Interviews and Auditions
Interviews - Prospective majors in Music Composition, Music Education, Music Therapy, Multimedia Arts Technology, and Bachelor of Arts take part in interviews with faculty on New Student Audition Day. Some programs require a portfolio of additional materials to be submitted in advance. Any required portfolio materials must be submitted at least one week ahead of time via your Music Application. For further details on the specific requirements for interviews, consult Audition & Interview Requirements.
Auditions - Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Musical Arts applicants must complete a studio audition on a New Student Audition Day. All students auditioning for a studio must be able to read music, a skill that needs to be demonstrated through sight-reading in the audition. Accompanists are not required for instrumental auditions; one will be provided for voice auditions. For further details on the specific requirements for each studio, consult Audition & Interview Requirements.
Prospective Composition, Multimedia Arts Technology, and Bachelor of Arts applicants are not required to complete a studio audition, only the interview.
Schedule
Applicants should plan to spend the entire New Student Audition Day with us. This is an on-campus event. You will receive a personalized schedule with your audition and interview times shortly before your specific NSAD via email.
Below is an outline of a typical admissions day:
8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Check-in
9:45 -10:25 a.m. Welcome and General Meeting
10:30- 10:55 a.m. Meet the Faculty I
- Bands
- Vocal Ensembles
- Orchestra
- Keyboard
- Composition
11:00 - 11:25 a.m. Meet the Faculty II
- Music Education
- Multimedia Arts Technology
- Jazz Studies
- Music Therapy
- Music Performance: Voice
- Music Performance: Instrumental
12:00 - 5 p.m. Studio Auditions, Interviews (Music Ed, Music Therapy and Multimedia Arts Technology)
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Parent Information Meeting
Information for Family
We are always delighted to have parents/guardians with us on New Student Audition Days. Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend the Meet the Faculty meetings in the morning, as well as the 1 p.m. Parent Meeting with the School of Music Director and representatives from housing, financial aid, and admissions. Throughout the day, parents/guardians should feel free to move about Dalton Center to visit with any of our current students and faculty members. Please note that parents/Guardians may not attend the individual auditions or interviews.
Additional information for family members can be found on the Student Affairs website.
RESULTS
As a result of your New Student Audition Day activities, you may expect to be notified with one of these three possible decisions.
Accepted - You may begin course work as a music major for the semester specified in the School of Music's letter of acceptance. If you do not notify us of your intent to accept our offer by May 1, we will assume you are declining and will withdraw our offer of admission. Likewise, if you do not enter the university in the indicated semester, you may be subject to a re-audition for readmission to the program.
Waiting List - Your audition/interview qualified you for acceptance, but enrollment limitations in the specific program or studio have resulted in the need to create a waiting list for admission. Your name is now part of that list and when space becomes available, you will be notified of your acceptance to the major.
Not Accepted - An indication that we feel you will not be successful in our music curriculum. You may not begin course work as a music major at this time. Feel free to apply again at a later date. Students may apply a maximum of two times for any program or studio.
It is the policy and commitment of Western Michigan University not to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, national origin, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, religion or handicap in its educational programs, activities, admissions or employment policies in accordance with Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all other pertinent state and federal regulations.
Virtual Auditions
If you are participating in a virtual NSAD, make certain you have a large enough screen to view musical or other visual materials shared with you. It is recommended that you complete your virtual NSAD on a desktop computer, laptop, or sufficiently large tablet. Connecting an external/USB microphone will help improve audio quality, but this it not required. It is also recommended that you use ear buds or headphones to avoid audio feedback.