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Music Audition Requirements

Video Audition Submissions

We are accepting Video Auditions for the NWSA college program for the 2025-2026 academic year on an ongoing basis. See audition requirements for your instrument below. Begin your video by stating your name and introduce each section of your audition. Please submit requests to Dr. Daniel Andai, Dean of Music at dandai@mdc.edu.

In-Person Auditions

In-person audition dates for the 2025-2026 academic year is TBD. All in-person auditions will be held at:

New World School of the Arts Music Division
401 NE 2nd Avenue, Room 4218
Miami, FL 33132

Special accommodations for audition dates may be requested and granted by the Dean of Music on a case-by-case basis. Please submit requests to Dr. Daniel Andai, Dean of Music, at dandai@mdc.edu. Audition appointments can also be arranged by calling 305-237-3622.

Online Application

Submit complete application packet here.

Criteria For Acceptance (listed by specialty)

Strings

Violin

  • TWO studies by Kreutzer, Rode or Fiorillo
  • Any ONE movement from Bach’s unaccompanied sonatas and partitas
  • ONE movement from a concerto from the standard repertoire

Viola

  • ONE etude by Campagnoli, Rode, Dont, or Kreutzer
  • TWO contrasting movements from an unaccompanied suite for violoncello by Bach
  • ONE movement from a concerto from the standard repertoire

Cello

  • ONE movement from a solo suite by Bach or one movement from a sonata such as Sammartini or Boccherini
  • ONE movement from a concerto from the standard repertoire
  • ONE étude by Popper, Duport, Gruetzmacher, Merk or Franchomme

Double Bass

  • An etude to demonstrate the applicant’s level of technical ability
  • ONE solo work, such as one of the sonatas of Vivaldi or Marcello

Harp

  • TWO studies; a study or prelude by Salzedo or the No. 10 by Pozzioli or a study by Larivierre
  • ONE composition of the degree of difficulty of the Mozart Concerto for Flute and Harp or the Handel Concerto in B Flat
  • TWO contrasting short works: ONE classic and one by a 20th Century composer

Guitar

  • The prospective student will be expected to display a well-formed technique and music intelligence.  Entry level performance requirements should be, at minimum, on the level of the more advanced studies of Carcassi and So.  The student's repertoire should include movements from suites by Bach (cello, violin, or "lute"), works of the classical style, such as Sor and Giuliani, and Romantic and Contemporary works by composers such as Tarrega, Ponce, Catelnuovo-Tedesco, Duarte, and Brouwer.

Percussion

Timpani

  • Etudes from either Goodman or Vic Firth, or excerpts from the orchestral repertoire

Snare Drum

  • Etudes from “Portraits in Rhythm” by Anthony Cirone or 12 Etudes by Delecluse or excerpts from the orchestral repertoire

Mallet Instruments

  • ONE two-mallet solo piece from the traditional repertoire

Piano

All compositions must be performed from memory and include the following:

  • ONE prelude and fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier or another Baroque piece of similar level of difficulty
  • ONE movement of a sonata by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven (excluding op. 49 and op. 79) or Schubert
  • ONE composition by a 19th Century composer
  • ONE work by a representative 20th Century or contemporary composer

Voice

Perform TWO memorized contrasting pieces from the classical repertory (selections from Golden Era Musical Theater and Zarzuela are also acceptable):

  • Art songs (Italian, German, French or English)
  • Opera
  • Operetta
  • Oratorio

All selections must be accompanied (contact the Music Office for details).

Woodwinds/Brass

Winds: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophone

Brass: Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba

Applicants for admission in any of these instruments must be prepared to perform the following:

  • Major and minor scales
  • TWO contrasting etudes showing the applicant’s level of technical advancement
  • A classical composition such as one of the flute sonatas by Bach, the oboe concerti by Handel or the horn concerti by Mozart
  • ONE solo composition either of the 19th or 20th Century repertory

Composition/Electronic Music

  • Submit a portfolio of at least THREE pieces of varying length and instrumentation (include date of composition)
  • Submit a CD or DVD of at least ONE of the compositions
  • Audition on applicant’s primary instrument, to present TWO contrasting works that best demonstrate the applicant’s technical and musical performance abilities. Pieces should be from the standard classical repertoire and may not include personal compositions.

Transcripts

During the NWSA application process, official transcripts are not required. We highly recommend that you have your unofficial transcript available in case the division needs to provide class recommendations for your first semester.

Upon final acceptance to New World School of the Arts*, final and official transcripts for each school that you attended must be mailed to:

Miami Dade College
Attention: Transcript Processing Services
11011 S.W. 104th Street, Room R301
Miami, FL 33176

*Transfer students who are advised by NWSA to apply directly to University of Florida
must send their final and official transcripts to:

The UF Office of Admissions
P.O. Box 114000
Gainesville, FL 32611-4000