Audition Information
The goal of the music audition is to enable you to highlight your musical achievement and potential. You should select pieces from the repertoire list below that best demonstrate your current level of musicianship. We encourage you to consult with your music teacher and/or private lesson teacher when selecting and preparing your repertoire. If you have any questions about these requirements, need assistance selecting appropriate repertoire, or would like to schedule a free sample lesson, please contact:
Artist-Teacher of Percussion & Coordinator of Percussion Studies
Music Building 
trigg@tcnj.edu
Each audition will include scales, studies, solo repertoire, and sight-reading
- Candidates must be prepared to audition on all percussion instruments and must bring all appropriate sticks and mallets. All instruments will be provided.
- Repertoire selections are merely suggestions to indicate the level of difficulty required.
Snare Drum
- Technique
- The 26 rudiments of the Snare Drum; Orchestral and rudimental rolls at various dynamics
- Two Contrasting solos/etudes from the list below
- Anthony Cirone, “Portraits in Rhythm”
- Jacques Delecluse, “Douze Etudes pour Caisse Claire”
- Charles Wilcoxon, “Modern Rudimental Swing Solos”
- Studies by Albright, Pratt, Hochrainer, Wanamaker, et al.
- All-State/Regions audition repertoire
Timpani
- Technique
- Tuning to various intervals; Rolls at various dynamics
- A solo or two contrasting etudes from the list below
- Saul Goodman, “Modern Method for Timpani”
- Firth, “The Solo Timpanist,”
- Carroll, “Exercises, Etudes & Solos for the Timpani”
- Hochrainer, “Übungen für Timpani”, et al.
- All-State/Regions audition repertoire
Mallet Instruments
- Technique
- All major and harmonic minor scales and arpeggios, 2 octaves up and down, candidate’s choice of instrument and of rhythm
- A solo or two contrasting etudes from the list below
- Clair Omar Musser, Etudes
- Paul Smadbeck,“Rhythm Song”
- Morris Goldenberg, “Modern School for Marimba, Xylophone, Vibes”,
- Or any of the following composers: Stout, Burritt, Abe, Sammut, et al.
- Transcriptions of solos for other instruments are also acceptable by composers such as Handel, Vivaldi or Telemann. Also, the sonatas and partitas or suites of J.S. Bach for solo violin or cello.
- All-State/Regions audition repertoire
Sight-reading
- Candidates may be asked to sight read on either snare drum, timpani, and/or mallets
*The studies and solo repertoire listed on this page are available for purchase at major sheet-music retailers, including JWPepper, Sheet Music Plus, and Amazon.