Join us for horn auditions

Horn Teaching

Undergraduate audition days

  • Friday, Feb. 21, 2025
  • Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025

Submission deadline: All undergraduate applications must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2025

Graduate audition day

  • Friday, Feb. 21, 2025
  • Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025

Submission deadline: All graduate applications must be submitted by Dec. 1, 2024

Undergraduate horn auditions

Prescreening

No prescreening is required. 

Preparation requirements

Two contrasting pieces of music.

Time requirement

The audition will be in a lesson format with a full duration of 20 minutes. Please prepare at least 10 minutes of music.

Accompaniment

No accompaniment required

Technical requirements

  • No technical requirements

Repertoire

Example Etude books:

  • Jacques-François Gallay, 12 Etudes for Second Horn, Op. 57 
  • Georg Kopprasch, 60 Selected Studies
  • Maxime-Alphonse, New Melodic and Gradual Studies for Horn, Book 2
  • Max P. Pottag, Preparatory Melodies to Solo Work
  • John R. Shoemaker, Legato Etudes for Horn

Example solo pieces:

  • Eugene Bozza, Chant Lointain
  • Paul Dukas, Villanelle
  • Rheinhold Gliere, Four Pieces, Op. 35 (select one)
  • W.A. Mozart, Concerto No. 3, KV 447, movement 1
  • Camille Saint-Saens, Morceau de Concert, Op. 94, movement 1
  • Franz Strauss, Concerto, Op. 8, movement 1
  • Richard Strauss, Concerto No. 1, Op. 11, movement 1
  • Gilbert Vinter, Hunter’s Moon

Having trouble finding music? Please reach out to Dr. Ambrose

Judging criteria

  • Tone quality
  • Musicianship
  • Overall control
  • Competency
  • Technique
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the audition and number of applicants, we will not be able to provide individual comments. All decisions made will be final.

FAQs

  1. When am I considered for scholarship?
    • You are considered for scholarship at the time of audition. You will be notified via formal letter about your audition results and music scholarship results in early March.
  2. When will I hear about my results?
    • You will be notified via formal letter about your audition results and music scholarship results in early March

Graduate horn auditions

Prescreening

No prescreening required, but it is strongly recommended that you contact Professor Ambrose for a sample lesson before your audition.

Preparation requirements

Auditionees are requested to bring four copies of their prepared pieces.

Time requirement

Master of Music in Horn Performance:

  • Candidates should prepare a 20-minute audition of music that showcases their best playing.

Doctor of Musical Arts in Horn Performance:

  • Candidates should prepare a 30-minute audition of music which showcases their best playing. 

Accompaniment

No accompaniment is required.

Technical requirements

No technical requirements

Repertoire

Master of Music in Horn Performance:

  • A complete Concerto or Sonata from the standard repertoire
  • One unaccompanied piece for solo horn, or an etude of similar substance
  • Five orchestral excerpts from the standard repertoire, including:
  • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, movement 2, mm. 9-28, horn 1
  • Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel’s Lustige Streiche, opening to rehearsal 1, horn 1

Doctor of Musical Arts in Horn Performance:

  • Two complete solo works from the standard repertoire.
  • One substantial unaccompanied piece for solo horn
  • Eight orchestral excerpts from the standard repertoire, including:
  • Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, mvt. 1, rehearsal 17-21, horn 1
  • Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, opening to rehearsal 5, horn 1
  • Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel, opening to rehearsal 1, horn 1
  • Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, mm. 9-28, horn 1
  • Wagner, Siegfried’s Rhine Journey, short call

Judging criteria

  • Tone quality
  • Musicianship
  • Overall control
  • Competency
  • Technique
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the audition and number of applicants, we will not be able to provide individual comments. All decisions made will be final.

FAQs

  1. When will I hear about my results?
    • You will be notified via formal letter about your audition results in early March

Questions?

Katy Ambrose with horn

Katy Ambrose

Title/Position
Host
Assistant Professor of Horn
Jena Gardner

Jena Gardner

Title/Position
Guest Artist Liaison
Rachel Hockenberry

Rachel Hockenberry

Title/Position
Co-Host
Competitions Coordinator
Amanda

Amanda Stout

Title/Position
Operations Coordinator
Maddy Tarantelli

Maddy Tarantelli

Title/Position
Co-Host
Vendor Coordinator