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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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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Theory & Composition
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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Percussion Admissions
Preparing students for the competitive world of percussion performance.
Percussion
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2024
- Priority Deadline December 1
- Final Deadline February 1
- Auditions January 27, February 24 (other dates by appointment)
Percussion
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:
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.
- 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.
- 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. Requests for recorded auditions must be approved by the faculty. Auditions are to be unaccompanied.
Percussion
Audition Requirements
Select your instrument from the list below to view audition requirements
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
All applicants must perform upon Snare Drum, Marimba (two-mallet and four-mallet), Xylophone, Glockenspiel, and Timpani; Drum Set is optional.
Repertoire below is suggested:
- Snare Drum: Etudes by Delecluse, Tompkins, Sherwood, etc., plus two orchestral excerpts (Scheherazade, Lieutenant Kijé, etc.)
- Marimba (Two Mallets): Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, Cello Suites, Koshinski “Two” solos
- Marimba (Four Mallets): Solos by Druckman, Thomas, Burritt, Vinao, etc.
- Xylophone: Two excerpts (Porgy and Bess, Shostakovich Polka, Exotic Birds, etc.)
- Glockenspiel: Two excerpts (The Magic Flute, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, etc.)
- Timpani: Solos by Beck, Goodman, Lepak, etc. Please do not select solos from Carter Eight Pieces for Four Timpani; also two orchestral excerpts (Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, etc.)
- Note: Dresden Timpani will be set American; do not select solos with tuning changes. We will evaluate your pitch understanding through a separate test.
Audition instruments include two Black Swamp Mercury Series snare drums (4” and 3.5” with Remo Diplomat M5 heads), Adams Classic Custom 5.0 Marimba, Adams Dresden Classic Timpani. You are free to bring your own snare drum if you choose.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire should contact Dr. John Parks.
Percussion
Audition Day Itinerary
Meet Associate Dean Liz Avery 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 with current students 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
- MM or DM in String Performance (Violin only)
- MM or DM in Woodwind Performance
- 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.