Percussion Audition Requirements

Please review and prepare all requirements thoroughly. Auditions are held in person at NIU in February, unless otherwise determined. Please register for an audition date.

If you are unable to attend NIU's official audition days, contact our music admissions coordinator for permission to schedule an independent audition or obtain approval to submit an unedited video audition. Please bring copies of your music for the adjudication panel.

Questions? Contact Gregory Beyer at gbeyer@niu.edu.

All auditionees

• Aural skills
  • Pitch matching with voice
  • Basic singing of melody
• Sight reading
  • Two-mallet etude
  • Snare drum etude
• Interview
  • We'll ask you questions about your application essays and/or CV
  • Please prepare questions to ask us about the program.

Undergraduates

• One solo performance in each of the following areas:
  • Snare drum
  • Two-mallet or four-mallet keyboard percussion (four-mallet preferred)
  • Timpani
• Solo/étude in one other area of applicant's choice:
  • Multiple percussion
  • World percussion
  • Drum set demonstration of styles to be selected from the following list:
    • Medium Swing – John Scofield, "Don't Shoot the Messenger"
    • Afro-Brazilian Styles –  Djavan, "Flor de Lis”
    • Afro-Cuban Styles – Celia Cruz and Willie Colon, "Son Matamoros"
    • Popular Styles – Stevie Wonder, "As"

Music minor applicants must perform solo études/works from a minimum of two of any of the following six areas:

• Snare drum
• Mallets
• Timpani
• Multiple percussion
• World percussion
• Drum set

Undergraduate Percussion Repertoire Suggestions

Graduates

• One senior recital-level solo work in each of the following areas:
  • Snare drum
  • Four-mallet keyboard percussion
  • Timpani
• Solo/étude in one other area of the applicant's choice:
  • Multiple percussion
  • World percussion
  • Drum set demonstration of styles to be selected from the following list: 
    • Medium Swing – John Scofield, "Don't Shoot the Messenger"
    • Afro-Brazilian Styles – Djavan, "Flor de Lis”
    • Afro-Cuban Styles – Celia Cruz and Willie Colon, "Son Matamoros"
    • Popular Styles – Stevie Wonder, "As"

Graduate Multi-Percussion Repertoire Suggestions