Skip to main content

Application and Audition Information

Ready to start your music career? Applications for 2024 are now open!

Music audition dates

  • 30 September
  • 1 October
  • 2, 3 and 4 December
  • Late applications accepted

All applicants for a music programme are required to audition. The purpose of the audition is to assess your suitability for the programmes on offer. There are two parts to the audition, the practical or portfolio and a short theory/aural test.

In addition to this, please complete the Music audition application pack and either the domestic admission and enrolment form, or the international admission and enrolment form, or you can apply online!

Practical:

Jazz

12-bar blues

This requires you to play/sing the melody and improvise. You’ll need to provide your own backing – either recorded or with accompanying musicians. Piano, drums and amps will be provided.

AND

Jazz Standard

Performed in a jazz style with the melody and one or two choruses of improvisation over the form of the tune. Bassists should show the ability to play a walking line. Guitarists and pianists need to comp the chord changes over a chorus.

Pop/rock

12-bar blues

This requires you to play/sing the melody and improvise. You’ll need to provide your own backing – either recorded or with accompanying musicians. Piano, drums and amps will be provided.

AND

Pop/rock tune

This requires you to perform a pop or rock tune of your choice that demonstrates your technique and performance skills.

Classical / band instruments / classical voice

You should prepare two contrasting pieces that best show your performance standard, not more than three minutes each. They can be accompanied or unaccompanied, but you’ll need to supply your own accompanist if required. You’ll also be asked to sight-read a short piece.

If you’re applying for the music creation pathway, you’ll need to provide a portfolio of your work and discuss it with our tutors. You should supply three or four pieces that demonstrate your style and technique. Your pieces can be in notated (written) form or audio recordings.

If you’re applying as a producer, you should supply a portfolio of your recorded work and discuss it with our tutors. You should supply three or four pieces that demonstrate your style and technique. Your pieces can be audio recordings, but Digital Audio Workstation files (e.g. Logic Pro X, Pro Tools etc) are preferred.

All applicants will be given a short aural test which includes singing back a melody, identifying intervals, identifying major and minor chords and clapping back a rhythm. You’ll also need

to complete a music theory test to establish your current knowledge of key signatures, note names, rhythmic notation and chord names.