College and conservatory string audition requirements
Nearly every top conservatory requires a recorded video prescreen as the first round of a string audition, most commonly due December 1, and for violin the usual shape is a concerto movement plus one or two movements of unaccompanied Bach, from memory. The prescreen is a recording, which means you can rehearse it exactly: record your excerpt, score it on the same five dimensions a panel listens for, and fix the weakest one before you submit. Pick your school below for its requirements, then practice the take.
United States
- JuilliardNew York, NY
- CurtisPhiladelphia, PA
- NECBoston, MA
- MSMNew York, NY
- MannesNew York, NY
- EastmanRochester, NY
- OberlinOberlin, OH
- IU JacobsBloomington, IN
- Rice ShepherdHouston, TX
- Northwestern BienenEvanston, IL
- CIMCleveland, OH
- YaleNew Haven, CT
- USC ThorntonLos Angeles, CA
- ColburnLos Angeles, CA
- Boston ConservatoryBoston, MA
- SFCMSan Francisco, CA
- DePaulChicago, IL
United Kingdom
Frequently asked
Do conservatories require a prescreening video for string auditions?
Almost all top US conservatories do. Juilliard, Curtis, NEC, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman, Oberlin, Indiana, Cleveland, Yale, USC, Colburn, Rice, Northwestern, and DePaul all require a recorded video prescreen as the first round. A few schools or instruments skip it, so check each program.
When are conservatory string audition deadlines?
December 1 is the most common prescreen deadline. Colburn is December 2, Oberlin screening is December 4, and the London conservatories run on an early-October UCAS Conservatoires timeline. Deadlines change each cycle, so confirm on each official site.
What is the most common conservatory prescreen repertoire?
For violin, the most reusable recipe is one concerto movement plus one or two contrasting movements of unaccompanied Bach, often with an etude or caprice, performed from memory. Exact lists vary by school, instrument, and degree.
How do I practice my conservatory prescreen recording?
Record your prescreen excerpt on Orchestra Kingdom and get an Advance, Callback, or Not Yet verdict with scores on tone, intonation, rhythm, tempo, and musicality, the same dimensions a panel weighs, before you submit. Your first take is free, no signup.