Music Audition Requirements

All Music Majors start at Humboldt in the Music Studies Concentration, which does not require an audition.

Auditions for the Applied Music (Composition) Concentration

• In order to be on track to graduate in four years (or two years for transfer students), students must audition and be accepted into the Applied Music concentration no later than the end of their fourth semester for students who began their degree at Cal Poly Humboldt, or by the end of their first semester at Cal Poly Humboldt for transfers.
• Students may audition into the Concentration later than the schedule recommended above, with the understanding that additional semesters will be required to complete the degree.  Students wishing to audition late should carefully consider the financial consequences of the additional semesters in school.
• Students auditioning for the Applied Music Concentration in Composition submit an application and a portfolio of compositions to Dr. Brian Post, head of the composition area. Part of the student’s application for these concentrations will be an academic plan that demonstrates that the student can complete all degree requirements within the next four semesters.
• Students may register for a maximum of four semesters of upper division Composition lessons.

Auditions for the Applied Music (Performance) Concentration

• In order to be on track to graduate in four years (or two years for transfer students), students must audition and be accepted into the Applied Music Concentration no later than the end of their fourth semester for students who began their degree at Cal Poly Humboldt, or by the end of their first semester at Cal Poly Humboldt for transfers, or by the end of their first semester as a Music Major for native students who change their major to music after completing four semesters at Cal Poly Humboldt.
• Students may audition into the Concentration later than the schedule recommended above, with the understanding that additional semesters will be required to complete the degree.  Students wishing to audition late should carefully consider the financial consequences of the additional semesters in school.
• Generally, the auditions for the Applied Music Concentration in Performance will occur during finals week of each semester. The auditions will be 15 minutes long and will include scales and/or technical exercises as appropriate for the student’s performing area, sight reading, and solo repertoire and/or etudes and/or orchestral excerpts as appropriate for the student’s performing area.
• Transfer students who are prepared to complete an Applied Music (Performance)  audition before starting classes at Humboldt should contact the department chair to arrange an audition time.
• Students auditioning for the Applied Music (Performance) concentration submit an application to the Music Program Chair. Part of the student’s application for this concentration will be an academic plan for all the remaining semesters until graduation.
• Students may register for a maximum of four semesters of upper division studio lessons.

Instrument-Specific Audition Requirements for Applied Music (Performance)

Application, Auditions, and Interviews for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration

• In order to be on track to graduate in four years (or two years for transfer students), students must audition and be accepted into the Music Teacher Preparation concentration no later than the end of their fourth semester for students who began their degree at Cal Poly Humboldt,  or by the end of their first semester as a Music Major for native students who change their major to music after completing four semesters at Cal Poly Humboldt.
• Students may audition into the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration later than the schedule recommended above, with the understanding that additional semesters will be required to complete the degree.  Students wishing to audition late should carefully consider the financial consequences of the additional semesters in school.
• Generally, the auditions for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration will occur during finals week of each semester. The auditions will be 15 minutes long and will include scales and/or technical exercises as appropriate for the student’s performing area, sight reading, and solo repertoire and/or etudes and/or orchestral excerpts as appropriate for the student’s performing area.
   
• Transfer students who are prepared to complete a Music Teacher Preparation audition before starting classes at Humboldt should contact the department chair to arrange an audition time.
• Students auditioning for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration submit an application to audition to the Music Program Chair. Part of the student’s application for these concentrations will be an academic plan for all the remaining semesters until graduation.
• Students may register for a maximum of four semesters of upper division studio lessons.
• Students applying for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration will also submit a written application to  the head of the Music Teacher Preparation Area. This application will be due no later than one month prior to the Music Teacher Preparation Audition. Submission of the Music Teacher Preparation application will result in the scheduling of a Music Teacher Preparation entrance Interview, which will be held before the Music Teacher Preparation audition. Students must successfully complete the Music Teacher Preparation interview before they audition for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration.

Instrument-Specific Audition Requirements for the Music Teacher Preparation Concentration

Note:  Students applying to the Humboldt Credential Program in Music (post-Baccalaureate) must have:

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.7, as calculated by the Humboldt Registrar
• No more than one permanent* grade below C- in any music class

* A permanent grade is defined as the most recent grade posted by the registrar. In accordance with University policy, a course may be retaken to raise the grade to the acceptable standard.