Music Department Auditions:
Students should submit an application both to the Department of Music as well as Messiah University.
All students seeking admittance into the Department of Music at Messiah University must complete a audition for the Music Faculty. We have two audition dates during which a majority of the faculty will be present to hear you. For 2025, those dates are February 7th and February 17th. If you are not avaialble on these dates, we will happy to schedule your auditon at an alternate time. Students will also be required to complete a Piano Placement Form and a written Music Theory Placement Exam. The Music Theory Placement Exam will be scheduled for you by the Administrative Assistant of the Music Department, Kelly Athey after she receives your application and your piano placement form.
Once the process is complete, students will be notified regarding their acceptance to the Department of Music as well as any scholarship offers that may be applicable.
All students auditioning for acceptance will be considered for a music scholarship. Before music scholarships can be awarded, students must be officially accepted to Messiah University.
Instrumentalists (Winds, Strings):
should prepare two contrasting selections (one lyrical, one technical). Movements from Sonatas and Concertos are ideal. However, each student should choose repertoire that best demonstrates his or her ability and allows the student to play at the highest musical level.
Percussionists:
should prepare the following: Snare Drum: One concert solo (ex. Peters, Cirone, Delecluse, etc.) and one rudimental solo (ex. Pratt, Wilcoxon, etc.) of the student's choosing. Mallets: One two-mallet solo of the student's choosing. One four-mallet solo of the student's choosing (optional). Timpani: 3-4 drum solo (ex. Hochrainer, Peters, Firth, etc.) of the student's choosing; Tuning Test. Drum Set (optional): Demonstration of styles (med. swing, fast swing, rock, funk, samba, bossa nova, etc.) as well as demonstration of soloing in all styles (trading fours) Contact Dr. Forst at eforst@messiah.edu for any questions regarding the audition process.
Vocalists:
Music Education, Performance and BA General: Vocalists should prepare and memorize two art songs from the classical repertoire, in contrasting style, that demonstrate the singer's technical and interpretive skills. At least one selection should be in English. Singing in a foreign language is encouraged (Italian, German, French, Latin, etc.) if the singer is comfortably fluent in the singing diction of the language. An aria may be substituted for one of the art songs. BA Commercial Music: Vocalists may substitute a musical theatre song from the standard repertoire in place of an English art song.
Pianists:
should prepare two memorized contrasting selections from the standard classical repertoire that demonstrate the performers technical and musical abilities. Each student should choose repertoire that best demonstrates his or her ability and allows the student to play at the highest musical level.