Percussion Audition Requirements | WVU College of Creative Arts and Media

WVU School of Music PERCUSSION applicants may find audition requirements below.

Snare drum: Medium to advanced rudimental solo/etude, medium to advanced concert solo/etude, open and closed rolls to be performed, selected rudiments to be performed, sight reading.
Keyboard percussion: All major scales and arpeggios, medium to advanced 2 mallet solo/etude in a classical or contemporary style, sight reading, 4 mallet solo/etude in a classical or contemporary style (suggested, but not required)
Timpani: Medium 4 drum solo/etude. Tuning within the piece is not required. Drum tuning will be asked apart from the etude/solo

3 different styles on the drum set (rock, jazz, latin, or afro-cuban, etc.). Record 3 different tracks which each lasting approximately 1 minute in length.
Video should demonstrate good control/timing of the style, and ability to improvise (add fills).
Record an intermediate snare drum solo. Recommended: Mitchell Peters Intermediate Snare Drum book. (Students may play any solos from Nos. 1 through 15 for the audition)

Demonstrate timekeeping and comping in a jazz style at various tempos in 4/4 time with sticks and brushes.
Demonstrate timekeeping and fills in at least three of the following styles:

Bossa Nova
- Samba
- Mambo
- Calypso
- Afro-Cuban 6/8
- Funk/Backbeat
- Jazz in 3/4 Time
- Jazz in 5/4 Time
- New Orleans Traditional “Second Line” Rhythm
Soloing and Trading:
1. Alternate between four-measure phrases of timekeeping and four-measure phrases of soloing in a jazz style.
2. Improvise multiple choruses of soloing in a jazz style over the form of a jazz standard of your choice.
Sight Reading:

Please provide the following information 2 weeks prior to the audition:

Live audition:

Snare – One solo work from Delecluse 12 studies, Mitchell Peters Advanced Snare Drum Studies, or similar work should be performed. A rudimental snare drum solo is also required.
Marimba – Any medium or advanced four mallet contemporary solo should be performed. A movement from any of the J.S. Bach collections (violin, cello, or lute) is also required. Sight-reading will be required.
Timpani – Any medium to advanced solo for three or four drums. A few singing and tuning examples will be required at the audition.
Orchestra excerpts - 1 orchestral excerpt is required on snare, xylophone, and glockenspiel. The applicant may be asked to play crash cymbals (various dynamics) at the audition.
Drum set – If the applicant wishes they may display any styles in which they are comfortable on the drum set. Drum set is not required.
World music – If the applicant wishes they may display their skills on any world percussion instruments on which they are proficient. Applicants should contact Dr. Michael Vercelli before they arrive if they will need any world percussion instruments at the audition. The applicant may also bring their own instruments.

Please provide the following information 2 weeks prior to the audition:

Audition material:

Snare – One solo work from Delecluse 12 studies, Mitchell Peters Advanced Snare Drum Studies, or similar work should be performed. A rudimental snare drum solo is also required.
Marimba – Any medium or advanced four mallet contemporary solo should be performed. A movement from any of the J.S. Bach collections (violin, cello, or lute) are also required. Sight-reading will be required.
Timpani – Any medium to advanced solo for three or four drums. A few singing and tuning examples will be required at the audition.
Multiple percussion – A medium to advanced solo for multiple percussion is required. The applicant can choose to submit a video or perform a solo at the audition.
Orchestra excerpts - 2 orchestral excerpts are required on snare drum, xylophone, and glockenspiel. 1 orchestral excerpt is required on both crash cymbals and tambourine. The applicants may bring their own crash cymbals and tambourine to the audition. These instruments will be available at the audition.
Drum set – If the applicant wishes they may display any styles in which they are comfortable on the drum set. Drum set is not required.
World music – If the applicant wishes they may display their skills on any world percussion instruments on which they are proficient. Applicants should contact Dr. Michael Vercelli before they arrive if they will need any world percussion instruments at the audition. The applicant may also bring their own instruments.