John J. Cali School of Music Audition Requirements

Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email that includes details for attending your audition. Please refer to that email & the information below to ensure you are fully prepared.

• Review the program requirements and make sure you have prepared all that is listed, including any additional interview or portfolio materials specific to your major of choice.
• Prepare extra copies of your music. Instrumentalists – please bring 1 spare copy of your music should faculty wish to review. Vocalists – your repertoire must be memorized, but please bring a prepared binder (ipad is also acceptable) with at least 1 copy of your music for our accompanist.
• Attire: We invite you to wear what you are most comfortable in, what is most accessible to you, and what makes you feel like you are putting your best foot forward during your audition day.
• There are no additional events planned for the audition days (tours, group info sessions, placement tests). We will have a waiting area with light snacks and water available, as well as student ambassadors and faculty present, should you wish to ask questions or mingle with current students. Placement tests will be given only after you have been offered admission.

Recording Guidelines

• Make sure you are in a quiet, well-lit space and briefly introduce each song. You may record your music solo, with a backing track, or with an accompanist. If you use an accompanist or track, please check that your playing/singing is heard clearly in the video and is not overpowered.
• Please make sure that you are framed correctly. Vocalists – at minimum, we must see you from the waist up. Instrumentalists – we must see your face, and all aspects of your playing (hands & instrument).
• All scale requirements should be recorded in one video or edited into one video file. Repertoire can be recorded & submitted individually.
• Be mindful to double check that you have recorded all of the required repertoire for your primary instrument or voice. Any applicants with missing or incorrect repertoire will not be reviewed until all requirements are submitted correctly.

Submitting Videos

• Your audition videos must be submitted as part of your audition registration form. This means you need to have your videos completed and ready to upload before you submit your registration. Important: Your videos are due by the registration deadline, not by your audition date. Please be sure to plan ahead so you can submit both your registration and videos on time.

Formal audition on a primary instrument or voice - following our classical repertoire requirements

Formal audition on a primary instrument or voice - following our classical repertoire requirements

1. Pre-screen videos are required. Review Pre-Screen Information.
2. An invited, formal voice audition will be required pending successful review of your pre-screen videos

1. Pre-screen videos are required. Review Pre-Screen Information.
2. An invited, formal voice audition will be required pending successful review of your pre-screen videos
3. An interview may be required and will be completed as part of the invited audition process

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice
2. Complete an interview with a member of our music education faculty

Undergraduate applicants may choose between our Classical Education track, or our Jazz + Education track:

• Classical Education applicants will follow the requirements above, along with the classical repertoire outlined for your primary instrument or voice.
• Jazz + Music Education applicants will follow the requirements above, along with the jazz repertoire outlined for your primary instrument or voice.

All undergraduate applicants must choose “School & Community Settings” as your program of choice on your application. Once you are ready to register for an audition, you will be given the option to designate either the Classical Education track, or the Jazz + Education track on the required audition form.

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice
2. Complete an interview with a member of our music education faculty

Master of Arts in Teaching Certification (MAT) and Master of Arts (MA) applicants do not have to audition. However, they must contact Dr. Marissa Silverman via email to schedule an interview once their application is submitted.

Dr. Marissa Silverman (Graduate Music Education Coordinator) – silvermanm@montclair.edu

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice
2. Complete an interview with a member of our music therapy faculty. During the interview, you will be required to complete a self-accompaniment performance:
   • Sing one (1) song from any genre of music while self-accompanying on your choice of piano or guitar. Use of basic block chords is fully acceptable. Precise written accompaniments are not required.

Undergraduate applicants are permitted to audition following our classical repertoire requirements, or our jazz repertoire requirements:

• Classical: applicants will completed the requirements above following the classical repertoire outlined for your primary instrument or voice.
• Jazz: applicants will complete the requirements above, following the jazz repertoire outlined for your primary instrument or voice.

Graduate applicants do not have to complete a formal audition. Instead, graduate applicants must schedule an interview, during which you will be required to complete a self-accompaniment performance, as follows:

• Sing two (2) songs from any genre of music while self-accompanying – one song on guitar & one song on piano. Use of basic block chords is fully acceptable. Precise written accompaniments are not required. Please pre-record each song as a video and submit them to your application portal. Or you may share the videos via email when scheduling your interview.

To schedule an interview, graduates must send an email to Dr. Brian Abrams at abramsb@montclair.edu

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice
2. Complete an interview with a member of the composition faculty
3. Prepare a portfolio for review that includes the following:
   • A minimum of three (3) original creative works in any genre – contemporary, classical, jazz, songwriting, musical theater, electronic music, media scoring, etc. Include scores and/or recordings as applicable. When submitting music for acoustic instruments or voice, recordings with live musicians are preferred. If live musicians are not available, purely electronic versions (e.g. MIDI) are acceptable.

Audition on a primary instrument or voice – following the jazz repertoire requirements

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice – following the jazz repertoire requirements
2. Complete an interview with a member of our Music Education faculty

Note: When submitting your application, you must select “School & Community Settings” as your major of choice. You will then specify you are a Jazz + Education major on your audition registration form.

1. Audition on a primary instrument or voice – following the jazz repertoire requirements
2. Complete an interview with a member of our Music Therapy faculty. During the interview, you will be required to complete a self-accompaniment performance, as follows:
   • Sing one (1) song from any genre of music while self-accompanying on your choice of piano or guitar. Use of basic block chords is fully acceptable. Precise written accompaniment is not required

1. Complete an interview with a member of the Recording Arts & Production faculty
2. Prepare a portfolio that demonstrates your musicality and showcases your current abilities. The portfolio should include at least two (2) of any of the following projects:
   • A performance on a music instrument, vocals, hardware (ex. push controller), audio projects, sound design, cover songs, original songs, or beat making examples.
   • You may perform/include any songs or repertoire of your choice.

The components that make up your portfolio must be organized into either a YouTube playlist, or a Google Drive folder.

You will be required to submit the link to your portfolio on the audition registration form. Please ensure that the share settings for your portfolio are set to “anyone with the link can view.”

It is requested that interested students reach out directly to the coordinator of this program to inquire about open spots, program information, and audition information.

Kyle Ritenauer – ritenauerk@montclair.edu

It is requested that interested students reach out directly to the coordinator of this program to inquire about open spots, program information, and audition information.

Dr. Tom McCauley – mccauleyt@montclair.edu

It is requested that interested students reach out directly to the coordinator of this program, prior to submitting all materials, to inquire about open spots and program information.

Dr. Heather Buchanan – buchananh@montclair.edu

All application materials (Videos, Statement of Purpose and Letters of Recommendation) are due no later than Tuesday, December 1, 2026 for candidates auditioning for entry in Fall of 2027-28 academic year. Please allow a minimum of three (3) weeks for your materials to be reviewed. 

Pre-screening Video: MM Choral Conducting candidates are required to complete the pre-screening video prior to the scheduling of an on-campus audition. An invitation to an on-campus audition will be offered after reviewing the video and at the discretion of the director of choral activities.

• Video content requirements:
  • Camera focused on front/side view of conductor. Ensure clarity of audio and video. Include PDFs of scores/music featured in rehearsal and performance.
  • Brief introduction: please state your name, identify the choir(s) featured in your video, and any other pertinent information (e.g., age of choristers, familiarity with the music, special circumstances, etc.).
  • Rehearsal: 20 minutes (max) showing your pedagogical process and communication skills. Before the rehearsal begins, clearly state your objectives.
  • Performance: two (2) stylistically contrasting pieces (or movements of a larger work). May be from a live concert performance and/or specially recorded “audition performance.” Repertoire may be a cappella and/or accompanied. One piece (or substantial part thereof) should showcase legato conducting and the ability to shape musical lines.
• Video format/submission: Mp4 or .MOV file via private YouTube link. Share link via email - please do not attach large files to email. Invite the following MSU choral faculty to view: 
  • Dr. Heather J. Buchanan: buchananh@montclair.edu
  • Greg Stout: stoutg@montclair.edu 

On-campus audition: Should you be invited to campus for an in-person audition, it will be scheduled on either a Tuesday or Thursday during the Spring semester, typically in February. The specific day/date will be coordinated by the director of choral activities. Interaction with current students and faculty, and choral ensembles is an essential part of the process.

Audition activities will comprise the following:

1. Interview with Director of Choral Activities and collaborative pianist (30 mins):
   • Discussing your philosophy of choral leadership, the audition music, your score preparation, and other relevant artistic/technical content
   • Performing prepared technical (coordinated action) exercises (sent 3 weeks in advance)
   • Sight-singing
2. Conducting a brief section (max 10 minutes) of a Montclair choral rehearsal (specific choir and repertoire TBA).
3. Participation in Chorale and University Singers rehearsals, singing your divisi voice part.
4. Informal meetings with Graduate/Teaching Assistant, and Undergraduate students (including student leaders and choristers).