In order to be invited for a live audition, each applicant must submit a video recording. Pre-screening video links are due by Jan. 15, 2026. You will be directed to upload your pre-screening materials in your School of Music application.

• Video must be unedited and recorded at an angle showing the entire profile of the applicant (the head, hands, and feet of the applicant must be visible)
• Each piece or movement should be recorded in one take.

Repertoire

• Applicants must prepare three memorized works (or movement of a multi-movement piece) from different historical periods of music. The repertoire should reflect your best artistic and pianistic level of accomplishment.
• One work can be non-traditional. Some examples of non-traditional repertoire are the candidate’s own composition or improvisation, a jazz transcription, a popular work, a musical theatre work, etc.

Scales and Arpeggios

• Four-octave scales and arpeggios in the keys (major or harmonic minor) of each of your three audition pieces.
• Minimum speed: quarter = 112 for scales; quarter = 80 for arpeggios

Repertoire List

• Please submit a list of the repertoire you have studied in the past five years. Indicate which pieces or movements you have performed in public or at a competition. 

Live Auditions

• Live audition content may be the same as the pre-screening video.

Remote Auditions

• Second Video Submission and Zoom interview (limited to applicants who live outside the contiguous 48 states AND only with the permission of the piano area)
• Recorded audition content may be the same as the pre-screening video. However, this second video submission must be one unedited recording of the three audition pieces. The video must be submitted by Feb. 1, 2026.
• Scales and Arpeggios: The piano area will hear scales and arpeggios in a Zoom interview.

Audition materials should be thoroughly prepared and approximately 15 minutes in length.

Please contact Dr. Réne Lecuona, the co-chair of the piano area, with any repertoire questions.

• Artistry
• Technical command of the instrument
• Fluency of the performances

1. When am I considered for scholarship?
   • You are considered for scholarship at the time of audition
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

Pre-screening video links are due by Dec. 1, 2025. After you have been admitted to the Graduate College and applied to the School of Music, you will be provided with a link to upload your pre-screening materials.

Master of Arts:

• Applicants for the M.A. must present a pre-screening video of at least 20 minutes of solo piano repertoire.
• The program should represent a minimum of three musical periods. One of the selections for the pre-screening video must be: 1. a Baroque prelude and fugue; 2. a pair of fast and slow Baroque sonatas or dances; 3. a sonata-allegro movement from the Classical period; or 4. a variation set from the Classical period.
• Memorization is required.  Exceptions may be permitted in the case of some 20th and 21st-century pieces. Permission must be granted by the UI piano faculty upon request.
• The video must be unedited, recently recorded, and taken with only one camera at the same angle and position—the hands, feet, and profile of the applicant must be visible at all times.

Doctor of Musical Arts:

• Applicants for the D.M.A. must present a pre-screening video of at least 25 minutes of solo piano repertoire.
• The program should represent a minimum of three musical periods.
• One of the selections for the pre-screening video must be: 1. a Baroque prelude and fugue; 2. a pair of fast and slow Baroque sonatas or dances; 3. a sonata-allegro movement from the Classical period; or 4. a variation set from the Classical period.
• Memorization is required.  Exceptions may be permitted in the case of some 20th and 21st-century pieces. Permission must be granted by the UI piano faculty upon request.
• The video must be unedited, recently recorded, and taken with only one camera at the same angle and position—the hands, feet, and profile of the applicant must be visible at all times.
• Applicants applying for the DMA Piano Pedagogy program are required to submit a video recording of sample teaching. The video should be at least 30 minutes in length and should include both private and group teaching, if possible.

M.A. live auditions (by invitation):

• Applicants for the M.A. must present a program of at least 35 minutes of solo piano music and may include a different repertoire than pre-screening video recordings. All piano area auditions will be held in the Recital Hall in the Voxman School of Music.
• The program should represent a minimum of three musical periods. One of the selections must be a complete major work from the Baroque period or a complete major work from the Classical period. The program must have at least three complete works. Optional fourth works may be incomplete (for example, a movement of Ravel’s Miroirs). Memorization is required.  Exceptions may be permitted in the case of some 20th and 21st-century pieces. Permission must be granted by the UI piano faculty upon request.
• 48 hours before your scheduled audition, you will be sent a piece to perform during your live audition.
• Please submit a list of solo piano, chamber music, and vocal works you have learned, indicating which works you have performed in public.

D.M.A. live auditions (by invitation):

• Applicants for the D.M.A. must present a program of at least 45 minutes of solo piano music which may include different repertoire than pre-screening video recordings. All piano area auditions will be held in the Recital Hall in the Voxman School of Music.
• The program should represent a minimum of three musical periods. One of the selections must be a complete major work from the Baroque period or a complete major work from the Classical period. The program must have at least three complete works. Optional fourth works may be incomplete (for example, a movement of Ravel’s Miroirs). Memorization is required.  Exceptions may be permitted in the case of some 20th and 21st-century pieces. Permission must be granted by the UI piano faculty upon request.
• 48 hours before your scheduled audition, you will be sent a piece to perform during your live audition.
• Please submit a list of solo piano, chamber music, and vocal works you have learned, indicating which works you have performed in public.

Graduate Remote Auditions:

• Second Video Submission and Zoom interview (limited to applicants who live outside the contiguous 48 states and only with the permission of the piano area)
• Video Submission:
  • Same Repertoire Requirements as described above under “Live Auditions.” The video submission must be one unedited, continuous, full body, recording of your audition program. Such videos must be submitted no later than Feb. 1, 2026.
• Zoom Interview:
  • Following the receipt of your video submission, the piano area will arrange a brief Zoom interview with each applicant approved for a remote audition. 48 hours before the scheduled Zoom interview, each applicant approved for a remote audition will be sent a piece to perform during the Zoom interview.
• Repertoire List:
  • Please submit a list of solo piano and chamber music you have learned, indicating which works you have performed in public.

Audition materials should be thoroughly prepared. Please see repertoire requirements for MA and DMA live auditions. 

Contact Dr. Réne Lecuona, the co-chair of the piano area, with any questions.

• Artistry
• Technical command of the instrument
• Fluency of the performances

1. When am I considered for scholarship?
   • You are considered for scholarship at the time of audition
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

Pre-screening video links are due by Dec. 15, 2025. After you have been admitted to the Graduate College and applied to the School of Music, you will be provided with a link to upload your pre-screening materials.

Master of Arts:

• An orchestral reduction of one substantial movement of a standard concerto
• One Sonata-Allegro movement of a Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin or of a Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Cello
• One substantial movement of a Romantic or Contemporary Sonata for Piano and any other instrument
• One art song
• Solo piece (memorization optional) - 4 minute minimum
• The video must be unedited, recently recorded, and taken with only one camera at the same angle and position—the hands, feet, and profile of the applicant must be visible at all times. 

Doctor of Musical Arts:

• An orchestral reduction of one substantial movement of a standard concerto
• One Sonata-Allegro movement of a Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin or of a Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Cello
• One substantial movement of a Romantic or Contemporary Sonata for Piano and any other instrument
• One art song
• Solo piece (memorization optional) - 4 minute minimum
• The video must be unedited, recently recorded, and taken with only one camera at the same angle and position for the entire length of the video—the hands, feet, and profile of the applicant must be visible at all times.

M.A. live auditions (by invitation):

• Please prepare one Classical and one Romantic or twentieth-century sonata from the list below:

Mozart Sonata for Piano and Violin in B-flat major, K. 454

Beethoven Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Violin in D major, Op. 12, No. 1

Beethoven Sonata No. 7 for Piano and Violin in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2

Beethoven Sonata No. 3 for Piano and Cello in A major, Op. 69

Beethoven Sonata No. 5 for Piano and Cello in D major, Op. 102, No. 2

Brahms Sonatas for Clarinet or Viola Op. 120, No. 1 or No. 2

Brahms Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano in D minor, Op. 108

Brahms Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor, Op. 38 

Franck Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, FWV 8

Fauré Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, Op.13

Prokofiev Sonata for Flute (or Violin) and Piano in D major, Op. 94 (Op. 94a)

• Please prepare both of the following works:

Kreisler "Liebesfreud" from Old Viennese Dances

Sarasate Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 (Opening Moderato and Un poco più lento) 

• Please prepare one movement of a piano orchestral reduction for the following concertos: 

Dvorak Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104

Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33

Sibelius Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 47

Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op. 35

• Please prepare two of the songs from the following list:

Schumann “Mondnacht” from Liederkreis Op. 39, No. 5

Debussy “Green” from Ariettes oubliées 

Schubert “Der Lindenbaum” from Winterreise, D. 911

Fauré “Fleur jetée” from 4 Mélodies, Op. 39

Applicants will be sent a quick-learn piece 48 hours before the live audition. There will also be an interview following the performance of the required repertoire listed above and the quick-learn piece. 

Applicants will be provided with instrumental and vocal partners at the live auditions. Applicants will be given the opportunity to rehearse with instrumental and vocal partners before their audition.

D.M.A. live auditions (by invitation):

• Please prepare one Classical and one Romantic or twentieth-century sonata from the list below:

Mozart Sonata for Piano and Violin in B-flat major, K. 454

Beethoven Sonata No. 1 for Piano and Violin in D major, Op. 12, No. 1

Beethoven Sonata No. 7 for Piano and Violin in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2

Beethoven Sonata No. 3 for Piano and Cello in A major, Op. 69

Beethoven Sonata No. 5 for Piano and Cello in D major, Op. 102, No. 2

Brahms Sonatas for Clarinet or Viola Op. 120, No. 1 or No. 2

Brahms Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano in D minor, Op. 108

Brahms Sonata for Cello and Piano in E minor, Op. 38 

Franck Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, FWV. 8

Fauré Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, Op.13

Prokofiev Sonata for Flute (or Violin) and Piano in D major, Op. 94 (Op. 94a)

• Please prepare both of the following works:

Kreisler "Liebesfreud" from Old Viennese Dances

Sarasate Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 (Opening Moderato and Un poco più lento) 

• Please prepare one piano orchestral reduction for the following concertos: 

Dvorak Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104

Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33

Sibelius Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 47

Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op. 35

• Please prepare two of the songs from the following list:

Schumann “Mondnacht” from Liederkreis Op. 39, No. 5

Debussy “Green” from Ariettes oubliées 

Schubert “Der Lindenbaum” from Winterreise, D. 911

Fauré “Fleur jetée” from 4 Mélodies, Op. 39

Applicants will be sent a quick-learn piece 48 hours before the live audition. There will also be an interview following the performance of the required repertoire listed above and the quick-learn piece. 

Applicants will be provided with instrumental and vocal partners at the live auditions. Applicants will be given the opportunity to rehearse with instrumental and vocal partners before their audition.

Contact Dr. Réne Lecuona, the co-chair of the piano area, with any questions.

• Artistry
• Technical command of the instrument
• Fluency of the performances
• The ability to perform collaboratively with both instrumental and vocal performers

1. When am I considered for scholarship?
   • You are considered for scholarship at the time of audition
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
3. Are there teaching assistantships available with the collaborative piano program?
   • Yes, there are teaching assistantships available