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Woodwinds
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Woodwinds Admissions
Fostering students individually and in groups in a comprehensive manner that prepares them for the competitive world of woodwind performance.
Woodwinds
Key Admission Dates
Fall 2025
- Application and Prescreening Deadline (flute, clarinet, saxophone) December 1
- Prescreening Results Released December 15
- Final application deadline (oboe and bassoon) February 1
- Auditions January 25 (except oboe), February 8, February 22; other dates by appointment
- Decisions Released February and March
Woodwinds
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 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.
- Prescreening Recordings (flute, clarinet, and saxophone only – see below)
- 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 Recordings (flute, clarinet, and saxophone only – see below)
- 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.
While a live audition is encouraged, we do accept recorded auditions in lieu of a live audition. For those who choose the recorded audition option:
Video and audio is required. All audition materials should be recorded in separate, unedited videos. Please introduce yourself and the piece at the beginning of each video.
Woodwinds
Audition Requirements
Select your instrument from the list below to view audition requirements
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Video recording to include:
- Two contrasting movements from a Baroque sonata or partita OR a single movement from a Classical concerto (cadenzas optional).
- One or two movements (up to 8 minutes) of a contrasting work written after 1850.
- Three Contrasting Orchestral Excerpts
Audition Requirements (MM):
- Prepare a 20-minute program that includes one composition utilizing extended techniques. The program may include single movements from multi-movement works but should not have partial movements.
- Orchestral Excerpts
- Beethoven – Leonore Overture No. 3 (m. 328-360)
- Mendelssohn – Scherzo from Midsummer Night’s Dream (2 before P until End)
- Brahms – Symphony No. 4, Mvmt. IV (m. 89-105)
- Sightread a duet
- Interview regarding educational and professional goals
Audition Requirements (DM):
- Prepare a 20-minute program that includes one composition utilizing extended techniques. The program may include single movements from multi-movement works but should not have partial movements. One selection must be played from memory.
- Orchestral Excerpts
- Beethoven – Leonore Overture No. 3 (m. 328-360)
- Mendelssohn – Scherzo from Midsummer Night’s Dream (2 before P until End)
- Saint-Saëns – Carnival of the Animals, Voliere (4 before Rehearsal 1 until End)
- Sightread a duet
- Interview regarding educational and professional goals
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Dr. Karen Large and Dr. Mary Matthews.
No prescreening required for oboe.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- Mozart: Concerto in C Major, K.314 (1st movement) or Mozart: Quartet for Oboe and Strings, K.370 (2nd and 3rd movements)
- Any contrasting solo piece
- Two contrasting etudes from Ferling or Barrett
- Two orchestra excerpts of the major repertoire
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Dr. Eric Ohlsson.
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Video recording to include:
- Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622 – 1st movement exposition
- A contrasting work of your choice (if multiple movements, please select one movement)
- Orchestral excerpts:
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 in F major – 1st movement, mm. 474-492 and 2nd movement, mm. 68-77
- Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scherzo): beginning to m. 48
Master of Music Applicants:
- Two contrasting solo pieces (or movements). Selections should be appropriate to graduate level study. Examples given below.
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts. Examples given below.
Doctor of Music Applicants:
- Three contrasting solo pieces (or movements) including one unaccompanied piece. Selections should be appropriate to graduate level study. Examples given below.
- Three contrasting orchestral excerpts. Examples given below.
Examples of solo pieces:
- Concert pieces by Copland, Mozart, Nielsen, Francaix
- Sonatas/sonatinas by Bernstein, Brahms, Hindemith, Poulenc, Tedesco
- Debussy Premiere Rhapsodie, Francaix Theme & Variations, Muczynski Time Pieces, Penderecki Miniatures, Schumann Fantasy Pieces
Examples of unaccompanied pieces:
- Bassett soliloquies
- Carter Gra
- Denisov Sonata
- Kovacs Hommages
- Larsen Dancing Solo
- Mandat (various)
- Martino Set
- Ran Monologue
- Tower Wings
Examples of orchestral excerpts:
- Bartok Concerto for Orchestra; Miraculous Mandarin
- Beethoven Symphonies 4, 6, 8
- Brahms Symphonies 2-4
- Kodaly Dances of Galanta
- Mendelssohn Scherzo; Symphonies 3, 4; Hebrides Overture
- Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
- Ravel Daphnis & Chloe, Suite 2
- Respighi Pines of Rome
- Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio Espagnol; scheherazade
- Shostakovich Symphonies 9, 10
- Stravinsky Firebird
- Tchaikovsky Symphonies 5, 6
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Dr. Deborah Bish or Dr. Jonathan Holden.
No prescreening requirement for bassoon.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
- W.A. Mozart: Concerto for Bassoon, K. 191, entire (any edition)
- One complete major work in 18th or 19th century style
- One etude from Ludwig Milde: Concert Studies, Op. 26, volumes I or II (any edition)
- One etude from Ludwig Milde: Studies on Scales and Chords, Op. 24 (any edition)
- Work of your choice (can be 20th/21st century)
- At least 4 standard orchestral excerpts
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Prof. Jeff Keesecker.
Prescreening Requirements (MM and DM):
Video recording to include:
- Please start your recording with a personal introduction providing your name, current institution (if applicable), the teachers you’ve studied with, and provide us with a short profile of your profile as a saxophonist: tell us what you’re about musically.
- Perform two contrasting études by Bozza, Ferling, Karg-Elert, Koechlin, Lacour, Samyn or another choice of similar etudes that showcase your performance strengths
- Perform two complete solo works of contrasting styles, including one work from the standard repertoire.
Audition Requirements (MM and DM):
Prepare 2-4 works for saxophone demonstrating the highest level of musical and technical development (ex: Albright Sonata, Denisov Sonata, Dahl Concerto, Bolcom Lilith, Berio Sequenza VIIb or IXb, Schmitt Légende, Stockhausen In Freundschaft, or equivalent; transcriptions of works written in the 19th century or earlier are also encouraged).
Graduate Applicants, especially at the Doctoral level, are encouraged to program thoughtfully and artistically in a way that expresses their unique musical voices.
Applicants who have questions about appropriate repertoire please contact Prof. Geoff Deibel.
Woodwinds
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.