Whether you are looking to advance in your current career path or perhaps make a career change, our graduate programs provide the opportunities to focus your studies even further. Take your education to the next level in one of dozens of programs available.
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Fostering limitless experiences and connections.
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Providing hands-on experience as performers, engineers and producers.
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Building careers using music in service to and rehabilitation of others.
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Training socially responsible scholar-musicians of the highest caliber.
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Building skillsets for successful, competitive musicians.
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Providing valuable experience in repair and restoration situations.
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Strings
Preparing students to excel as a versatile, modern musician.
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Training musicians through outstanding instruction and mentorship.
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Voice & Opera
Developing students for a multitude of performing opportunities.
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Woodwinds
Preparing students for diverse careers in teaching and performance.
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Brass Admissions
Offer students the highest level of applied instruction, ensemble experience and diverse selection of coursework.
Brass
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2022
- Prescreening Deadline (Trumpet, Euphonium, Tuba) December 1
- Priority application deadline for merit-based financial assistance (Horn, Trombone) December 1
- Prescreen Results Released (Trumpet, Euphonium, Tuba) December 15
- On-campus auditions January 28, February 11, February 25 (other dates by appointment)
- Final Application Deadline (Horn, Trombone) February 1
- Admission decisions released on a rolling basis February and March
Brass
Application Requirements
1 Apply to Florida State University
Complete the Florida State University Application and pay the $30 application fee.
In order to meet the Florida State University requirements for graduate admission, applicants must have earned a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor’s degree. Applicants not meeting this requirement may be considered for admission, but only by special exception. To determine your upper-division GPA, please consult the GPA calculation worksheet. If your upper-division GPA is below a 3.0, please be sure to address this deficiency in your Statement of Purpose. You are also encouraged to have your referees address your academic preparedness for graduate study in their letters of recommendation.
The College of Music admissions requirements exceed University minimum standards. Official English Language Proficiency results are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English, including applicants who have already studied in an English speaking country for any length of time.
For admission, attain the minimum required score on one of the following exams:
- TOEFL
- Written Test = 590
- Internet-based Test = 97
- International English Language Testing System (Academic IELTS) = 7.5
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) = 68
- Duolingo = 120
- Cambridge C1 Advanced Level = 191
- Michigan Language Assessment = 64
Additionally, to be eligible for a graduate assistantship:
- Students must score a minimum of 26 on the speaking portion of the IBTOEFL or;
- Achieve a score of 50 on the SPEAK Test (offered by FSU) to qualify for a graduate assistantship.
2 Apply to the College of Music
Complete the College of Music Supplemental Application and any additional materials required for your program. The Supplemental Application allows you to select your audition date, and will be added to your Application Checklist within 1-2 hours of submitting your application to FSU.
- Submit prescreening recordings (trumpet, euphonium, and tuba only) by December 1.
- Comprehensive Solo Repertoire List
- This is a list of all significant solo works you have studied to date.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, and any other important information.
- Statement of Purpose
- There is no required format or prompt for the Statement of Purpose. Most are 1-2 pages in length and discuss the applicant’s background, career goals, and potential for success in the program. This may be formatted as a cover letter to accompany the Vita/Resume.
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
- Submit prescreening recordings (trumpet, euphonium, and tuba only) by December 1.
- Comprehensive Solo Repertoire List
- This is a list of all significant solo works you have studied to date.
- Vita/Resume
- Include education, background, experience, honors and awards, publications, names of former teachers, and any other important information.
- Statement of Purpose
- There is no required format or prompt for the Statement of Purpose. Most are 1-2 pages in length and discuss the applicant’s background, career goals, and potential for success in the program. This may be formatted as a cover letter to accompany the Vita/Resume.
- Scholarly Writing Sample
- Acceptable scholarly writing sample may include either
- A paper of at least 5 pages submitted for an MM-level course, including proper citations and appropriate bibliography; or
- Program notes for the pieces to be performed for the audition (same criteria for minimum length, citations and bibliography apply)
- Please note that an anti-plagiarism monitoring program to ensure the originality of the work may be used to check papers.
- Acceptable scholarly writing sample may include either
- Letters of Recommendation (3 required)
- You will enter your recommenders’ contact information through the Application Status Check.
3 Submit transcripts from all previously attended institutions
For the purposes of the admission review, transcripts may be official or unofficial. Prior to matriculation, entering students are required to submit final, official transcripts.
4 Complete your audition
Be sure to review the audition requirements below for your instrument.
Brass
Audition Requirements
Choose your instrument of choice to see specific audition requirements.
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Video recording, one take, in the following order:
- Charlier, Etude No. 6, measures 1-35 on B-flat trumpet
- Handel, Suite in D Major, Movement I, unaccompanied on A piccolo trumpet
- Haydn, Concerto in E-flat, Movement I, exposition only, measures 37-83 on E-flat trumpet, unaccompanied
Orchestral Excerpts:
- Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade
- Stravinsky, Petrouchka (1947), Ballerina Dance, Begin 4th measure of rehearsal #134
- Respighi, Pines of Rome, Off-Stage Solo, Mvt. II
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Two contrasting solos (one movement each from two contrasting separate works)
- One étude from either Brandt, Charlier, or Bitsch
- Orchestral Excerpts:
- Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade
- Stravinsky, Petrouchka (1947), Ballerina Dance, Begin 4th measure of rehearsal #134
- Respighi, Pines of Rome, Off-Stage Solo, Mvt. II
- Ives, Variations on “America”, Variation V, Letter “O” to Letter “P”
- An example of small horn playing – either E-flat or piccolo or both.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Dr. Chris Moore.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Mozart Horn Concerto #2, K. 417: 1st movement exposition or #4, K. 495: 1st movement exposition (MM applicants may choose either, DM applicants must choose K. 495)
- Contrasting solo
- Orchestral Excerpts:
- Brahms: Symphony #3 – Horn 1, mvt. 3, one measure before F to 12 after F
- Shostakovich Symphony #5 – Horn 1, mvt. 1, Rehearsal 17 to one measure after 21
- R. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel – Horn 1, Beginning to rehearsal 1
- R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben – Horn 1, Beginning to rehearsal 5
- Choose one high excerpt: Bach: Brandenburg Concerto #1 – Horn 1, mvt. 4, Trio 2 or Beethoven Symphony #7 – Horn 1, mvt 1, 25 before C to two measures after C or Wagner Gotterdamerung – short call
- Sight reading
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Prof. Michelle Stebleton.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Perform two works of contrasting styles and tempos.
- Play selected scales/studies upon request.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Dr. John Drew.
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Video uploads, unedited, from within the last two years:
- Rochut: Melodious Etude #52
- Grainger: Molly on the Shore, measures 71-99
- Sousa: Stars and Stripes Forever, entire piece with no repeats
- Schuman: New England Triptych – When Jesus Wept, measures 4-28
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Two solo works of contrasting styles from the following list:
- Cosma: Concerto for Euphonium
- Curnow: Symphonic Variants
- Ellerby: Concerto for Euphonium
- Gillingham: Blue Lake Fantasies
- Horovitz: Concerto for Euphonium
- Sparke: Pantomime
- Sparke: Harlequin
- Stevens: Soliloquies
- One etude from Mead New Concert Studies: Court, “”Reflections”” or Curnow, “”Flying High””
- Four standard wind band excerpts from the following list:
- Grainger: Molly on the Shore
- Holst: First Suite for Military Band
- King: The Melody Shop
- Makris: Aegean Festival Overture
- Schoenberg: Theme and Variations
- Shostakovich: Festive Overture
- Smith: Festival Variations
- Sousa: Stars and Stripes Forever
- Sullivan: Pineapple Poll
- Tchaikovsky: Finale from Symphony No. 4 (trans. Safranek)
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Dr. Justin Benavidez
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Recording uploads, unedited, from within the last two years (video required, CD or DVD recordings will not be accepted):
- Snedecor: Low Register Etude #4
- Wagner: Overture to Die Meistersinger, Rehearsal J to Rehearsal L
- Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, First Movement, Rehearsal 3 to Rehearsal 6
- Berlioz: Hungarian March, Rehearsal 4 to four measures after Rehearsal 5
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Two solo works of contrasting styles from the following list:
- Broughton: Sonata
- Daugherty: Reflections on the Mississippi
- Hindemith: Sonata
- Kraft: Encounters
- Penderecki: Capriccio
- Plau: Concerto for Tuba
- Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Tuba
- Williams (John): Concerto for Tuba
- Snedecor Low Register Etude #5 or #6
- Four standard orchestral or wind band excerpts from the following list:
- Berlioz: Hungarian March
- Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique
- Grainger: Lincolnshire Posy
- Hindemith: Symphony in B Flat
- Holst: First Suite for Military Band
- Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
- Sousa: Stars and Stripes Forever
- Vaughan Williams: Toccata Marziale
- Wagner: Overture to Die Meistersinger
- Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Dr. Justin Benavidez.
Brass
Audition Day Itinerary
Meet Dean Todd Queen, Associate Dean Michael Thrasher, and key staff members from the College of Music. Learn more about the programs and opportunities for graduate students, including details regarding the admission process, student funding, and life in Tallahassee. Question and answer session will follow.
Have all of your final questions answered! Speak one-on-one with an admissions representative.
Common Questions
Expand AllEveryone who completes the application process (including interview and/or audition, if required) is automatically considered for scholarships and assistantships, and no additional application is necessary. Only graduate students interested in auditioning for accompanying or group piano teaching assistantships are required to take an additional audition. Contact College of Music Admissions for further details.
Prescreenings are required for the following instruments/degree programs:
- MM or DM in Brass Performance (Trumpet, Euphonium and Tuba only)
- MM or DM in String Performance (Violin only)
- MM or DM in Voice Performance
- MM or DM in Piano Performance
- MM in Piano Pedagogy
- MM or DM in Accompanying
- MM in Opera Coaching
Prescreening submissions are due by December 1 and results will be released by December 15. Applicants who are successful in this first round will be invited to campus for a full audition on one of the dates listed above. (Music Theatre will have a second round via Zoom, followed by a final round on campus).
An accompanist is provided, free of charge, for all voice and music theatre auditions on campus. Rehearsal time is not provided, however, and scores should not be submitted in advance. Please bring neat copies, in a book or organized in a binder, in the appropriate key(s). Students may bring their own accompanist to the audition if they wish.
Instrumental auditions will be unaccompanied.
Students are allowed a maximum of three audition attempts per instrument/voice, per degree level (bachelors, master’s, doctoral). Applicants are allowed one audition per application.