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Auditions and Interviews

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Westminster Choir College

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Westminster Choir College

  • Auditions and Interviews
  • Graduate Admission FAQs
  • Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships at WCC
Contact Graduate Admission

800-257-9026 or 609-896-5036
gradadm@rider.edu
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General Audition/Interview Information

Auditions and/or Interviews are required for admission to all Westminster Choir College graduate programs. Please scroll down and click into your specific program for detailed information about the application process for your program of choice. In order to maintain our mission of accessibility, we will be offering a hybrid of in-person and virtual audition dates for this academic year. All memory requirements must be honored in virtual auditions.

  • All auditions are evaluated by faculty members from the relevant departments. Westminster provides an accompanist for vocal auditions.
  • Auditions and interviews are by appointment only and are limited to those who have submitted an application.
  • The application must be received at least three weeks prior to the selected audition date. Therefore, it is to your advantage to sign up early for an audition.
  • Audio only recordings will not be accepted for any major that requires an audition.
  • Once you've reviewed the audition and admission requirements for your major, submit your application. When we have received your application you will receive email instruction on how to select an audition/interview date below.

As long as the above criteria have been met and unless notified to the contrary, students should assume that the audition/interview date they have selected is confirmed.

Graduate Audition/Interview Dates

Audition Information

  • Auditions and/or Interviews are required for admission to all Westminster Choir College graduate programs. 
  • The first step of your audition or interview process, is to submit your Academic Application. 
  • Consult the audition requirements for your major below
  • All auditions and interviews are evaluated by faculty members from the relevant departments.
  • Audition and Interview Schedules will be posted to the registered students' Be A Bronc Applicant Dashboard two weeks before their audition. Schedules will have all the information students will need such as when to arrive, an overview of the day, and approximate group audition times. Group numbers (where applicable) will be sent to you one week before your audition via text message and email notification.
  • Neither the Office of Admission nor the individual departments will provide any feedback about the audition to any inquirers, including applicants, parents, or teachers.

How to Register

To register for an audition, students must submit the completed application for admission at least three weeks in advance of the requested audition or interview date.

2024-2025 Auditions

Choral Conducting, MM

  • January 29, 2025*

*By invitation only 

Voice Pedagogy and Performance, MM

  • Friday, February 7, 2025 
  • Friday, February 21, 2025 
  • Friday, April 4, 2025

2024-2025 Interviews

Master of Voice Pedagogy 

  • Saturday, January 18, 2025 
  • Saturday, February 15, 2025 

Master of Choral Pedagogy, Music Education, and Sacred Music (Online)

  • Interviews will be scheduled on an individual basis with faculty. Faculty will contact you by email to schedule your interview.

Have Questions?

If you have any questions regarding your audition or interview date, please call Admission Counselor Christina Ficarra at 609-896-5000 ext. 5194 or email ficarrac@rider.edu.

Requirements for Programs

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. All applicants must submit pre-screen recordings using the link received in your Rider Application Confirmation email - on your Be a Bronc Dashboard. Applicants must submit a pre-screen recording in order to be considered for an invitation to an on-campus audition. The requirements for the recording are as follows:
    • The recording must be in English.
    • Twenty to thirty minutes of conducting/rehearsing a choir that the candidate regularly conducts, or an ad hoc group formed for the taping. (Previously recorded accompaniment is not accepted.)
    • Camera positioned to show a head-on view.
    • Music of contrasting tempi that demonstrates legato and marcato gesture.
    • Follow the instructions for uploading the pre-screening recording found using the link received in your Rider Application Confirmation email.
  3. A list of works conducted must be uploaded to the Be A Bronc Dashboard.
  4. Deadline: The application, pre-screen recording, and list of works conducted must be submitted no later than December 15th.
    • Our faculty will review all of the submitted pre-screening recordings and invite selected candidates to audition on campus. You will be notified via email when a decision has been made and you are ready to register for an audition.
  5. Register for and attend your Choral Conducting Audition. You can review the Choral Conducting Audition Requirements here. Please remember that auditions are by invitation only upon passing the prescreen.

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Audition in applied area of study (organ, piano, voice, or composition - see below).
  3. Conducting Audition -applicants will conduct a Westminster choir in an assigned piece at the on-campus choral conducting audition (see above dates). You can register for this on your Be A Bronc Dashboard once you have applied.
  4. Sacred Music Interview - interview with a member of the Sacred Music faculty
  5. Applicants for Sacred Music Composition will also have an interview with the composition faculty and follow the requirements for a composition primary.

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Conducting Video - Applicants must submit a recording of 10-15 minutes of rehearsal.
    • At least 2 different pieces of contrasting style and time period must be featured.
    • The video should be from the perspective of the choir with the camera facing the conductor's face and hands.
  3. Interview with a member of the Sacred Music faculty will be arranged.*

*Upon receipt of the completed application and all requirements, candidates will receive instructions via email on scheduling the admissions interview.

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Register for an audition on your Be a Bronc Dashboard.
  3. Complete the GIA Music AMMA Test sent to your email within 36 hours of registering for your audition. The assessment will come from a GIA Music email address and will measure aural skills. It will take about 25 minutes to complete the test.
  4. Audition Requirements:
    • At least five works from memory from the list below, including Italian, French, German and English. A single selection may be used to fulfill more than one requirement:
      • A recitative from the 17th or 18th century.
      • An aria from an opera or oratorio.
      • An art song.
      • One selection composed since 1950.

Note: this is NOT the full-time MM in Choral Conducting

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Conducting Video: Applicants must submit a recording of 10-15 minutes of rehearsal.
    • At least 2 different pieces of contrasting style and time period must be featured.
    • The video should be from the perspective of the choir with the camera facing the conductor's face and hands.
  3. Interview with a member of the Choral Conducting faculty will be arranged.*

*Upon receipt of the completed application and all requirements, candidates will receive instructions via email on scheduling the admissions interview.

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and resume. 
  2. A digital portfolio to include:
    • Video recording of conducting or classroom teaching (approximately forty minutes and should not be a concert or performance).
    • Philosophy of Music Education (5-10 pages in length). This can be uploaded in place of the Aims & Objectives Statement requirement.
    • Submission of a teaching portfolio including lesson plan documentation.
  3. Personal interview with a member of the Music Education faculty.*

*Upon receipt of the completed application and other requirements, candidates will receive instructions via email on scheduling the admissions interview.

Note: this is NOT the MM in Voice Pedagogy and Performance

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Admissions interview (scheduled with a member of the program faculty).*

*Upon receipt of the completed application and other requirements, candidates will receive instructions via email on scheduling the admissions interview.

Requirements for Primary Instrument Audition

All applicants with a concentration in conducting must complete an on-campus conducting audition. Auditionees will follow the audition requirements of the M.M. Choral Conducting program listed above. M.M. Sacred Music applicants do not need to submit the prescreens that the Choral Conducting applicants do.

At least five works from memory from the list below, including Italian, French, German and English. A single selection may be used to fulfill more than one requirement:

  1. A recitative from the 17th or 18th century.
  2. An aria from an opera or oratorio.
  3. An art song
  4. One selection composed since 1950

Online Sacred Music - Pedagogy Track

Note: this is NOT the full-time MM in Sacred Music Degree.

  1. Submit your Online Application including all official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, aims & objectives statement, and resume.
  2. Conducting Recordings Applicants must submit a video of 10-15 minutes of rehearsal
    • At least 2 different pieces of contrasting style and time period must be featured
    • Video should be from the perspective of the choir with the camera facing the conductor's face and hands.
  3. Sacred Music Interview - interview with a member of the Sacred Music faculty will be arranged via Zoom or phone call. *

*Upon receipt of the completed application and other requirements, candidates will receive instructions via email on scheduling the admissions interview.

*This is an online degree requiring a one-time 3 week summer intensive on campus.

All applicants with a concentration in Organ must follow these requirements:

Repertoire:

  1. A work by Bach or Buxtehude
  2. One movement from a 19th-century work
  3. One post-1900 work

Additional skill demonstration: one prepared hymn.

Westminster Choir College

  • Auditions and Interviews
  • Graduate Admission FAQs
  • Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships at WCC
Contact Graduate Admission

800-257-9026 or 609-896-5036
gradadm@rider.edu
Request information
Schedule an appointment
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