Auditions are for acceptance into the program and for scholarship consideration. Every prospective music major should audition.

• Saturday, February 22, 2025
• Monday, March 17, 2025
• Students should check-in at the Fox Fine Arts Music Building, first floor.
• Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your designated audition time.

IMPORTANT: All applicants for Department of Music Scholarships need to be accepted to the university AND have completed their scholarship application prior to being awarded funds.

It is additionally suggested that students:

1. apply for financial aid, and
2. complete their application to the university and scholarship application prior to auditioning, however, representatives from Office of Admissions and the Scholarship Office will be at the audition to help students begin this process. See links below.

• Official application for all Texas schools:  www.applytexas.org 
• UTEP Scholarship Office website: https://www.utep.edu/student-affairs/scholarships/
• Financial Aid Application: Click here to learn more

Step Two:

Step Three:

After you apply:

Once the application process is complete, a letter of decision will be mailed to you. If you have further questions, one of UTEP's Admissions Counselors will be more than happy to talk with you. Call 1-877-74MINER or e-mail  futureminer@utep.edu.

IMPORTANT: Please click here to schedule your audition

• One major or minor three octave scale and corresponding arpeggio sequence
• One slow piece or movement from a work
• One contrasting fast piece or movement from a work
• Possible sight-reading

For more information on string auditions, please contact Dr. Stephen Nordstrom at sbnordstrom@utep.edu or 915-747-5607.

Undergraduate Voice:

Those auditioning to become undergraduate voice majors* (Vocal Performance, Commercial Music, and Music Education) will be prepared to perform the following at their audition with piano accompaniment, memorized:

1. One art song (or aria) in English, Spanish, Italian, French or German, and
2. One additional song in any style or language

*IMPORTANT NOTE for Transfer Students:

If a student has completed 2 years or more of applied voice at another university, college, or community college and wishes to be accepted into upper-level voice at UTEP, the student must successfully pass the equivalent of a barrier jury for the UTEP Voice Faculty during the first week of classes. This barrier jury will be in addition to the audition described above.

Barrier Jury:

Students must sing all selections, from memory, with piano accompaniment.

• 5 songs or arias in each of the following languages: English, Spanish, Italian, German, and French.

Graduate Voice:

Music Performance:

5 contrasting selections from classical repertoire (at least three languages must be represented), from memory:

• One aria from an oratorio or an opera
• One art song in English
• Two foreign language art songs
• One additional selection

Music Education:

4 contrasting selections from classical repertoire (at least three languages must be represented), from memory:

• One aria from an oratorio or an opera
• One art song in English
• One foreign language art song
• One additional selection

For more information about becoming a voice major at UTEP, visit our Voice Area page. For questions about auditions, contact our Area Coordinator, Prof. Brian Downen at (915) 747- 6352 or bgdownen@utep.edu . 

• Major and harmonic minor scales, two octaves, hands together
• Sight reading
• Three contrasting pieces from memory
• Selections should demonstrate technique and expressiveness
• Selections should represent a variety of historical and stylistic periods
  • Suggested composers:
    • Technique—
      • Burgmüller, Johann Friederich
      • Czerny, Carl
      • Heller, Stephen
    • Baroque Era—
      • Bach, Johann Sebastian
      • Couperin, François
      • Handel, George Frideric
      • Rameau, Jean-Philippe
    • Classical Era—
      • Clementi, Muzio
      • Clementi, Diabelli or Kuhlau
      • Haydn, Franz Joseph
      • Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
    • Romantic Era—
      • Beethoven, Ludwig van
      • Brahms, Johannes
      • Chopin, Frédéric
      • Mendelssohn, Felix
      • Schubert, Franz
      • Schumann, Robert
    • Impressionistic and Contemporary Era—
      • Bartók, Béla
      • Debussy, Claude
      • Ginastera, Alberto
      • Kabalevsky, Dmitri
      • Tcherepnin, Ivan

For more detailed information about piano auditions, please contact Dr. Chris Reyman at cereyman@utep.edu.

• All-Region etudes or a Class I UIL solo or equivalent (accompanist preferred but not required).
• Scales and sight-reading may be requested.

For more information on woodwind and brass auditions, please contact Dr. Andrew Hunter, Director of Bands, at (915) 747-7813 or sahunter@utep.edu.

Undergraduate

15-minute audition/interview

ALL percussion applicants must do the following.

• Perform an audition
• Interview with Percussion Professor, Dr. Andy P. Smith
• Provide unofficial transcripts to Dr. Smith

UTEP Percussion Majors choose Music Education, Performance, Composition, or Commercial Music concentrations. All degree plans include a “total percussionist” philosophy including ensemble and solo percussion study in the areas of snare drum, mallet keyboards, timpani, drum-set, symphonic percussion, jazz mallets, and Latin and other global percussion. Commercial Music Majors may focus in drum-set, jazz mallets, and Latin Percussion  after successful completion of the double jury and passing into upper-division studies.

Audition Repertory Requirements

*Perform mallet keyboard, snare drum, and at least one additional instrument. Sight-read mallets and snare drum.

2-Mallet Keyboard

• Examples include Gottlieb, McMillan, Goldenberg, Gottry, Creston, Green, or equivalent.

4-Mallet Keyboard

• O’Meara, Abe, Burritt, Stout, Davila, Trevino, Tyson, Monkman, or equivalent.

Symphonic Snare Drum

• Cirone, Delécluse, Peters, Aleo or equivalent.

Select at least one additional instrument from below

Drum-set

• Classic jazz transcription, play-along chart, or published solo.

Timpani

• Woud, Firth, Beck, Cahn or equivalent.

Rudimental Snare Drum

• Wooton, Pratt, Freytag, Macintosh or equivalent.

Afro-Cuban or Brazilian percussion

• an etude from Michael Spiro and Michael Colleti The Language of the Masters or equivalent.

Jazz Vibes

• Jazz standard solo vibes format improvisation, or with track.

Please contact Dr. Andy P. Smith , Director of Percussion Studies with any questions, and to inquire about a lesson. Contact Dr. Smith at 915-747-7802 or apsmith@utep.edu.

  Audition Tips

1. Prepare music selections that showcase your strengths in technique and musicianship. Better to perform with command and confidence than to perform incomplete material above your level.
2. Contact Dr. Smith in advance regarding repertory questions, and to arrange a free lesson. 915-747-7802 or apsmith@utep.edu
3. Be curious. Research the music your are performing. Research the program and percussion faculty that you are auditioning for. Be able to articulate your professional goals and why you want to study at UTEP specifically.
4. Dress professionally. Bring sticks, mallets, black towels, etc. Bring two copies of music for faculty. Bring original printed music.
5. Warm-up. Have a routine per instrument, review “hot spots,” avoid reps in exchange for mindful warm-up and preparation. Sing through and visualize successful performance.
6. Practice performing. Record yourself, play for peers, family, instructors, anyone who will listen.
7. TMEA All-Region/Allstate etudes are acceptable. However, fresh, diverse repertory is encouraged.
8. Have questions in mind for faculty; have answers in mind regarding your goals and motivations. Do not assume that you will be admitted.

  What we are looking for in an applicant

A successful candidate will exhibit solid rhythm and time, an informed touch, ability to shape melody, professionalism and collegiality, and reasonable academic skills to project success as a university student.

Graduate

Masters of Music percussion applications include the following.

• Perform an audition by arrangement with Dr. Smith 915-747-7802 apsmith@utep.edu.
• Interview with Percussion Faculty
• Provide unofficial transcripts and resume to Dr. Smith
• Optional provide repertory list

Audition via YouTube Playlist, and Interview by Phone or Zoom/Skype is acceptable. A campus and El Paso visit is encouraged.

MM candidates in Percussion at UTEP are typically versatile performer-teachers preparing ultimately for careers combining performance, teaching, and some aspect of music industry/entrepreneurship. Specialization is welcome and encouraged - an admission audition may reflect a combination of versatility and specialization.

All candidates will be considered for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship. Academics are a factor in consideration. Candidates with particular expertise may also receive priority consideration, e.g. qualifications for teaching the Marching Miners Drumline, Steel Pan, or other specialization beneficial to the Department of Music.

Audition Repertory Requirements

*Perform mallet keyboard, snare drum, and at least two additional instruments.

Snare Drum

• Delécluse, Tompkins, Wahlund, Bobo, Blume, or equivalent.

Mallet Keyboard

• Tanaka, Miyake, Druckman, Burritt, Cangelosi, Maslanka, Bach, Mackey, or equivalent.

A Solo Performance in at least TWO additional areas

Timpani

• Carter, Woud, Delécluse, or equivalent.

Drum-set

• Classic jazz transcription, play-along chart, or published solo.

Multi-Percussion (Video Submission)

• Xenakis, Lang, Cangelosi, Rzewski, or equivalent.

Afro-Cuban or Brazilian percussion

• an etude from Michael Spiro and Michael Colleti The Language of the Masters or equivalent.

Jazz Vibes

• Jazz standard solo vibes format improvisation, or with track.

Contact Dr. Andy P. Smith , Director of Percussion Studies 915-747-7802 or apsmith@utep.edu

Commercial Music (click links for PDF):

• Major scale positions on entire guitar neck
• Major/Minor pentatonic scale positions on entire neck
• Triads, barre chords, 7 ^th chords, on entire neck
• Must know the traditional blues and jazz blues chord progressions
• Basic jazz chord melody solo guitar arrangement
• Study 3: by M.Giuliani Op.50 No.1 
• Must demonstrate intermediate fingerstyle and flat-picking technique
• Study #1 from Melodic Rhythms for Guitar (play written notes with pick)

Classical Guitar

• Tárrega, Francisco (choose one): Alborada, Marieta, Pavana in EM, Maria or Mazurka en Sol.
• Bach, J.S. (choose one): Prelude BWV 999, Prelude BWV 1007, Allemande BWV 1007, Allemande BWV 996
• Students wanting to concentrate on classical will be required to play five arpeggio formulas taken from the Giuliani 120 Arpeggios nos. 1 to 20.

For more detailed information on guitar auditions, please contact Shaun Mahoney at (915) 747-6627 or  stmahoney@utep.edu. 

CLICK HERE to schedule your audition.