Strings Audition Repertoire

Prescreening video submissions are due as part of the online application by December 1, 2022.

Please read the following audition guidelines carefully:

• NEC will return to a live audition format, with options for applicants who are unable to travel to Boston due to ongoing pandemic restrictions. 

• Applicants to the Bachelor of Music, Tufts/NEC Five-Year Dual-Degree, Master of Music, Graduate Diploma, and Graduate Certificate who are unable to travel to Boston will be offered options for recorded auditions upon passing the prescreening round; truncated repertoire requirements will be posted to the Audition Information page in December.

• Due to the selective nature of our Doctor of Musical Arts, Harvard/NEC Five-Year Dual-Degree, and Artist Diploma programs, applicants to those programs must present a live audition on campus.

• Please read the recording guidelines for prescreening, as well as final recorded auditions, carefully.

• Piano accompaniment is encouraged.

Artist Diploma requirements are found on the Artist Diploma audition requirements page.

Audition Repertoire Guidelines

Please consider the following to be guidelines rather than strict requirements; some flexibility in choice of repertoire is permitted. For any questions about specific repertoire selections, please make your best judgement or consult with your private teacher. We cannot offer guidance for repertoire substitutions. 

NEC encourages applicants to submit diverse repertoire, including works composed by women, people from historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, and/or musicians from one's own cultural background.

Violin

Prescreening (all degree programs):

1. The exposition, or first 5 minutes, of the 1st movement of a major concerto for violin and orchestra written between 1800 and 1945. Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 is also acceptable. If you select Shostakovich No. 1, you must perform from the fourth movement and cadenza instead of the first movement.
2. Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied sonata or partita by J.S. Bach. These movements may be either in the same recording video, or in two separate videos. If you select the D minor Chaconne, you do not need to submit a second movement. 

Undergraduate Final Auditions:

1. First movement of a major concerto for violin and orchestra written between 1800 and 1945 (memorized). Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 is also acceptable. If you select Shostakovich No. 1, you must perform the fourth movement and cadenza instead of the first movement.
2. Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied sonata or partita by J.S. Bach (memorized). Please note that repeats are not required. You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for this requirement. 
3. One etude or caprice from Rode Op. 22, Dont Op. 35, Wieniawski Op. 10 or 18, or Paganini Op. 1 (memorized)
4. First movement of a sonata for violin and piano, of contrasting style from the selected concerto, or Exposition of the first movement of a Mozart concerto. If playing without piano, please select Mozart. 
5. One piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

Master of Music and Graduate Diploma Final Auditions:

1. A complete major concerto for violin and orchestra written between 1800 and 1945 (memorized). Shostakovich Concerto No. 1 is also acceptable.
2. A complete unaccompanied Sonata or Partita by J.S. Bach (memorized). Please note that repeats are not required.
3. One Paganini Caprice (memorized).
4. A complete sonata for violin and piano, of contrasting style from the selected concerto.
5. One piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers.

Doctor of Musical Arts Final Auditions:

• 5 complete works of contrasting styles, one of which was written in last 50 years, including a complete concerto, and complete unaccompanied Sonata or Partita by J.S. Bach.

 

Live Audition Dates (all levels):

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Monday, February 20, 2023

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Viola

Prescreening (all degree programs):

1. The Prelude and any dance movement from a J.S. Bach Cello Suite, or two contrasting movements from a Bach solo violin sonata or partita.
2. One movement from a concerto, sonata, or other work of an applicant’s choosing.

Undergraduate Final Auditions:

1. The Prelude and any dance movement from a J.S. Bach Cello Suite, or two contrasting movements from a Bach solo violin sonata or partita. You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for this requirement.
2. One movement from a major concerto.
3. One movement from a sonata, or another work of the applicant's choosing. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. Please include a short introduction to the piece and why you chose it.

One or more of the chosen selections should be performed from memory. 

Master of Music and Graduate Diploma Final Auditions:

1. A complete J.S. Bach cello suite, violin partita, or sonata (memorized).
2. A complete concerto (memorized).
3. A complete sonata.
4. One piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

One of the above must have been composed within your lifetime. 

Doctor of Musical Arts Final Auditions:

• Four complete works of contrasting styles, one of which has been composed in your lifetime. Concerti and unaccompanied works should be performed from memory.

 

Live Audition Dates (all levels):

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Cello

Undergraduate

Prescreening:

1. The exposition, or first 5 minutes, of a major cello concerto (memorized).

2. Two contrasting movements of a J.S. Bach Suite (memorized).

Final Auditions:

1. The entire first movement of a major cello concerto (memorized). If performing Elgar, please prepare movements 1 & 2.
2. Two contrasting movements of a J.S. Bach Suite (memorized). You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for this requirement.
3. One of the following:
   • A showpiece such as Tchaikovsky Pezzo Capriccioso, Popper Elfentanz, or Davidoff At the Fountain
   • An Italian sonata by Boccherini, Valentini or Locatelli. One slow and one fast movement should be presented. No duo sonatas (Beethoven, Brahms, etc.) may be substituted in this category.
   • A Popper Etude or Piatti Caprice
4. One piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

Master of Music and Graduate Diploma

Prescreening:

1. The entire first movement of a major cello concerto (memorized).

2. Two contrasting movements of a J.S. Bach Suite (memorized).

Final Auditions:

1. A complete concerto from the standard repertoire (memorized).
2. A complete J.S. Bach Suite (memorized).
3. A complete work written after 1970.
4. One of the following (memorized):
   • A showpiece such as Tchaikovsky Pezzo Capriccioso, Popper Elfentanz, or Davidoff At the Fountain
   • An Italian sonata by Boccherini, Valentini or Locatelli
   • A Popper Etude or Piatti Caprice
5. An additional piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you (memorized). Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

Doctor of Musical Arts

Prescreening:

1. The entire first movement of a major cello concerto (memorized).

2. Two contrasting movements of a J.S. Bach Suite (memorized).

3. Excerpts from one of the works on your "Final Audition" list (see below), totaling no more than 5 minutes (memorized).

Final Auditions:

• 5 complete works of contrasting styles, one of which was written in last 50 years, including a complete concerto, and a complete J.S. Bach Suite.

 

Live Audition Dates (all levels):

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Double Bass

Prescreening (all degree programs):

1. A movement of a J.S. Bach Suite or Baroque Sonata.
2. A movement from a concerto or solo piece.
3. Two contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Undergraduate Final Auditions:

1. Two contrasting movements from the solo literature
2. An etude OR a movement from a Bach suite
3. Two contrasting orchestral excerpts

One or more of these chosen selections should be performed from memory. You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for parts of this requirement. If submitting a final recorded audition, you must re-record the requirements. 

Master of Music and Graduate Diploma Final Auditions:

1. Two contrasting movements of a major concerto (memorized).
2. One movement from a J.S. Bach Cello Suite (memorized).
3. Two contrasting orchestral excerpts.
4. A short contemporary work: Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for parts of this requirement. If submitting a final recorded audition, you must re-record the requirements. 

Doctor of Musical Arts Final Auditions:

1. A complete concerto or sonata (memorized).
2. Two contrasting movements from a J.S. Bach Cello Suite (memorized).
3. A contemporary solo piece: Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to explore works by underrepresented composers. Please include a short introduction to the piece and why you chose it.
4. Standard orchestral excerpts of contrasting tempi and styles.

You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for parts of this requirement. If submitting a final recorded audition, you must re-record the requirements. 

 

Live Audition Dates (all levels):

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Monday, January 16, 2023

Guitar

Undergraduate & Graduate (all degree programs; live and recorded auditions):

• The NEC guitar department encourages candidates to play what they love and show some variety of style. All works should be performed from memory. Possible repertoire may include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. One or more movements from a major work by J.S. Bach (e.g. lute suites, violin sonatas and partitas, cello suites, etc.)
2. First movement from an important 20th-century sonata in sonata form (e.g. Ponce, Turina, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Berkeley, Henze, Tippett, Brouwer).
3. One or more Etudes written for the guitar (e.g. Villa-Lobos, Sor, Barrios, Tarrega, Brouwer, Regondi); or a tremolo piece.

If you have questions about audition repertoire, you may contact Eliot Fisk or Jerome Mouffe via the NEC website.

Live Audition Date (all levels):

Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Harp

Prescreening (all degree programs):

• All applicants should include a brief video introduction (no longer than 2 minutes) so that the faculty get to know you. You can talk about your musical and family background, comments about your chosen repertoire, your non-musical activities, or any other topic you wish.

1. One etude.
2. One piece from the standard concert repertoire ranging 7 to 10 minutes in length.
3. Orchestral excerpt: Britten - Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (cadenza only).

Undergraduate & Graduate Final Auditions:

1. One etude.
2. Two pieces from the standard concert repertoire.
3. Orchestral excerpt:
   • Undergraduate: Verdi - La Forza del Destino
   • Graduate: Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique
4. An additional piece of your choosing which is personally meaningful to you. Applicants are encouraged to explore works by underrepresented composers. 

You may use your original prescreening repertoire selections for parts of this requirement. If submitting a final recorded audition, you must re-record the requirements. 

Live Audition Date (all levels):

Sunday, February 5, 2023