Instructions for Application
The Yale School of Music application for the 2023–2024 academic year is available online at https://music.yale.edu/apply. The online application deadline is December 1, 2022.
The information that follows will assist applicants in filing the application. For an explanation of requirements and structure of various programs, please refer to the chapter Degrees in this bulletin. Please note that students may not apply to a degree program at YSM if they already have the equivalent degree or a doctorate from another institution in the same area of concentration. Students may not enroll in a degree program at Yale if they will be enrolled in another institution’s degree program simultaneously.
Application Fee
Each application submitted to the School of Music Office of Admissions must be accompanied by an application fee in the amount of $150 (U.S.). This application fee is nonrefundable and will not be credited toward tuition or any other account upon admission. There are no fee waivers. There is no additional charge for audition appointments.
Master of Music (M.M.) Degree
Applicants who will have earned a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent prior to September 2023 may apply to the M.M. program, a two-year curriculum.
Master of Musical Arts (M.M.A.) Degree
Applicants who will have earned a master of music degree or its equivalent in the same field in which they are applying prior to September 2023 may apply to the M.M.A. program, a two-year curriculum. Those who have earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
Doctor of Musical Arts (D.M.A.) Degree
Applicants who will have received a master of music degree or its equivalent in the same field in which they are applying prior to September 2023 may apply to the D.M.A. program. Those who have already earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
D.M.A. applicants are required to submit a term paper or other sample of scholarly writing at the time of application. Admission to the program is through personal audition for the relevant area faculty and examinations in music history, analysis, and musicianship. Applicants should note that the entire application process requires their presence for two days in New Haven.
No one may apply to the D.M.A. program more than twice. Yale first-year M.M.A. or artist diploma students admitted to the D.M.A. program forfeit their enrollment in their previous program.
Artist Diploma (A.D.) Program
Applicants who will have earned a minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to September 2023 may apply to the A.D. program, a two-year curriculum. The program is open to instrumentalists and singers on the verge of a major career. Those who have already earned a D.M.A. degree are not eligible to apply.
Certificate in Performance (CERT) Program
Applicants who will have earned a minimum of a high school diploma, or its equivalent, prior to September 2023 may apply to the Certificate in Performance program, a three-year curriculum. Those who have already earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible to apply.
Bachelor of Arts/Master of Music (B.A./M.M.) Program
Admission to the B.A./M.M. program is through acceptance into Yale College as well as a separate, successful audition through the School of Music, either before matriculation into Yale College or during the third year of the undergraduate program. The program is open to instrumentalists majoring in both music and other subjects; current Yale College students should consult with the School of Music’s admissions director before applying.
Recording and Audition Repertoire Guidelines
Prescreening recordings are required from all applicants. We strongly prefer that all applicants submit prescreening recordings online, as part of the online application, instead of by mail. It is very important that the audio quality is as high as possible on audio and video recordings. If you are given a choice between submitting audio or video recordings, and your video does not have high audio quality, we prefer that you submit an audio recording. Copies of recordings and scores should be sent, as these materials will not be returned.
The admissions committee has selected the following works as appropriate and acceptable for prescreening and live auditions. Some substitution may be acceptable, but applicants should adhere to the suggested repertoire as closely as possible.
Please note that the repertoire guidelines listed below are subject to change. The most up-to-date repertoire and detailed instructions may be found online at https://music.yale.edu/apply.
Brass
Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba Prescreening Recording (audio or video; piano not required): Applicants should prepare repertoire that will show their playing to the best advantage with the most variety possible both instrumentally and musically. Repertoire should display a broad range of styles, genres, and technical demands, with examples covering the full range of the instrument and should include the following: (1) four or more varied standard orchestral excerpts; and (2) three or more varied selections from a solo piece, étude, or individual movements from a sonata or concerto.
Live Audition (piano not required): Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to the abovementioned guidelines.
Composition
Prescreening Recording: Applicants should submit scores and recordings of two to three recent works (no more than three will be considered; multi-movement works are suitable) which may be written for different genres or instrumentations and/or electronic media. Composers should upload pdfs of scores, as well as recordings, videos, or external links, to the online application.
Interview: Applicants who advance beyond the prescreening round will be invited to New Haven for a thirty-minute interview with the composition faculty.
Conducting
Orchestral Conducting Prescreening Recording (video required): Applicants should submit video excerpts that best showcase their orchestral-conducting skills. While no specific repertoire is required, the recording should include at least two contrasting musical styles of standard orchestral repertoire. Submitted videos must have been filmed within the previous twelve months. A minimum of three excerpts should be uploaded and contain the following: (1) footage of the applicant conducting an ensemble/orchestra in concert, and (2) footage of the applicant working with an ensemble/orchestra in rehearsal. Each piece of footage must include the title of the piece, the date, and the name of the ensemble. In addition, for rehearsal footage, it would be helpful for the conductor to wear a lavalier microphone to avoid poor audio quality. The video camera should be positioned behind the orchestra and pointed at the conductor. We are most interested in rehearsal footage, although some concert footage should also be included. Each video clip and any additional samples should be uploaded as separate video files and should total no more than twenty minutes in length. Videos featuring full orchestra are preferred, but clips of an applicant leading an ensemble of about fifteen musicians are acceptable.
Live Audition: Select applicants will be invited to New Haven in February for a series of interviews and for a live audition. Invited applicants will be asked to conduct several selections from the standard orchestral repertoire with the Yale Philharmonia. Repertoire will be included in the invitation letter.
Choral Conducting Prescreening Recording (video required): Applicants should submit a video of at least fifteen minutes that shows them conducting a choral ensemble in rehearsal and in performance.
Live Audition: Applicants who are invited to New Haven for a live audition will be expected to demonstrate a highly developed level of comprehensive musicianship that includes an understanding of theory, aural skills, keyboard skills, harmonic dictation, and score reading. Individual conducting assignments for the live audition will be made in the letter of invitation to audition.
Guitar
Prescreening Recording (audio or video) for M.M., M.M.A., and Certificate applicants: (1) a work by J.S. Bach (prepare the larger movement—the Prelude, or Prelude and Fugue); arrangements of music by Scarlatti, Francesca Caccini, Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre; three movements from a Silvius Leopold Weiss suite; or others; (2) a work or two shorter works by Emilia Giuliani-Guglielmi, Mauro Giuliani, Sor, Mertz, or others; (3) a work of the twentieth or twenty-first century, such as Villa-Lobos études (four of the twelve études) or a work by Ponce, Kay, José, Britten, Martin, Brouwer, S. Assad, C. Assad, Tower, León, Flippin, Lash, Ginastera, Takemitsu, or others; (4) applicants who are also composers are encouraged to include a work of their own, although it cannot replace requirement number (3); and (5) applicants may also consider including any of the following repertoire (not required): Renaissance music by Dowland and/or Da Milano, or arrangements of music by Granados and Albéniz.
Prescreening Recording (audio or video) for A.D. and D.M.A. applicants: Applicants must submit a live recording of seventy-five minutes of music (the equivalent of a full recital program) plus a movement of a concerto. The recital program must include the following: (1) a full Bach suite or partita, or the Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro; or the Chaconne from the D minor Partita; (2) a work from either the Classical or Romantic period, such as Emilia Giuliani-Guglielmi, Mauro Giuliani, Sor, Mertz, or others; (3) a work of the twentieth or twenty-first century, such as Villa-Lobos études (four of the twelve études) or a work by Ponce, Kay, José, Britten, Martin, Brouwer, S. Assad, C. Assad, Tower, León, Flippin, Lash, Ginastera, Takemitsu, or others; (4) the first movement of one of the following concertos (with piano or orchestra): Arnold’s Guitar Concerto, Brouwer’s Concerto de Toronto, Corigliano’s Troubadours (Variations for Guitar and Chamber Orchestra), Giuliani’s Concerto No. 1 in A Major, Goss’s Guitar Concerto, Ponce’s Concierto Del Sur, Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, Sculthorpe’s Nourlangie, Takemitsu’s To the Edge of Dream, Tedesco’s Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D Major, or Villa-Lobos’s Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra; (5) applicants who are also composers are encouraged to include a work of their own, although it cannot replace requirement number (3); and (6) applicants may include, though it’s not required, music by Milan, Dowland, and Da Milano, or arrangements of works by Granados and Albéniz.
Live Audition: In addition to the prescreening repertoire, applicants who are invited to audition must prepare a short piece that will be announced and emailed to applicants four to six weeks before the audition.
Harp
Prescreening Recording (audio or video): (1) a work by Bach or another Baroque composer including but not limited to Scarlatti (two sonatas of contrasting style) or Handel; (2) a solo work from the standard repertoire, including but not limited to Impromptu by Fauré, Suite by Britten, Légende by Renié, works by Parish Alvars, or Rhapsodie by Grandjany; and (3) a sonata from the twentieth-century repertoire including but not limited to works by Casella, Tournier, Tailleferre, Hindemith, or Houdy.
Live Audition: Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to the abovementioned guidelines. All works should be performed from memory.
Harpsichord
Prescreening Recording: (1) any contrapuntal work by J.S. Bach; (2) two or more French dances from either the seventeenth or eighteenth century; (3) applicant’s choice: in addition to the abovementioned repertoire, please choose a representative example from either the English Virginalist school, an early seventeenth-century Italian toccata, a sonata by Domenico Scarlatti, or a piece of twentieth- or twenty-first-century composition.
Live Audition: Applicants will be responsible for the abovementioned literature and, additionally, any contrasting work by a different composer. Applicants will also be assessed on their level of competence as continuo players.
Organ
Prescreening Recording: Representative works from the major areas of organ literature: (1) a major work by Bach, (2) a Romantic work, and (3) a contemporary work.
Live Audition: Organ applicants are strongly encouraged, though not required, to perform different works from those on the prescreening recording. However, works should be chosen from the same three categories above. Applicants will also be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability and other essential musical skills.
Percussion
Prescreening Recording (video required; unedited): (1) a major work composed for either marimba or vibraphone, (2) one piece from Elliott Carter’s Eight Pieces for Four Timpani, (3) a solo piece for multiple percussion, and (4) an étude for snare drum.
Live Audition: (1) a major work composed for either marimba or vibraphone (examples of acceptable works include, but are not limited to, Minoru Miki’s Time for Marimba, Gordon Stout’s Two Mexican Dances, Steven Mackey’s See Ya Thursday, Philippe Manoury’s Le Livre des Claviers, or Franco Donatoni’s Omar), (2) a solo piece for multiple percussion (examples of acceptable works include, but are not limited to, Iannis Xenakis’ Rebonds or Psappha, David Lang’s Anvil Chorus, or James Wood’s Rogosanti), (3) Jacques Delecluse’s Étude No. 1, (4) Anthony Cirone’s Étude No. 32, (5) two pieces from Elliott Carter’s Eight Pieces for Four Timpani, (6) two- and four-mallet marimba sight-reading will be required, (7) the following orchestral excerpts: (a) timpani: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, (b) timpani: Richard Strauss’ Burleske, (c) timpani: Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, (d) snare drum: Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, (e) xylophone: Messiaen’s Exotic Birds, (f) glockenspiel: Debussy’s La Mer.
Piano
Prescreening Recording (audio or video; no concertos): (1) a Bach prelude and fugue or another original work by Bach (not a transcription); (2) a sonata or variations by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert (for the prescreening recording, applicants should provide at least two contrasting movements; for a live audition, applicants should prepare an entire work); (3) a larger Romantic nineteenth-century work; and (4) a twentieth- or twenty-first-century composition (for a multi-movement work, provide at least two contrasting movements).
Live Audition: Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to these guidelines.
Strings
Violin Prescreening Recording (video preferred, with high-quality audio): (1) one movement of an unaccompanied Bach sonata or partita (A.D., M.M.A., and D.M.A. applicants must provide two movements); (2) one movement of a Classical (other than Mozart), Romantic, or twentieth-century concerto; (3) any Paganini caprice; (4) a short standalone piece of the applicant’s choice (from any genre or style) that is not a movement from a sonata or concerto; and (5) first movement of a Mozart concerto.
Live Audition: Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to the abovementioned guidelines. (A.D., M.M.A., and D.M.A. applicants must play Mozart at the live audition. M.M. and Certificate applicants will not be asked to play Mozart at the live audition).
Viola Prescreening Recording (video or audio; piano accompaniment required, where applicable): Applicants must provide at least fifteen minutes of music of their choice, including three works of contrasting styles. One movement of each work is acceptable, and applicants should be sure that at least one of the pieces (the concerto or the sonata) is a Romantic work. It is not necessary to include the pieces required for the live audition.
Live Audition: All applicants must prepare: (1) the prelude from any Bach cello suite or the first movement of any Bach sonata or partita for solo violin, or the Chaconne; (2) either the first movement of a Romantic viola sonata by a composer such as Brahms, Glinka, Franck, Schubert, or Vieuxtemps, or a transcription of a piece such as Brahms Op. 38 or Op. 78, the Rachmaninoff Cello Sonata, the Grieg Cello Sonata; (3) the first movement of a viola concerto by a composer such as Mozart (Clarinet Concerto, arr. for viola), Bartók, Hindemith, Walton, Martinu˚, Bowen, Penderecki, Schnittke (first and second movements), or Elgar (Cello Concerto, arr. L. Tertis); (4) a short required piece—such as Fauré’s Après un rêve, Glazunov’s Elegy, or Tchaikovsky’s Valse Sentimentale—that will be announced to invited applicants four to six weeks before the audition; (5) A.D. and D.M.A. applicants must also include (in addition to the pieces above) a piece of the candidate’s choice. Applicants must be sure that at least one of the pieces (the concerto or the sonata) is a Romantic work.
Cello Prescreening Recording (video required): (1) prelude and another movement from a Bach Suite; (2) the first movement from one of the following concerti: Dvorˇák, Haydn D major, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, or Prokofiev Sinfonia Concertante (first or second movement); (3) applicant’s choice: a piece (solo or with piano) written after 1970.
Live Audition: Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to the abovementioned guidelines.
Double Bass Prescreening Recording (video required): (1) a movement of a Bach cello suite (with repeats if not a prelude); (2) two contrasting movements from concertos, sonatas, or virtuoso pieces; and (3) two contrasting orchestral excerpts.
Live audition: Prepare the same or different pieces as the prescreening recording (both programs should adhere to the abovementioned guidelines), plus a short work by a contemporary composer such as Carter, Kurtág, Berio, Henze, Weinberg, or Persichetti.
Voice
Opera Prescreening Recording (video strongly preferred; video required for at least five selections): Provide seven selections from the operatic, oratorio, and/or art song repertoire of contrasting styles and languages. Four of these selections should be operatic arias.
Live Audition: Audition and prescreening repertoire may be the same or different, as long as both programs adhere to the abovementioned guidelines.
Early Music, Oratorio, and Chamber Ensemble Prescreening Recording (audio or video; video required for at least one selection): Include seven selections of contrasting styles and languages from the sacred music (oratorio, mass, cantata, sacred song, etc.), opera, and art-song repertoire. Selections can be chosen from any period, including contemporary compositions. However, at least three selections should be from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. At least one aria by J.S. Bach is required. Applicants should choose selections that demonstrate their versatility as a performer.
Live Audition: Prepare five pieces of contrasting styles, languages, and periods. These selections may be the same or different works from the prescreening recording. Of the five selections, prepare at least two Baroque selections (including one aria by J.S. Bach) and a third selection written prior to 1700. All works should be chosen from the same reportorial categories as above and performed from memory. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability and other essential musical skills.
Woodwinds
Flute Prescreening Recording (video required): (1) Dutilleux’s Sonatine for Flute and Piano (with piano), (2) the second movement of Mozart’s Concerto in D major (with piano), (3) on piccolo: Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide (select one of the standard excerpts), and (4) a work of the applicant’s choice (complete work preferred).
Live Audition (pianist required): (1) Jolivet’s Chant de Linos, (2) from memory: the second movement of Mozart’s Concerto in D major, and (3) the first movement of any Vivaldi C major piccolo concerto.
Oboe Prescreening Recording (audio or video; piano required, where applicable): Applicants should provide fifteen to twenty minutes of music of their choice, sampled from each of the following: (1) a major sonata, (2) a solo piece or étude, (3) a major concerto, and (4) four varied orchestral excerpts.
Live Audition (pianist required): (1) two movements of a major sonata; (2) two movements of a Baroque concerto, sonata, or solo piece; (3) two movements of a major concerto (with cadenzas where applicable); and (4) six varied orchestral excerpts.
Clarinet Prescreening Recording (video required): (1) Mozart: Clarinet Concerto with piano or orchestra; (2) Bach: Flute Partita Sarabande and Bourrée anglaise, performed as written (one step lower than flute); (3) Schumann: the first movement of Fantasiestücke Op. 73, with piano if possible; (4) Beethoven: excerpts from Symphony No. 6; (5) a three- to five-minute selection from a contemporary work for unaccompanied clarinet including but not limited to Edison Denisov, Franco Donatoni, Donald Martino, Roberto Sierra, Jörg Widmann, or Chen Yi; and (6) Copland: cadenza of the Clarinet Concerto.
Live Audition (pianist required): Applicants may be asked to perform selections from the abovementioned repertoire list and to demonstrate their sight-reading ability.
Bassoon Prescreening Recording (video preferred; piano required, where applicable): Applicants should provide no more than fifteen minutes of their playing, excerpted from the following: (1) a sonata or other non-concerto work for bassoon and piano, (2) a concerto, and (3) two to four varied orchestral excerpts.
Live Audition (pianist required): (1) at least two movements of a major sonata or other non-concerto work for bassoon and piano, (2) at least two movements of a major concerto (with cadenzas where applicable), and (3) six varied orchestral excerpts.
Recommendations
Each application must include three reference letters to support the applicant’s candidacy for graduate study. Current Yale School of Music students must submit one letter of recommendation.
Transcripts
Applicants must submit official transcripts (academic records) from all colleges or universities attended. Applicants who have not received a bachelor’s degree must submit official transcripts from all high schools attended. Faxes and photocopies are not acceptable.
Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
GRE scores are not required of any applicant in any area of study in order to apply.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Students for whom English is not a native language must demonstrate a level of language proficiency appropriate for graduate study. For applicants to the M.M., M.M.A., and D.M.A. degree programs, as well as the Certificate in Performance program, the School of Music requires a minimum TOEFL score of 86 on the Internet-based test (equivalent to 227 on the computer-based test and 567 on the paper-based test). The minimum score for artist diploma applicants is 80 on the Internet-based test (equivalent to 213 on the computer-based test and 500 on the paper-based test). TOEFL applications may be obtained online at www.ets.org/toefl. The institution reporting code for TOEFL reports is 3992. Students are advised to make testing arrangements at least six months before the application deadline. More information can be found at www.ets.org/toefl.
Note: Applicants who have not submitted the required test scores by March 1 will not be considered for admission.
TOEFL Exemption
Applicants may request a TOEFL waiver if they have studied at English-speaking institutions full-time for six years or more prior to beginning school at Yale. Waiver requests should be made as part of the online application and include the following:
- A short description of your education history (tell us when you started attending English-speaking schools and how many years you studied at each school);
- Copies of your university, high school, and/or middle school transcripts that show six years or more of strong academic performance at English-speaking schools.
TOEFL waivers are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed for those who have studied at English-speaking schools for six or more years. Uploaded transcripts must show strong academic performance and significant course work in areas other than music performance.
Auditions/Interviews
Applicants are invited for a personal audition (interview for composers) in New Haven on the basis of the prescreening recording and other credentials. Applicants will be notified in January or February and must be prepared to perform all material specified in the repertoire guidelines. Applicants may be asked to demonstrate sight-reading ability and other essential musical skills during the audition. Auditions are held in New Haven. Attendance is mandatory, and those who do not attend will not be considered for admission.
Audition/Interview Schedule, 2023
Auditions and interviews for all applicants will take place during audition week: Monday, February 20, through Sunday, February 26, 2023. Audition dates for specific areas of study are posted online at https://music.yale.edu/apply.
The first round of A.D. auditions will be heard by Yale School of Music faculty as part of the regular auditions for each area. After the first round, select candidates will be advanced to a final round of auditions, which will take place on Saturday, February 26, 2022. The final round will be adjudicated by a committee of external jurors.
The D.M.A. examinations in music history, analysis, and musicianship, required of all D.M.A. candidates, will be given on Saturday, February 18, and Sunday, February 19, 2023. All D.M.A. applicants are required to attend on both exam days. The exams are not offered on any other dates and will not be rescheduled.