The Supplemental Audition

Applicants who have an extraordinary talent in music, be it composition, conducting, or performance, and who are considering continuing their study and practice of music while at Stanford, may choose to submit a supplemental audition as part of their application to Stanford. This audition is not required, and in no way indicates that applicants intend to major or minor in Music, nor does it constitute an audition for departmental ensembles or lessons. Rather, it is a way in which applicants can demonstrate excellence outside the academic arena to the Office of Admission. For more information about the submission process for supplements, please check the Office of Admission website.

If you have any questions about the audition process, or general questions about undergraduate opportunities for students in the Department of Music, please send email to ugmusicinquiries@stanford.edu

Recorded Auditions

Auditions are closed for the 2011-2012 application year.

If you are a transfer student and would like to submit an audition recording, please reference the Undergraduate Admissions Office’s Transfer Student website here.

Audition information for 2012-2013 applicants will be available starting August 1st, 2012.

If you are planning a trip to Stanford and would like to hear more about the Department of Music and our Undergraduate programs, please contact Undergraduate Student Services Officer, Elise Fujimoto, to arrange a visit!

Requirements (the following information is provided for reference only; auditions are now closed)

Recordings can be on CD, DVD, or online. If you are submitting an audition via a website, please provide the URL and make certain your content can be played and/or downloaded under standard conditions. Internet submissions must follow the same guidelines as all other forms of auditions (10 min. of playing time, etc). No Facebook, Myspace, or other social media website submissions will be reviewed.

All recorded supplemental auditions must be accompanied by the following items:

Common Applications Arts Supplement (available as part of the Stanford Common Application)

Musical résumé

Letter of Recommendation from a music teacher or mentor

Documents are to be compiled and mailed directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the deadline listed below. No incomplete submissions will be reviewed.

Important Notes about Recorded Auditions:

Students submitting a Fine Arts Supplement are required to send their entire application and all supporting documents for the Fine Arts Supplement to the Office of Undergraduate Admission; see the Office of Admission website for specific information.

All students wishing to audition in Jazz (instrumental or vocal) must submit recordings (no live auditions).

Live Auditions

Live auditions are closed for the 2011-2012 application year.

Audition information for 2012-2013 applicants will be available starting August 1st, 2012.

If you are planning a trip to Stanford and would like to hear more about the Department of Music and our Undergraduate programs, please contact Undergraduate Student Services Officer, Elise Fujimoto, to arrange a visit!

Requirements (the following information is provided for reference only; auditions are now closed)

All live audition requests must be accompanied by the following items:

Live Audition Request Form

Musical résumé

Letter of Recommendation from a music teacher or mentor

Documents are to be compiled and sent to the Department of Music. No incomplete submissions will be reviewed. Musical résumé and letter of recommendation for live auditions can be mailed to:

   Stanford University
   Department of Music
   541 Lasuen Mall
   Stanford, CA 94305-3076

Or send by email to ugmusicinquiries@stanford.edu.

Important Notes about Live Auditions

The following information is provided for reference only; auditions are now closed.

Live audition requests are not considered complete until letter of recommendation and musical résumé are received.

Live auditions are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Submission of a Live Audition Request Form does not guarantee an audition slot.

Please note that we cannot honor requests for specific audition times, as we are constrained by faculty availability. Due to the large number of audition requests we receive, we can only schedule one live audition per student.

Our deadlines for each application year will help give you an idea of when you should submit in your Live Audition Request Form. However, we cannot guarantee that live audition time slots will be available even if you send in your request by the deadline. We strongly advise you not to leave this until the last minute, and to keep the recording submission deadlines in mind, so that if you are unable to schedule a live audition, you still have time to make and send in a recorded audition.

Your specific audition time will be assigned when your request is processed. You will be notified of your audition time by email.

For regional auditions, students are required to provide their own accompanist.

All students wishing to audition in Jazz (instrumental or vocal) must submit recordings (no live auditions).

Students submitting a Fine Arts Supplement are required to send their entire application and all supporting documents for the Arts Supplement to the Office of Undergraduate Admission earlier than standard deadlines; see the Office of Admission website for specific dates and information.

Instrument List

Below is a list of instruments for which auditions may be submitted. Instruments that are in the family of one listed (for example, bass clarinet, piccolo, or euphonium) are automatically acceptable. If you would like to audition on an instrument not listed here, please email to ask if we can evaluate your audition before you schedule a live audition or send in a recording. If you play any of the following instruments or styles, please email to ask: non-Western styles or instruments, contemporary rock or pop, folk.

Baroque Flute Baroque Violin Bassoon Cello Clarinet Contrabass Flute Fortepiano Horn

Guitar Harp Harpsichord Jazz Piano Oboe Organ Percussion Piano Recorder

Saxophone Taiko Trombone Trumpet Tuba Viola Viola da Gamba Violin Voice

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a supplemental audition? Time, content, where, how, etc.
• Does this audition have any bearing on participation in ensembles or lessons if I am accepted to Stanford?
• How does an audition affect my application for admission?
• Is it better to audition in person or by recording?
• Is it possible to do both types of auditions?
• Should I perform from memory?
• How many auditions may I do?
• Do I have to use an accompanist?
• How long is the audition?
• What style of music should I perform?
• What should the quality of my recording be? Should my CD be made in a studio?
• On what type of media should I submit my audition?
• If I am a composer, what materials should I submit?
• How do I make an appointment for a live audition? When do I get an assigned time?
• Can I request a specific time of day for my live audition?
• Where should I send my Live Audition Request form?
• Where should I send my CD? How do I label it?
• What happens if I miss the deadline for submitting a recorded audition?

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