Bachelor of Music (Performance)

Audition requirements

Entry to the Performance Major is based on an audition. Applicants will be required to complete the requirements below.

Note: Applicants interested in the Musicology & Ethnomusicology or Music Studies major should apply to the Performance Major, with the possibility of transferring at a later point within the degree.

Audition pieces should be chosen from the Western Art Music repertoire (except for electric guitar and bass guitar). They should be of contrasting style, period, and composer (e.g. works from the Baroque, Romantic, and 20th-century repertoires), as applicable to the instrument.

Woodwind, Brass, Strings, and Guitar applicants should prepare:

• three contrasting pieces/movements demonstrating their skill on the instrument they wish to study (approx. 15 minutes in total).

Classical Voice applicants should prepare:

• three contrasting pieces demonstrating their skill (approx. 15 minutes in total).

Percussion applicants should prepare the following (total duration not more than 15 minutes):

• one piece for snare drum; and
• one piece for timpani; and
• one piece for a 2-mallet keyboard; and
• one short piece, excerpt, etude, or warm-up exercise, for a 4-mallet keyboard.

If access to all the required percussion instruments is not possible, please get in touch with the Head of Percussion, whose contact details are found here.

Piano applicants should prepare:

• three contrasting pieces from the classical piano repertoire (not more than 15 minutes in total); and
• one major scale hands together beginning on a white note, four octaves ascending and descending; and
• one melodic or harmonic minor scale hands together beginning on a black note, four octaves ascending and descending; and
• one dominant seventh arpeggio hands together in root position or first inversion, four octaves ascending and descending.

The University of Melbourne and the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all participants, regardless of their physical, sensory, cognitive, or psychological abilities. You will be asked if you have any accessibility requirements for the live audition during the audition booking stage.

List of approved Conservatorium accompanists

Preparing your recorded audition

Please prepare your recorded audition as per the audition guidelines outlined above.

We understand that arranging a live accompanist and/or accessing certain recording equipment may be difficult. For applicants requiring accompaniment, you may organise an accompanist to provide backing tracks for your repertoire. Once you have received your backing tracks from an accompanist, you can use them to rehearse and then record your audition.

It is not an expectation that you access or purchase additional recording equipment beyond a basic smartphone, iPad, or laptop/desktop device. For smartphones, many recent models already have very good microphones built in.

Please note that your full audition must be uploaded as one file. Pauses or edits between pieces are permissible.

If possible, Piano applicants should record their audition on an acoustic piano. If this is not possible for the 2025 entry, an electronic instrument may be used. The camera should be angled to show at least the keyboard, your head, torso, arms, and hands. If possible, feet and pedals should be included, but this may not be achievable in all cases. Applicants are encouraged to treat the video recording process as equivalent to the experience of a live examination, demonstrating a capacity to deal with any live imperfections as and when they may occur.

How will I be assessed?

Applicants’ performance audition will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Technical accuracy (in rhythm, tempo, intonation, articulation, loudness)
• Sound quality (tonal control and expressive range)
• Performance presence (overall coordination, poise, focus)
• Musical attention (awareness in listening, phrasing, style, and expression)

All applicants will be ranked based on the above criteria, up to the capacity of places within the course.