Graduate Classical Guitar Audition Requirements

The deadlines for receipt of all audition materials, including recordings and a completed audition form, are:

     November 15, 2021 – for admission in Spring 2022
     March 2, 2022 – for Regular Decision for admission in Fall 2022

Prior to recording your audition, you MUST contact your performance area coordinator:

     Fred Irby, III
     Coordinator of Classical Instrument Studies
     firby@howard.edu
     202-806-7066

Once you have recorded your audition and uploaded it to a private YouTube channel,

     • download a computer-fillable audition form and complete the appropriate sections;
     • open a new email, address it to your performance area coordinator, and attach the audition form;
     • place the link to your recorded audition materials in the body of the email; and
     • send the email to your performance area coordinator by the applicable audition deadline.

Graduate Classical Guitar Audition Requirements

Candidates must be prepared to play five pieces, one from each of the following periods:
     Renaissance,
     Baroque,
     Classical/Romantic,
     20th Century, and
     one composition of your choice (must be at a similar level).

Here is a short sample list of acceptable pieces:

     Renaissance Period:
          William Byrd - Fantasia
          Alonzo Mudarra - Fantasia 

     Baroque Period:
          Johann Sebastien Bach
               Prelude from Suite in E Major BWV 1006
               Prelude from Cello Suite No. 3 BWV 1009

     Classical/Romantic Period:
          Francisco Tarrega - Sueno
          Mauro Giuliani - Rondo in A Major

     20th Century:
          Claude Debussy - The Little Shepherd
          Leo Brouwer - Le Espiral Eterna

Please contact Gerard Kunkel, instructor of guitar, at Gkunkel@howard.edu for an expanded list of possible audition repertoire and for approval of alternate selections.

Technical Requirements
     Scales should be played ascending and descending, demonstrating im, ma, air and ami fingering in the right hand. Quarter note, eighth note, triplet and sixteenth note time values at 94 beats per minute.

          Scales
               Major, all keys 
               Minor: harmonic and melodic, all keys 88 beats per minute

          Scales in thirds
               Keys of C and G, eighth notes at 82 beats per minute

     Giuliani Etude in tenths - quarter note=82 beats per minute 

Sight Reading
          Candidate will be required to sight read a Level 5 piece

Interval Exercise
          Candidate will be required to take a short ear training exam, identifying all intervals within a two octave range.

Chord Identification
     Candidate will demonstrate the ability to distinguish chord qualities of major, minor, dominant,  augmented and diminished forms in triads and some 7th forms.

An interview will follow the audition—either immediately after a live audition, or by Zoom or telephone call at a future scheduled time for a recorded audition.