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Undergraduate Audition Materials and Requirements: Percussion
First-Time Freshman
Prospective first-time freshman must demonstrate technical strength and reading ability on keyboard and two of the three percussion areas of snare drum, timpani and drum set. The examples listed below give you an idea of the expected minimum level of ability for incoming students. Although this list serves only as a suggestion, please choose literature that is similar in style, depth and breadth.
Performance majors (MUP 127) should anticipate a higher entrance standard than a percussionist applying for other undergraduate music degree programs (MUP 111: music education, therapy, theory, composition, Bachelor of Arts).
Keyboard
- Scales: All major scales, two octaves at a moderate tempo.
- Two-mallet sight reading.
- Performance of a 2 and/or 4 mallet composition such as:
- Morris Goldenberg: One of the 39 etudes from Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba and Vibraphone
- J.S. Bach: Any 2 mallet movement from a Sonata or Partita for violin or Suite for cello (without repeats)
- Paul Creston: One movement from Concertino for Marimba
- George Hamilton Green: Any xylophone rag
- Gordon Stout: One movement from Two Mexican Dances
- Paul Smadbeck: Etude No. 1, 2 or 3
- Rich O’Meara: Restless
Snare Drum
- Rudimental roll open-closed-open.
- Closed orchestral roll at ppp through fff.
- Sight read compound, simple and changing meter exercises.
- Selected rudiments from the 40 Percussive Arts Society International Drum Rudiments played in “open to closed to open” style.
- Performance of a concert style solo comparable to the following:
- Fred Albright: Contemporary Studies
- Anthony Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm
- Vic Firth: Solo Snare Drummer
- Performance of a rudimental style solo by any of the following (optional):
- Charles Wilcoxin
- John Pratt
- Marty Hurley
- John Wooton
- Eddie Frytag
Timpani
- Relaxed roll at pp and ff dynamic levels.
- Ability to match intervals on the drums.
- One solo or etude comparable to:
- Garwood Whaley: Fundamental Studies or Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist
- Mitchell Peter: Etude from Fundamental Method for Timpani
- Saul Goodman: An exercise from section two or three of Modern Method for Tympani
- Raynor Carroll: Exercises, Etudes, and Solos for the Timpani
- Vic Firth: The Solo Timpanist
Drum Set
- Ability to keep steady time and play fills several basic beat styles: swing, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, funk, rock and jazz waltz alternating 4 measures of time with 4 measures of solo.
Transfer Applicants
Prospective transfer students must demonstrate technical strength and reading ability on keyboard and two of the remaining three percussion areas. The examples listed below give an idea of the expected minimum level of ability for first- and second-year students. Performance at the audition will determine how many lesson credits will transfer into the ASU program of study.
Performance majors (MUP 127/327) should anticipate a higher entrance standard than a percussionist applying for other undergraduate music degree programs (MUP 111/311: music education, therapy, theory, composition, Bachelor of Arts).
Keyboard
- Scales: All major and minor scales, two octaves at a moderate tempo.
- Two-mallet sight reading.
- Four-mallet solo comparable to the following:
- Eric Sammu: Four Rotations
- Paul Smadbeck: Rhythm Song
- Keiko Abe’s: Michi or Wind in the Bamboo Grove
- J. S. Bach: One movement from a Sonata or Partita for violin
- An orchestral excerpt such as:
- Dukas: The Sorcerer's Apprentice
- Gerschwin: Porgy and Bess, overture
- Kabalevsky: Colas Breugnon
- Mozart: Act 1 Finale from The Magic Flute
- Respighi: Pines of Rome
- Schostakovich: Polka from The Golden Age
Timpani
- Relaxed roll at pp and ff dynamic levels.
- Ability to tune drums by relative pitch, i.e. by using a tuning fork.
- One solo or etude for two or more drums that involves tuning changes comparable to:
- John Beck: Sonata for Timpani
- Alexander Lepak: An etude from 32 Solos for Timpani
- Fred Hinger: A solo from Solos for the Virtuoso Tympanist
- Orchestral excerpt such as:
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 7, or Symphony No. 9
- Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis
- Mahler: Symphonie 5
- Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
Snare Drum
- Rudimental roll and closed orchestra roll at ppp through fff.
- Sight read compound, simple and changing meter exercises.
- Prepared solo using rolls, drags, flams and a wide dynamic range comparable to the following:
- Jacques Delecluse: An etude from Douze Etudes
- Anthony Cirone: Etude from Portraits in Rhythm
- Mitchell Peters: Etude from Hard Times
Drum Set
- Ability to keep steady time and play fills several basic beat styles: swing, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, funk, rock and jazz waltz alternating 4 measures of time with 4 measures of solo.
Multiple Percussion
- Work from multiple instruments such as:
- William Kraft: French Suite or English Suite
- Ricky Tagawa: Inspirations Diabloque