Prescreening video submissions are required for all voice applicants, and are due as part of the online application by December 1, 2022.
Prescreening repertoire requirements are the same as for the live audition; recordings will not be reviewed if repertoire is incomplete or substitutions are made. After reviewing the recording guidelines, please upload your prescreening recording files as part of your online application. After review, qualified applicants will be invited to present a live audition at NEC.
Applicants to Bachelor of Music, Tufts/NEC dual degree, Master of Music and Graduate Diploma programs who are not able to travel due to the ongoing global pandemic may submit a recorded audition and will receive equal consideration to those who audition in person. Due to the selective nature of the Harvard/NEC dual degree, Doctor of Musical Arts and Artist Diploma, applicants to those programs must present a live audition at NEC.
Artist Diploma in Opera requirements are found on the Artist Diploma audition requirements page.
Live Audition Dates (all levels):
Sunday, January 15, 2023
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Monday, February 20, 2023
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Audition Repertoire Guidelines
All auditions repertoire should be performed from memory.
If conditions allow, it is preferred that auditions be performed with a collaborative pianist and NEC will provide a pianist for applicants auditioning live. For those unable to travel to NEC, performances with accompaniment tracks are also acceptable if in-person or low-latency collaboration with a pianist is not possible.
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.
Undergraduate
An operatic aria is not required for undergraduate applicants; however, any undergraduate who wishes to include an aria in addition to the required repertoire may do so.
Bachelor of Music and Tufts/NEC:
- One art song in English
- One art song in a non-English language (Italian from any early Italian anthology preferred)
- One art song in a language of the applicant's choice
- Optional: one opera aria
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.
Harvard/NEC and BM Transfer Applicants:
- One art song in English
- One art song in Italian (from any early Italian anthology preferred)
- One art song in German
- One art song in French
- Optional: one opera aria
Master of Music, Graduate Diploma & Graduate Certificate
- One art song in Italian
- One art song in French
- One art song in German
- One art song in English
- One opera aria
- One oratorio aria
Graduate singers may choose to substitute a second contrasting operatic aria for one of the art songs, as long as all four major languages are represented in the six selections. 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.
Doctor of Musical Arts
Applicants must prepare a full recital program consisting of 45 minutes of music covering at least three distinct stylistic periods and including repertoire in Italian, French, German and English. In addition to the recital repertoire, the applicant must present one operatic and one oratorio aria from any period. 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.
Recorded Auditions -- due February 3, 2023
Bachelor of Music and Tufts/NEC five-year dual degree Final Auditions
Please record the following repertoire in separate tracks:
- One art song in English
- One art song in a non-English language (Italian from any early Italian anthology preferred)
- One art song in a language of the applicant's choice
- Optional: one opera aria (An operatic aria is not required for undergraduate applicants; however, any undergraduate who wishes to include an aria in addition to the required repertoire may do so.)
Notes: Applicants should upload their recordings in their preferred order.
Applicants may elect to resubmit their pre-screening recordings for consideration as their final audition provided that they meet the above requirements.
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.
Harvard/NEC five-year dual degree and BM Transfer Applicants Final Auditions
Please record the following repertoire in separate tracks:
- One art song in English
- One art song in a non-English language (Italian from any early Italian anthology preferred)
- One art song in a language of the applicant's choice
- Optional: one opera aria (An operatic aria is not required for undergraduate applicants; however, any undergraduate who wishes to include an aria in addition to the required repertoire may do so.)
Notes: Applicants should upload their recordings in their preferred order.
Applicants may elect to resubmit their pre-screening recordings for consideration as their final audition provided that they meet the above requirements.
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.
Master of Music and Graduate Diploma Final Auditions
Please record the following repertoire:
- One art song in Italian
- One art song in French
- One art song in German
- One art song in English
- One opera aria
- One oratorio aria
Graduate singers may choose to substitute a second contrasting operatic aria for one of the art songs, as long as all four major languages are represented in the six selections.
Notes: Applicants should upload their recordings in their preferred order.
Applicants may elect to resubmit their pre-screening recordings for consideration as their final audition provided that they meet the above requirements.
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.
Doctor of Musical Arts
Doctor of Musical Arts applicants must prepare a full recital program consisting of 45 minutes of music covering at least three distinct stylistic periods and including repertoire in Italian, French, German and English. In addition to the recital repertoire, the applicant must present one operatic and one oratorio aria from any period.
Please also record an introductory video where you detail why you want to pursue a DMA and what areas of research interest you.
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.