About 900 musicians auditioned for the undergraduate and graduate music performance programs in Boston University’s School of Music this year. About 440 of them were admitted.
Individuals applying to the Bachelor of Music program are required to perform a live or remote video audition, though the specifics vary by instrument, according to Laura Conyers, the director of admissions for the School of Music in the College of Fine Arts.
Some instrument programs, including vocals, require applicants to submit a recording for pre-screening at the beginning of December. If applicants pass that round, Conyers wrote in an email, they are invited to a live audition on campus in January or February.
Conyers wrote while the audition is critical to the music program’s admissions process, applicants are still evaluated based on their academic merit.
“Admitted students must excel both artistically and academically,” Conyers wrote. “They cannot be admitted to the music school without receiving admission into BU.”
On the flip side, Conyers wrote students also have to be accepted through the School of Music’s audition process, or they will not be able to attend the university.
“Undergraduate admissions will not admit anyone if they do not receive a admissible artistic rating on their audition,” Conyers wrote. “If they do not get admitted based on their audition, they may consider applying for a different program at BU that does not require an audition. They would need to contact undergraduate admissions to request a program change.”
The auditions last about 10 to 15 minutes, Conyers wrote. Applicants must perform in front of a panel of faculty who specialize in the applicant’s instrumental area, and it is recommended that applicants memorize their music.
Applicants have to play at least two pieces — one that they get to choose, and at least one other that is selected by the faculty. The applicant may also be asked to sight-read a selection of music.
“The panel of faculty are evaluating applicants on their technique, tone quality, presentation, and overall artistry,” Conyers wrote. “… For graduate applicants, the audition is more heavily weighted in the decision-making process since the curriculum is more focused on in-depth musical study.”
Current School of Music students said the auditions required a lot of practice beforehand.
Baylee Brown, a freshman in CFA who plays the bass, said she practiced several hours every day for a couple months before her recorded audition, which then came with its own difficulties.
“It was hard getting the stuff to record, the proper equipment, and finding a space and time and timing it with an accompanist,” Brown said. “I think it’s a really good system. [BU] is very flexible, if you can’t do the live audition, there’s other alternatives.”
BU allows recorded auditions if an applicant lives more than 300 miles away and isn’t available to appear in person on one of the audition days, Conyers wrote. About 100 of this year’s auditions were recorded.
Ilana Balog, a freshman in CFA who plays the french horn, said her audition also required a lot of preparation, but the audition itself didn’t feel overly stressful.
“I had to prepare contrasting pieces, orchestral excerpts — it was a lot of practice and just hard work up to the audition,” Balog said. “My audition was relatively simple and easy. It felt more like a short lesson than really like an audition.”
Balog said she didn’t have any problems with the way BU handles auditions. Neither did Jeff Sagurton, a sophomore percussionist in CFA, who said the audition evaluators were good at minimizing the stress of the situation.
“It was nerve-racking. I mean, it was also my first audition,” Sagurton said. “It was difficult in the sense that the repertoire I was playing was challenging, but the professors were very welcoming, they made it a good environment.”
Sagurton said he thinks the system BU has in place for auditions works well.
“I think I think it’s good,” Sagurton said. “I think they are able to figure out who would fit best in the program.”
