Audition Prep Day

This annual workshop provides prospective music students with tips and skills to successfully audition for the Desautels Faculty of Music, or any other university-level music program. 

A student practices the violin in a practice room.

If you're planning to audition for a university-level music program, join us for Audition Prep Day, a day of workshops, lectures, masterclasses, and concerts designed to teach student musicians how to prepare for a university music program audition!

Next Audition Prep Day: January 13, 2024

Learn from the experts

Desautels Faculty of Music professors and instructors guide students through the process of auditioning for a university-level music program.

Opera Studies Coordinator Katherine Twaddle coaches students for the 2019 Manitoba premiere of dawn always begins in the bones.

The audition

Desautels Faculty of Music professors and instructors walk students through what makes a great audition performance, how to choose repertoire, and how to get ready for an audition.

An alumna and faculty member performing together in 2019

Masterclasses

Students take part in a masterclass specific to their instrument, and receive tips, guidance, and encouragement from instructors and faculty members. Practicing in front of an audience builds confidence!
Available masterclasses include piano, strings, jazz, woodwinds, brass, percussion, and voice.

Students stand and talk in front of a large shelf of music while other students are seated and studying inside the music library.

The music theory exam

Music theory professors review the essential information students should study prior to taking the music theory exam.
Students who want to brush up on or review their music theory skills will also learn about how to register for our Preparatory Studies' Theory Entrance Exam Preparation (TEEP) classes.

Desautels students perform for an audience in the library concourse.

Get excited!

Attendees kick back with a pizza lunch and watch a Desautels Faculty of Music student concert to experience the skills that a university-level music program gives musicians!

Two students from the Desautels Faculty of Music perform together on stage, both are washed in a purple spotlight.

Ask questions

Attendees meet with current Desautels Faculty of Music students to talk about life as a student, how university music programs prepare students for the world, and how DFOM students got ready for their own auditions!

Audition Prep Day schedule

TIME SESSION PRESENTER(S) ROOM
 9:30 AM

Registrant check-in

 Louella Yambot, Admissions Coordinator  T2-166
10:00 AM Welcome and General audition  Fabio Ragnelli and Jacquie Dawson, Professors T2-166
Applications Louella Yambot, Admissions Coordinator
10:50 AM Break
11:00 AM Theory Entrance Exam Prep (TEEP)  Donnalynn Grills, Prep Studies Coordinator  T2-166
Theory Mock test David Byrne, Professor 
Musicianship Prep Karly Epp, Jazz area head
12:00 PM Pizza lunch T2-145
12:30 PM Mini-Concert DFOM Students T2-145
1:00 PM Area audition prep / Masterclass (various locations):
Piano David Moroz, Piano area head   T226
Strings Minna Rose Chung, Strings area head T231
Jazz Jazz faculty T2-272
Composition Gordon Fitzell, Composition area head T421
Voice Mel Braun, Voice area head T223
Woodwind, Brass & Percussion

Allen Harrington, Woodwind area head

Victoria Sparks, Percussion area head

Paul Jeffrey, Trumpet sessional instructor

Breakout sessions: 

  • Woodwind - T2-166 
  • Brass - T2-266
  • Percussion - T2-145
 T2-145
2:30 PM Q+A and tour  Louella Yambot and Faculty of Music Student Association (FMSA) T2-145
2:55 PM Wrap up Fabio Ragnelli and Jacquie Dawson, Professors T2-145

 

Ready to join us?

Register for Audition Prep Day