 5 minutes)
- Prelude from an unaccompanied Bach Cello Suite
- Etude by Popper or Piatti
- One major and minor three octave scale and arpeggio of the candidate’s choice
Questions? Contact: Professor Sarah Koo
Two contrasting movements, two standard orchestral excerpts and two scales (1 major and 1 minor).
Questions? Contact: Professor Matt Hare
All students are required to prepare two or three contrasting works, one of which should be a major concerto (J.Chr. Bach and Telemann will not be accepted).
Questions? Contact: Professor Jerzy Kosmala
Required Preliminary Repertoire by Video Submission:
- One movement of a Bach solo sonata or partita
- One movement of a concerto
These works should be performed from memory.
Required Audition Repertoire:
- One étude or caprice
- Two contrasting movements of Bach or Chaconne
- Complete first movement of a major concerto with cadenza, where applicable
These works should be performed from memory. No accompanist is needed or desired for the audition.
Questions? Contact: Professor Dennis Kim
Vocal Arts Repertoire Requirements
Repertoire requirements apply to both pre-screen auditions and the final audition
Basic musicianship skills, including sight-singing and rhythmic skills, basic piano skills, an understanding of music theory and history, and a healthy vocal instrument are expected of all incoming students.
All music must be sung from memory.
You should be prepared to sing three contrasting songs or arias, as follows:
- Three of the four following style periods should be represented: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th and 21st century.
- At least one piece, but no more than two pieces, should be sung in English.
- At least one piece should be sung in one of the following foreign languages: Italian, French, German, or Spanish.
Note: Incoming freshmen receive a maximum of 12 quarters of private vocal instruction.
You should be prepared to sing four contrasting songs or arias, as follows:
- Each of the following style periods should be represented: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th and 21st century.
- At least one of piece should be sung in English.
- At least one of piece should be sung in Italian.
- At least one of piece should be sung in German or French.
Note: Transfer students receive a maximum of 6 quarters of private vocal instruction.
A transfer student wishing to begin work as in the B.Mus.-Performance program with Junior-level status shall have the following:
- One year of coursework in diction (English, Italian, German, French) and demonstrable skill with the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet).
- Repertoire representative of the previous year’s study, including (minimally) 6 arie antiche and 6 German Lieder.
- Sufficiently reliable technique, musicianship and vocal health to ensure the ability to perform successful degree recital(s) within 2 years.
Questions? Contact: Professor Darryl Taylor
Second-round Audition Dates, January 17 and 18, 2026
In-person auditions for fall admission are arranged as follows:
Saturday, January 17th
Sunday, January 18th
- Strings (Violin, Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass)
- Vocal Arts
Doors open at 9:00 am (PST). Auditions begin at 10:00 am (Unless specified differently).
If you are unable to travel to UCI on the audition weekend, you may submit an exception request for a different time by emailing music@uci.edu. We cannot guarantee that exception requests will be accommodated.
Music Department Student/Parent Info Sessions:
Please join us for a Welcome and Overview of the Music Department and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts!
Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Winifred Smith Hall.
Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Winifred Smith Hall.
Claire Trevor School of the Arts & UCI Campus Tours
Directions & Parking
- Directions to the Claire Trevor School of the Arts
- Directions to the Music & Media Building
- Campus Parking
Frequently Asked Questions:
All frequently asked questions about auditions can be found here.
