Most ensembles are open to any student in the university, subject to a successful audition.
Audition Timeline
Jazz, Opera, Choir & Strings
Auditions for ensemble placement take place once for the entire academic year; these auditions take place the week before class begins.
Brass, Woodwinds, & Percussion / University Orchestra / Symphony Band
Auditions for ensembles take place each semester. Fall auditions take place at the beginning of the Fall semester. Spring auditions take place at the end of the Fall semester.
Brass, Wind, & Percussion Rotation
Wind Ensemble MWF 12-2pm
Symphony Orchestra MWF 12-2pm
Wind Symphony MWF 2-4pm
Chamber Orchestra MWF 2-4pm
New Music Ensemble MWF 12-2pm
Opera Orchestra (combination of above meeting times, depending on production)
Audition Information
Requirements
All music majors auditioning for ensembles are required to take the rotation audition. Non-majors also have the option of taking the rotation audition, however they are not required to.
All auditions will take place in Bates Recital Hall.
Schedule
Click on your instrument below to view the required audition excerpt.
Saturday, August 22
Percussion | 12-3pm
Oboe | 3:30-5:30pm
Horn | 5:45-8pm
Monday, August 24
Bassoon | 12-2pm
Tuba / Euphonium | 2:15-4:15pm
Saxophone | 4:30-7pm
Tuesday, August 25
Bass Trombone / Tenor Trombone | 12-2pm
Flute | 2:15-4:15pm
Trumpet | 4:30-7:30pm
Wednesday, August 26
Harp | 12:30-1:30pm
Clarinet | 2-5pm
Sign-Up
Register for an audition by Thursday, August 20.
Jazz
Jazz Ensemble MWF 11am-12pm or TTh 2-3:30pm
Jazz Orchestra TTh 3-5pm
Jazz Combos M 3-5pm
Audition Information
Schedule
All auditions will take place in the Jazz Room MRH 6.248.
Friday, August 21: All Saxophones, Voice, and Other Instruments
Saturday, August 22: Trumpet, Trombone, and Guitar
Sunday, August 23: Bass, Drums, and Piano
Requirements
- Read the instructions for preparation
- Prepare the required audition excerpts
Sign-Up
Register for an audition by August 20.
String Rotation
Symphony Orchestra MWF 12-2pm
Chamber Orchestra MWF 2-4pm
New Music Ensemble MWF 12-2pm
Opera Orchestra (combination of above meeting times, depending on production)
Audition Information
Requirements and Schedule
All auditions will take place in the Orchestra Room 2.118.
Click on your instrument below for repertoire requirements. Students should prepare one movement of a concerto or a solo work of equal difficulty in addition to all of the excerpts for your instrument.
Cello
Sunday, August 23
Double Bass
Sunday, August 23
Violin
Saturday, August 22
Viola
Saturday, August 22
Sign-Up
Register for an audition and sign up for an audition slot by August 14. Please note that we reserve the right to adjust the schedule as needed so students should monitor their email in case a change is made.
Any questions about the audition process should be directed to the Graduate TAs at utorchestras@utexas.edu and Prof. Khudyev at Farkhad.Khudyev@austin.utexas.edu. Please contact us if there are no audition slots remaining for your instrument.
University Orchestra
T Th 7-8:30pm
Auditions for this ensemble are open to any University of Texas student, regardless of major.
Audition Information
Requirements and Schedule
Auditions will take place in the evenings on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22 5-10pm.
Students should show up at least 10 minutes before scheduled audition time with music prepared and instrument tuned.
Click on your instrument below for repertoire requirements. The entire excerpt packet should be prepared in addition to 1-2 minutes of a solo work that best represents your musical and technical abilities.
Keyboard players should contact the directors for more information at utorchestras@utexas.edu.
Cello
(note errata change: Borodin excerpt should begin in tenor clef and not alto clef)
Double BasS
VIOLA
violin
bASSOON
cLARINET
Flute
Harp
(note errata change on Chadwick excerpt to half note=78)
Horn
Oboe
Percussion
Trombone / Bass Trombone
Trumpet
Tuba
Sign-up
Register for an audition and sign up for an audition slot by August 14. Please note that we reserve the right to adjust the schedule as needed so students should monitor their email in case a change is made.
Any questions about the audition process should be directed to the Graduate TAs at utorchestras@utexas.edu. Please contact us if there are no audition slots remaining for your instrument.
Opera
Butler Opera Center Ensemble (undergraduates) MWF 4-5:30pm
Opera Studio MWF 1-2pm
Butler Opera Center Production Rehearsals MTWThF 3:30-6:30pm
Audition Information
Requirements
All auditions will take place in McCullough Theatre, located just across from the music building on Sunday, August 23.
Undergraduate Students
10am–1pm
Freshmen & Sophomores:
Prepare 1 aria or art song (English or Italian recommended)
Juniors & Seniors:
Prepare 2 arias and/or art songs (English or Italian recommended)
Graduate Students (DMA, MM, AD)
2–5pm
Please note: Times are subject to adjustment depending on the number of sign-ups. (Last year, for example, auditions began at 11am.)
Prepare 4 arias and/or art songs. Repertoire must include:
- At least three different languages
- At least one aria in Italian
- At least one aria in English
Students are expected to provide clean and clearly marked scores for the pianist.
Sign-Up
Please sign up for an audition slot as soon as possible. Make sure to upload clean, clearly marked copies of your audition music when submitting the form.
Symphony Band
Symphony Band MWF 2-4pm
Audition Information
Requirements
For students who only want to be considered for Symphony Band, fill out a registration form. Auditionees will be required to submit a video of the required excerpt for your instrument from the Brass, Wind, & Percussion rotation excerpts on the Ensemble Audition page.
Choirs
Concert Chorale MWF 12-2pm
University Chorus: Soprano/Alto TTh 3:30-5pm
University Chorus: Tenor/Bass TTh 5-6:30pm
Audition Information
Students who only want to participate in University Chorus do not have to audition - you can simply register for the class to participate! Students who want to be considered for Concert Chorale must audition.
Choral auditions will take place in MRH 5.138 on August 20-22.
During your audition, you will be guided through some simple warm-ups and asked to sight-read a few short selections. You should also prepare a 30-60 second segment of a piece of your choice to perform unaccompanied.
Register for an audition before August 20.
Longhorn Singers: MRH 2.118, TTh 5–6:30pm, Sunday 5–8pm
Audition Information
Individual auditions will take place in the Butler School of Music:
• August 28 | 5:00–9:00 PM — Orchestra Room, MRH 2.118
• August 29 | 9:00 AM–2:00 PM — Choral Room, MRH 2.106
During your audition, you'll be guided through vocal warm-ups and asked to complete a short sight-reading and pitch-memory exercise. Please also prepare a memorized 90-second excerpt of a song of your choice to perform a cappella. A starting pitch can be provided if needed.
Individual auditions will last approximately 7–8 minutes.
Pre-Audition Form (complete BEFORE your audition)
Callbacks
Callbacks will take place Sunday, August 30 from 6:00–9:00 PM. Students selected for callbacks will be notified by email the evening of August 29 or the morning of August 30.
During callbacks, you'll learn and perform a short music selection as a group, followed by a short dance combination to assess movement and stage presence. Please dress comfortably and be prepared to move!