Piano Audition Information for Instrumentalists & Vocalists
(Non-Piano Majors)
It is important as music majors and, more importantly, as musicians, that students fulfill a piano proficiency requirement to complete their degree. Prospective music majors who are not majoring in piano will audition for piano placement on one of our three scheduled auditions days. Auditions will be held for all piano levels on our School of Music audition days.
Determining piano placement in advance of summer registration will allow students to register for their piano class during the Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) program in the summer before they begin classes at UW-Madison. The music SOAR sessions are scheduled in June and July for fall registration and during Welcome Days in January for spring registration.
The School of Music offers piano courses to help students develop a facility at the keyboard as well as the many functional skills needed in the course of being a musician. Learning these skills at the keyboard also helps reinforce the theory skills students will learn in their theory classes.
Depending on the degree program and major, piano requirements will vary from two to six semesters. Our music advisor will discuss specific requirements with students in greater detail when they begin advising and registration. Because these skills are so vital to each music program and because they will, in fact, facilitate a student's learning in other music courses and venues, it is highly recommended that students take these piano courses beginning in their first year of study as a music major.
Piano Auditions for Non-Piano Majors for Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Players
Beginning to Intermediate: 0 to 7 years of piano lessons
Advanced: 8 to 12 or more years of formal classical training
- Audition takes no longer than 5-10 minutes.
- If you play, be prepared to play a piece you know. It does not have to be memorized, but it should demonstrate your highest level of playing.
- If you can, play major and minor scales, arpeggios, chords, and chord progressions.
- Sight-read two or three selections and harmonize and transpose a melodic line.
Even if you think that you qualify for the Beginning Level, the piano faculty will still want to meet you to place you in the appropriate course level.
If you have specific questions about the audition, contact Professor Jessica Johnson at
jgjohnson@wisc.edu.
