Program Requirements

Fall 2024 Audition Formats:

All applicants whose program requires an audition are asked to audition on campus. Virtual auditions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants should wait to receive their prescreening results before contacting the Office of Music Admission about virtual audition options.

For Prescreening:

• Spoken introduction which includes your name, hometown, school, teachers, brief information about your background on the saxophone, and which degree(s) you are interested in pursuing at Northwestern.
• Two full-range major scales of the applicant's choice; one should be presented slurred and the second should be performed in a slur two/tongue six pattern.
• Two full-range minor arpeggios of the applicant's choice; one slurred, one tongued.
• Two contrasting études by Ferling, Berbiguier/Mule, J.L. Small, Labanchi, Voxman Selected Studies, or similar
• One complete, multi-movement classical work or two to three contrasting movements from different works. Suggested repertoire includes works by Creston, Glazunov, Ibert, Tomasi, Bach, Fasch, Debussy, Heiden, Muczynski, Rueff, Boutry, Bozza, and Milhaud.
• Optional: If you have a background in jazz that you would like to demonstrate, you may present jazz selections such as a transcription, jazz étude, and/or improvisation (with play-along).

For Final Audition:

• All major and harmonic minor scales (full range), and chromatic scale (low Bb to high F#). 
• Two contrasting études (one lyrical, one technical). These should NOT be the same études used in your prescreening video.
• One complete, multi-movement classical work or two to three contrasting movements from different works.
• Sight-reading may be presented. 
• Optional: If you have a background in jazz that you would like to demonstrate, you may upload jazz selections such as a transcription, jazz étude, and/or improvisation.

Other Degrees

Master of Music: Saxophone