Music Talent Award Information

Albright seeks to attract musically gifted students through a program of talent awards that range from $1,000 to $3,000 per year, contingent upon the student’s participation in at least one major performing ensemble and an additional ensemble or recital each semester.

Dates of auditions for 2010 are:

• November 6 & 7, 2010
• November 20 & 21, 2010

To schedule an audition or for additional information, please contact the Admission Office at 800-252-1856.

Audition Requirements

Vocalists

Repertoire:  Perform two prepared pieces in contrasting styles that showcase your vocal quality and range.  One selection could be a contemporary popular or theater piece.

Aural Skills: 

1. Scales – Demonstrate knowledge of scales by singing a (1) major, (2) harmonic minor, and (3) chromatic scale.
2. Clap a rhythm heard one time.
3. Sing a melody heard one time.
4. Sing the upper and lower pitches of two notes played simultaneously.

Sight-reading:

1. Clap a rhythmic pattern that consists of whole notes, half notes, quarter   notes, dotted quarter notes and eighth notes.
2. Sing a melodic pattern that contains intervals of steps and skips maintaining a steady tempo.

Instrumentalists

Repertoire:  Perform two prepared pieces in contrasting styles that demonstrate your technical and interpretive abilities.  Selections could be contrasting movements or sections from a larger work, selections from your high school band repertoire or works from two different stylistic periods.

Technique:
            Wind, String and Brass players

1. Standard Major Scales – 2 octaves
2. Chromatic Scale – 2 octaves
3. Intonation exercise: perform a familiar short piece with accompaniment (provided)

Percussionists

1. Rudiments for battery percussion
2. Major and Chromatic scales, 2 octaves for keyboard percussion

Pianists

1. Major and minor scales, cadence chords and arpeggios

Guitarists

1. Open position scales in C, G, D, A, E, and F
2. Play in a jazz swing style, chord changes to jazz standard
3. Strum chords to popular ballad with a steady tempo

Sight-Reading:

1. Rhythmic exercises on repeated pitch
2. Sight-Reading excerpt (provided at audition)

Recipient Expectations

Each Albright College Music Talent Grant recipient is expected to:

1. participate in at least one credited major performing ensemble each semester, (i.e. String Chamber Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Concert Choir, Women’s Chorale) and
2. participate in a second ensemble, perform in a student recital, or the equivalent each semester.