Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions

String Studies

String Auditions

 

All prospective and transfer students must first submit an application for admission to the Steinhardt School at New York University before submitting prescreen audition materials. You can find information on the application process through the appropriate admissions office. 

Doctoral candidates should visit the Doctoral page for separate instructions and should contact the program director directly for an audition.

Send Recorded Materials: all students, UG and Grad and Advanced Certificate, are required to first submit a recording.

For Violin, Viola and Cello:

Send Recorded Materials: Undergraduate and Graduate applicants are required to submit a recording -  CD or DVD - of a movement of Bach and a movement of a concerto.  You may also submit an audition video online, instructions here.

Fill out the Information sheet for String Performance submission of recorded materials. Include this sheet with your submission. Those submitting an audition online should also include the information sheet in the body of their email to stephanie.baer@nyu.edu.

For Bass and Harp:

Send Recorded Materials: Undergraduate and Graduate applicants are required to submit a recording -  CD or DVD - of two contrasting movements.  You may also submit an audition video online, instructions here.

Fill out the Information sheet for String Performance submission of recorded materials. Include this sheet with your submission. Those submitting an audition online should also include the information sheet in the body of their email to stephanie.baer@nyu.edu

Mail materials to:

Stephanie Baer, Director
Program in String Performance
The Steinhardt School
35 West 4th Street, Suite 777
New York, NY 10012

All materials must be postmarked by the dates listed below. Materials submitted after these dates may not be accepted. Fill out the Information sheet for String Performance submission of recorded materials. Include this sheet with your submission. Those submitting an audition online should also include the information sheet in the body of their email to stephanie.baer@nyu.edu.

Deadlines
  • Early Decision #1: November 1; Early Decision #2: January 6
  • Regular Decision: January 6 for Undergraduates; January 27 for Graduates
  • Transfer Applicants: March 15

You will receive an email notification that your materials have been received. After those materials have been reviewed you will be contacted if additional information is required. At that point you will be asked to schedule an in-person audition for which you must prepare materials according to the guidelines below. If you cannot travel to New York you will have the option of recording your audition and submitting it on DVD.

Please note that recorded materials cannot be returned.

Audition Dates and Registration Information

Strings: Undergraduate*, Transfer and Graduate** Audition Schedule***

  • Saturday, November 12, 2011 (Undergraduate Open House)
  • Sunday, December 4, 2011 (undergraduate, Early Decision #1)
  • Sunday, February 5, 2012 (undergraduate, transfer and graduate degree applicants, last date for Early Decision #2 candidates to audition; Doctoral candidates must audition this date)
  • Sunday, February 19, 2012 (undergraduate, transfer and graduate degree applicants)
  • Saturday, March 3, 2012 (undergraduate, transfer and graduate degree applicants)
  • Sunday, March 4, 2012 (undergraduate, transfer and graduate degree applicants)
  • Sunday, April 8, 2012 (transfer and graduate applicants)

*The last audition date for undergraduate freshman applicants is March 3 & 4.

**Note: All fall semester Masters and Advanced Certificate applicants who wish to be considered for talent-based scholarship awards must (1) submit their application materials by January 6 (2) complete their audition no later than March 4. U.S. students should also file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1 to be considered for student loans and other school-based scholarships.

***Doctoral applicants should contact Professor Baer no later than Friday, Dec. 16 to set up an audition date in mid to late January. Doctoral auditions must be completed by Feb. 5.

For an audition after April 8, 2012, please contact Professor Stephanie Baer at 212 992 9447 or stephanie.baer@nyu.edu

Music Education majors who play string should schedule their audition through Music Ed here.

***If you cannot audition in person, you may submit an audition video online instructions here or send an audition DVD to:

Attn: Prof. Stephanie Baer
NYU Steinhardt / Major ________________
Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions
35 W. 4th Street, Suite 777, New York, NY 10012

Please clearly indicate the applicant's name, program applied to, and NYU ID number (if applicable) on the DVD. All submissions for Regular Decision should be received by January 6 or as soon as possible after the submitted application. Early Decision #1 submissions should be received by November 1, and January 6 for Early Decision #2.

Required Repertoire

Students should bring a resume to the audition. Fill out the Information sheet for String Performance submission of recorded materials. Include this sheet with your submission. Those submitting an audition online should also include the information sheet in the body of their email to stephanie.baer@nyu.edu.

Undergraduate

Violin: 1) Two movements from the unaccompanied sonatas and Partitas by Bach memorized; 2) A first or last movement from a standard Romantic concerto and/or other virtuosic solo piece memorized; 3) A movement of a sonata from the standard repertoire.

Viola: 1) Two movements from an unaccompanied Bach Suite (originally for cello) or Sonata or Partita (originally for violin) memorized  2) A first movement of a standard concerto 3) A movement of a standard sonata or a short work.

Cello: 1) Two contrasting movements of Bach Suite memorized; 2) One movement of a standard concerto, either first or last movement memorized; 3) An additional work of your choice.

Double Bass: 1) A short (or portion of an) Etude displaying technical proficiency; 2) Two contrasting movements from a Vivaldi, Marcello Sonata or comparable work.

Harp: 1) One Pozzoli Etude ( #s 21 - 30), 2.0One movement from the Handel Concerto in B Flat Major ( either Salzedo or Grandjany Transcriptions), 3) Tournier Au Matin or Debussy Premiere Arabesque. (Substitutions of equal level/ability may be made with a prior consultation with Prof. Bridget Kibbey.)  

Graduate

Violin
Master's and Advanced Certificate:

1) A first or last movement from a standard Romantic concerto memorized; 2) Two movements of unaccompanied Bach memorized; 3) A 20th Century composition; 4) A virtuosic solo piece

Ph.D: ( prepare works in their entirety)
1) An entire standard concerto (e.g. Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius) memorized;  2) An unaccompanied Sonata or Partita, memorized;  3) A standard sonata; 4) An entire work composed post 1960

Viola
Master's and Advanced Certificate:
1) Two movements of a major work from the concerto repertoire memorized ; 2) Three movements from an unaccompanied Bach Suite (originally for cello) or Sonata or Partitas (originally for violin) memorized
3) One movement of a major work from the sonata repertoire; 4) A work or movement composed post 1960 

Ph.D. (prepare the works in their entirety ):
1)A major concerto, memorized; 2) A major work from the sonata repertoire in its entirety; 3) An unaccompanied Bach Suite (originally for cello) or partita or sonata (originally for violin) in its entirety memorized; 4) An entire work composed post 1960

Cello
Master's and Advanced Certificate:

1) Two movements of a standard Concerto memorized;  2)Three movements from a Bach Suite memorized; 3)A contemporary work, post 1960; 4) A complete sonata: Brahms, Beethoven, Shostakovich or comparable work

Ph.D. (prepare the works in their entirety):
1) An entire concerto memorized; 2) A complete Bach Suite memorized; 3) A contemporary work 4) A complete Sonata: Brahms F major, Franck A Major, Chopin or Rachmaninoff

Double Bass
Master's and Advanced Certificate:

1) First two movements of either Dittersdorf, Koussevitzky, Vanhal, or Bottesini concerti, memorized
2) Two movements of an unaccompanied Bach cello suite, memorized

Ph.D.:
1) A complete standard concerto, memorized; 2) Two movements from a Bach suite, memorized
3) A contemporary work

Harp
Master's and Advanced Certificate:

Substitutions of equal level/ability may be made with a prior consultation with Prof. Rita Costanzi or Prof. Bridget Kibbey. 1.) One Schmidt Etude, 2) Faure Impromptu or Chatelaine en sa Tour; 3) Contemporary Piece of Applicant's Choice 

Ph.D.:
Substitutions of equal level/ability may be made with a prior consultation with Prof. Bridget Kibbey.
1) Bach - Grandjany Etude #2 : Fugue; 2) De Falla - Grandjany - Spanish Dance;  3)Britten Suite

Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions - 35 W. 4th Street, Suite 1077 - New York, NY 10012 - 212 998 5424