Application & Audition Information

for Music Majors entering the Bucknell Department of Music Auditioning

Auditioning

Bucknell University offers two music degree programs, the Bachelor of Music and the Bachelor of Arts in Music. The Bachelor of Arts music major is a general program of study within the liberal arts designed to equip students with a broad background in music, while the Bachelor of Music degree is a more highly-specialized program of study in which students choose from individualized professional programs in performance, composition, music history, and music education.


All music candidates need to complete and submit the Arts Merits Scholarship on-line registration form, regardless of their interest in these competitive scholarships.

An audition is required for admission to all music degree programs, including the four Bachelor of Music degree programs and the Bachelor of Arts program.  The music faculty will submit their recommendations for scholarships to the Arts Merit Scholarship Committee after the completion of the audition requirements.  Admissions considers any application incomplete until the audition requirements are satisfied.

Early Decision Candidates

Early decision applicants must submit the folowing materials to the Department of Music by October 1, 2009:

  • Online Audition Form (please click the 'submit by email' tab after completion of the form)
  • Performance resume
  • Recommendation from music instructor (should discuss your training)
  • Score samples (for intended composition majors only)

Please note that early-decision auditions must occur before November 24, 2009.  Auditions are scheduled through Brenda Ross (see contact information below).

The Arts Merits Scholarship registration form, Common Application, and Bucknell Application Supplement must be submitted to Admissions by November 15, 2009.

 

Regular Decision Candidates

Regular decision applicants must submit the following materials to the Department of Music between September 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009:

  • Online Audition Form
  • Performance resume
  • Recommendation from music instructor (should discuss your training)
  • Score samples (for intended composition majors only)

The Arts Merit Scholarship registration form, Common Application, and Bucknell Application Supplement must be submitted to Admissions between September 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.

Invitations to audition will be offered to all candidates judged eligible following the Admissions Department pre-screening process. Regular decision music candidates have a choice of the following audition dates:

  • Saturday, January 30, 2010
  • Saturday, February 13, 2010
  • Snow Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010

On the audition day, the student will:

  • Perform two or three pieces from different historical periods. These should be works that best represent the applicant’s technical and interpretative skills. Please see the suggested audition materials. Singers must send copies of audition music for the university pianist to the music department by mail or fax (570-577-1215) at least two weeks prior to the audition date. The music department provides the accompanist at no cost to the applicant.
  • Attend personal interview with music faculty
  • Composition candidates: Submit samples of compositions

Note: Please do NOT send audition recordings.

For further information, please contact:
Brenda Ross, Music Department Secretary
(570-577-1216)
bross@bucknell.edu