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Strings Admissions
Developing a highly diverse set of tools to excel as a versatile, modern musician.
Strings
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2025
- Priority Deadline December 1
- Prescreening Deadline (Violin only) December 1
- Prescreening Results Released (Violin only) December 15
- Final Deadline (except Violin) February 1
- Audition Dates January 25, February 8, February 22 (other dates by appointment)
- Decisions Released February and March
Strings
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.
International applicants or those with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy way to streamline the application process.
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 additional materials. The Supplemental Application will be added to your Application Checklist within 1-2 hours of submitting your application to FSU.
- Prescreening Due by December 1 (violin only)
- 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.
- Prescreening Due by December 1 (violin only)
- 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.
International applicants or those with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy way to streamline the application process.
4 Complete your audition
Be sure to review the audition requirements below for your instrument.
Strings
Audition Requirements
Select your instrument from the list below to view audition requirements
Memorization required for all repertoire
Prescreening Requirements:
- Video recordings of the following:
- First movement of a major concerto, with cadenza if applicable
- Two contrasting movements from the Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas, or the Chaconne
Master of Music Applicants:
Those invited for the live audition will prepare the following:
- First movement (or 2nd and 3rd) of a major concerto, with cadenza if applicable
- Two contrasting movements from the Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas, or the Chaconne
- A virtuoso showpiece (such as, but not limited to, a Paganini Caprice or a movement from an Ysaye Solo Sonata)
Doctor of Music Applicants:
Those invited for the live audition will prepare the following:
- A complete major concerto
- Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas – either one movement plus a fugue, or the Chaconne
- A virtuoso showpiece (such as, but not limited to, a Paganini Caprice or a movement from an Ysaye Solo Sonata)
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Prof. Corinne Stillwell, Prof. Benjamin Sung, or Dr. Shannon Thomas.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
Memorization recommended for all repertoire
- One major concerto movement (first or principal movement) from the 19th, 20th or 21st century, memorized
- Two contrasting movements from one of the Bach Cello Suites of your choice (if you choose Suite 5, use modern or scordatura tuning; if you choose Suite 6, play in the key of G)
- A cadenza from a Classical style concerto or two Classical style orchestral excerpts or a Caprice, etude, or showpiece of your choice in any style
- A first or principal movement of an accompanied or unaccompanied sonata
- Be sure to include in the above works, at least one example in all three of these styles: Classical, Romantic, and Modern
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Dr. Pamela Ryan.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
Memorization strongly suggested but not required
- One movement of a standard concerto
- Two contrasting movements of a Bach Suite
- An additional work of the applicant’s choice to demonstrate virtuosity and/or specific repertoire interests
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Prof. Gregory Sauer.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- First movement of a standard concerto
- One movement from the Bach suites for solo cello
- Two contrasting excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire
Applicants who have questions appropriate repertoire please contact Prof. George Speed.
Master of Music Applicants:
- Choose one of the following orchestral excerpts:
- Concerto for Orchestra, Mvmt 1: 175-198 & Mvmt 4: 43-58 (Bartók)
- Symphonie Fantastique, Mvmt 2: 1-35 (Berlioz)
- Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Cadenza (Britten)
- Symphony no. 5, Mvmt 4: 3-end (Mahler)
- Tzigane, Cadenza & 12-14 (Ravel)
- Ein Heldenleben, op. 40, Harp 1 Part: 2-12 & 33-37 (Strauss)
- La Forza del Destino, Overture (Verdi)
- Waltz of the Flowers OR Swan Lake OR Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky)
- Three solo works (at least two works must be memorized):
- One work from the Baroque or Classical Period. Please specify transcription or edition; if you have made your own transcription/edition, you must provide a copy of the score.
- One major work from the standard repertoire, e.g., Légende (Renié), Sonata (Hindemith), Impromptu (Fauré), Suite (Britten), Sarabanda e toccata (Rota).
- One work that reflects your musical interests and/or artistic personality.
Doctor of Music Applicants:
- Choose one cadenza from the following list:
- Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (Britten)
- Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)
- Tzigane (Ravel)
- Má Vlast (Smetana)
- Waltz of the Flowers OR Swan Lake OR Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky)
- Choose one of the following orchestral excerpts:
- Concerto for Orchestra, Mvmt 4: 42-58 (Bartók)
- Symphonie Fantastique, Mvmt 2: 1-35 (Berlioz)
- Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Fugue: I-K (Britten)
- Symphony no. 5, Mvmt 4: 3-end (Mahler)
- Ein Heldenleben, op. 40, Harp 1 Part: 2-12 & 33-37 (Strauss)
- La Forza del Destino, Overture (Verdi)
- Three solo works (at least two works must be memorized):
- One work from the Baroque or Classical Period. Please specify transcription or edition; if you have made your own transcription/edition, you must provide a copy of the score.
- One major work from the standard repertoire, e.g., Légende (Renié), Sonata (Hindemith), Impromptu (Fauré), Suite (Britten), Sarabanda e toccata (Rota).
- One work that reflects your musical interests and/or artistic personality.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Dr. Noël Wan.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Movement or movements from a major work by J.S. Bach: Cello Suites, Lute Suites, Violin sonatas and Partitas.
- A piece or movement of a major guitar composer – Ponce, Rodrigo, Tedesco, Villa-Lobos; or modern works – Britten, Henze, etc.
- Extensive background of study.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate audition repertoire please contact Prof. Celso Cano.
Strings
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.
Classical instrumental auditions will be unaccompanied. Jazz auditions are accompanied by a rhythm section.
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.