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Organ DepartmentIU Jacobs School of Music

Auditions

Attention, Fall 2022 Graduate Applicants!  Our Associate Instructorship in Carillon will be open to prospective graduate organ majors who have sufficient competency to play and teach Carillon to non-majors and secondary carillon students.  The award carries a full tuition remission plus stipend. More details can be found at Associate Instructor in Carillon

Updates on 2022 auditions:

At this time our plan is to have in-person auditions but please keep an eye on developments that may be posted by the Jacobs School of Music’s  Office of Music Admissions and Financial Aid. Additionally, students are encouraged to contact the Department Chair to find out more about the organ department and study with an individual professor.

If you cannot attend a regularly-scheduled audition weekend we will accept a video-recorded audition or try to arrange an ad hoc audition if your travel plans allow a visit to campus at a time when all faculty are available.

Audition information for organ applicants:

Repertoire for all degrees:  three works from contrasting historical periods (pre-Classical, preferably a work by Johann Sebastian Bach, Romantic, and Contemporary) and style (balancing virtuosic works with at least one expressive piece).

Time limits:

  • Undergraduate:  15-25 minutes
  • Graduate:  20-25 minutes

Please note: These time limits do not preclude your bringing longer works that can be excerpted.

Memorization:  encouraged, but not required.

Diagnostic testing of other keyboard skills:

  • BM applicants: Sight-reading in both homophonic and contrapuntal textures, with pedal.
  • Graduate degree applicants:  in addition to the sight-reading outlined above, realization of a brief passage of figured bass, transposition of a brief passage of music, improvisation of a brief modulatory bridge between two excerpts. (See below for information regarding this exam for those auditioning by recording.)

Assistants:  Auditioning students may have an assistant for page turns but registration should be achieved by the performer.

Scores:  It is not necessary to provide scores for the faculty.

Meeting with Faculty:  You will automatically be scheduled to attend an informational meeting with the organ faculty which is generally on Friday between noon and 1 pm every audition weekend;  friends and family are welcome to attend this as well since they may also have questions for the faculty.  This is an informal time for us to meet you and learn more about your background, interests and goals and it is also a valuable time for you to learn more about us!

Practice:  Once your audition is scheduled you will be sent practice times on the Fisk organ of Auer Hall (the instrument on which you will audition) as well as the duplicate console in MA407 that will allow you to set some general registrations before your Auer Hall practice.  In order to make sure you are here in plenty of time to prepare in a calm manner we highly recommend you plan to arrive well before your first scheduled practice session.

Socializing:  We schedule informal times for you to meet our students, and encourage you to visit classes, perhaps take a lesson with a faculty member, and attend a concert whilst here.

A Day in the Life of the JSoM Organ Department – the Movie:  In 2020-2021 Covid deprived us of the opportunity to socialize during audition weekends, so we  put together an informal film that introduces you to some of our  students.  Its content is still pertinent, so enjoy getting to know our department better by watching this film in advance of your audition!