Merit Programs Audition Guidelines

 

 Honors

  • Preliminary round: submit an unedited YouTube video recording of up to 10 minutes of your performance (two contrasting pieces) in the last 6 months. Piano accompaniment is not required.
  • Live audition final round: applicants invited to the live audition round will perform two contrasting pieces, an ensemble excerpt, and a sight-reading excerpt. Piano accompaniment is not required. The ensemble excerpt will be from standard chamber music repertoire and will be posted online four weeks prior to the audition.
  • New Applicants: There will be a family interview immediately after the live audition.
  • Current Students: A family interview will be scheduled to take place by Zoom prior to the live audition.  

Rising Stars

  • Preliminary round: submit an unedited YouTube video recording of up to 7 minutes of your performance (two contrasting pieces) in the last 6 months. Piano accompaniment is not required.
  • Live audition final round: applicants invited to the live audition round will perform two contrasting pieces and a short sight-reading excerpt. Piano accompaniment is not required.
  • New Applicants: There will be a family interview immediately after the live audition.
  • Current Students: A family interview will be scheduled to take place by Zoom prior to the live audition.  

Washington Musical Pathways Initiative (WMPI)

  • Preliminary round: submit an unedited YouTube video recording of up to 10 minutes of your performance (two contrasting pieces) in the last 6 months. Piano accompaniment is not required.
    • Current WMPI students will take part only in the live audition round but must submit their application by the deadline.
  • Live audition final round: applicants invited to the live audition round will perform at Levine’s NW campus on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Piano accompaniment is not required for the final round. The ensemble excerpt will be from standard chamber music repertoire and will be posted online four weeks prior to the audition. 
  • Live audition repertoire requirements:
  • Two (2) Scales: One major and one minor scale of your choice. 
    • Three octaves for violin, viola, and cello
    • Two octaves for double bass, woodwinds, brass, and percussion
  • Two (2) contrasting pieces. See Audition Repertoire Guide for suggested works.
  • Ensemble excerpt
  • Sightreading excerpt
  • New Applicants: There will be a family interview immediately after the live audition.
  • Current Students: A family interview will be scheduled to take place by Zoom prior to the live audition.  

YouTube Video Guidelines

  • Video must be made in the last 6 months.
  • Each piece must be recorded in one take, but may be recorded at separate times and stitched into one link.
  • Please list the names of the pieces, with movements if applicable, and composers in the description or your video.
  • Memorization is not required but is highly recommended.
  • Pianists must record on an acoustic piano.
  • Please dress appropriately and make sure the video shows your face and hands. Videos shot far away will be disqualified.
  • Video and audio editing are prohibited (examples: no straight cuts, dissolves, cross dissolving, fading in and out in the middle of the piece). Videos with signs of editing will be disqualified.
  • Recordings made with a professional camcorder and microphones are highly recommended. The use of iPhones or similar quality devices that reproduce good quality sound are also acceptable. It is very important that the audio quality is as high as possible in your recording.
  • Recital recordings are acceptable as long as they meet the criteria mentioned above.
  • If the video link does not work by the deadline, the video will be disqualified.

How to Upload your video to YouTube:

  1. Upload Video to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/upload
 VERY IMPORTANT: Please change privacy setting from “PUBLIC” to “UNLISTED.” This way, only people with the specific video URL can watch the video.
  2. Paste the YouTube link to your audition in the application.

Final Round Audition Excerpts

(Honors and WMPI only)

Oboe Excerpt
Danzi- Trio for Flute, Oboe and Bassoon, Op. 56 #3
Andante (suggested metronome quarter note equals 60)

Bassoon Excerpt
Danzi- Trio for Flute, Oboe and Bassoon, Op. 56 #3
Allegro (suggested metronome half note equals 84)

Clarinet Excerpt
Gade- Four Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 43
Allegro vivace

Percussion Excerpt
J.S. Bach- Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor: Courante 

Violin Excerpt
Haydn- String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 1
I. Allegro moderato

Viola Excerpt
Haydn- String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 1
I. Allegro moderato

Cello Excerpt
Beethoven- String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2
I. Allegro

Harp Excerpt
Mel Bonis- Chant nuptial, Op.128 

Guitar Excerpt
Loris O. Chobanian: Songs of Ararat
I. Yérzenga

Honors Piano
Mozart- Piano Quartet in E-flat major, K. 493
I. Allegro