Auditions for entry into Music
(Undergraduate, Honours and Postgraduate Coursework)
- Studying at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music
- Compulsory audition / composition submission and registration
- Audition/Composition submission Fee
- Audition procedure
- Composition Submission Procedure
Compulsory performance audition / composition submission and registration
If you are registering for a graduate research audition please see Music - Graduate Research otherwise please see information below
All applicants must attend/provide a performance audition and/or submit a composition folio. Please note: if you are applying to audition for more than one program, instrument and/or stream a separate audition will be required for each.
To register your intent to attend an audition/submit a composition folio please complete the online performance audition/composition submission form.
- You need to indicate on the form the program/s, instrument/s and stream/s for which you are applying.
Double degree Bachelor of Music / Bachelor of Performing Arts applicants must audition for both courses. Double degree applicants must also read the Auditions for entry into Performing Arts information.
Audition/Composition submission fee
An audition/composition submission fee of $70 AUD including GST applies.
Please note: if you are applying to audition for more than one program, instrument and/or stream a separate audition will be required for each and therefore incur individual application fees.
NB: The audition fee is included in the international recruitment application fee for offshore applicants.
Audition procedure (mid-year)
- Apply for a place in a Monash Music Course online (includes local students, internal transfers, and Onshore International students studying in Australia)
- Undergraduate applicants apply direct to the University
- Undergraduate Internal Transfers apply directly to the Faculty
- Honours applicants must follow the instructions on the Monash Arts Future Students: Honours webpage
- Postgraduate courses apply direct to the University.
- By 15 June complete and submit the performance audition/composition submission form (Late applications will be waitlisted)
- Audition Confirmations will be emailed to applicants by the first week of July
Interstate applicants
You are expected to attend the scheduled audition if you are applying for the performance program. If you cannot attend please follow the advice provided in your audition confirmation email.
Offshore International Applicants
1. Apply online via International Recruitment Services
2. Contact the Music Auditions Administrator for information on how to submit a recorded audition.
What happens next
Once you have completed your registration you will need to prepare for the performance audition
- For performance audition requirements go to Performance Audition Requirements
Performance Audition Requirements
Undergraduate applicants should prepare two contrasting (e.g., style, period, composer) works (no longer than 15 minutes altogether).
Postgraduate Coursework applicants should prepare three contrasting (e.g., style, period, composer) works (no longer than 30 minutes altogether).
More details about what to bring will be provided when we send out the audition confirmation letters.
Classical
- Technical work and/or sight reading may also be requested at the audition.
- The audition will comprise selections from the applicant’s audition material and a brief interview
- If the piece(s) chosen require/s piano accompaniment, the applicant must attend the audition with an accompanist. The School will not provide an accompanist for the audition. If assistance is needed in finding an accompanist, the School can provide a list of professional accompanists.
Jazz & Popular Studies
- The audition process will comprise selections from the applicant's audition material, improvising over a chord progression (which will be supplied in the audition), ear training test and sight reading. The audition panel will assess applicants on a range of criteria, including: Improvisational skills, Comping (piano/guitar), Technical facility/accuracy, Quality of Tone, Intonation, Note choice (in harmonic context), Control of tempo, Control of rhythm, Sense of musical form/development, Interaction with the ensemble, Dynamics, Musicality, Scales.
- All applicants are expected to perform with live backing. Performing solely with CD and tapes are not accepted as backing tracks. No accompanist will be provided. (A combination of CD and live backing is allowed. for example, 1 piece with CD and the second with a pianist is permitted).
Composition Submission procedure
- Apply for a place in a Monash Music Course online (includes local and Onshore International students studying in Australia)
- Undergraduate applicants apply direct to the University
- Undergraduate Internal Transfers apply directly to the Faculty
- Honours applicants must follow the instructions on the Monash Arts Future Students: Honours webpage
- Postgraduate courses apply direct to the University.
- Complete and submit the performance audition/composition submission form (Late applications will be waitlisted)
- By 15 June submit your Composition folio to the Music Auditions Administrator.
Offshore International Applicants
1. Apply online via International Recruitment Services
2. Complete and submit recorded composition folio and Music auditions – Offshore applicants form to the Music Auditions Administrator along with IRS ID number which was generated from online application
What happens next
Once you have completed your registration you will need to prepare for your composition submission.
- For composition submissions go to What to submit for your composition folio
- For jazz composition submissions go to What to submit for your jazz composition folio
What to submit for your composition folio
Compile composition folio with two of your original compositions (in any style). The two compositions can be submitted as audio recordings (small MP3) or music scores (pdf file) or both. The total duration of the submitted music should not exceed 10 minutes. The compositions can be for any instrumentation and/or electronic media.
If you have any queries regarding your composition folio please contact Thomas Reiner.
Composition Interview
Upon selection, applicants will be required to sit a 10-minute interview. The interview will include discussion of the applicant's folio and also include an ear training test.
What to submit for your jazz composition folio
Folio: All applicants are required to present 3 compositions with a minimum of 4 instruments per composition. One of these compositions will be a set piece (see details below). Additionally, applicants must submit a 6-8 minute audio recording of their compositions and accompanying scores (in duplicate) as represented on the recording.
Recordings do not have to be professional studio quality however the sound quality must be as good as possible. Audio and Sibelius (version 6.2 or lower) files are to be submitted on a CD.
Audio recordings and scores are only to contain composed material and may be edited to best represent this. Improvised sections are not to be included in the recordings or scores.
MIDI-realised work or Sibelius files (version 6.2 or lower) are optional and must be submitted with hard copy scores in duplicate.
- Set piece (must be indexed first on the recording): An original composition based on a 12 bar blues form. (Minimum of 4 piece instrumentation)
- 2 original compositions (Minimum of 4 piece instrumentation).
Note: Please remember, your compositions’ combined time must fulfil the 6-8 minute recording requirement.
Jazz Composition Interview
Upon selection, applicants will be required to sit a 10-minute interview. The interview will include discussion of the applicant's folio and also include an ear training test.
If you have any queries regarding your jazz composition folio please contact Jordan Murray.