Auditioning for the Music Program

All applicants seeking a music scholarship must audition before a music faculty auditions committee. Auditions may be done on UVA Wise's campus, online via a pre-recorded video, or in-person at a local audition event at area high schools. Requirements for the music scholarship auditions are listed below. Please contact the appropriate faculty member with questions regarding the audition requirements. 

In-person auditions for The University of Virginia's College at Wise Division of Music will include an opening informational session for all auditioning students and their families. Once a student has an audition date, they will receive an exact audition time and other information via email. To be fully considered for UVA Wise Music scholarships, all auditioning students must apply to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise at https://www.uvawise.edu/apply before their audition date. 

To register for an audition on UVA Wise's campus or to submit a digital audition, please click on the Schedule an Audition link.

Spring 2026 audition deadlines:

  • In-person on UVA Wise's campus (must be completed prior to March 15th, 2026)
  • Digital audition, due March 15, 2026 (you will be contacted by UVA Wise Music to coordinate your digital audition)

Schedule an Audition

Brass & Woodwinds

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys, as many octaves as possible on the instrument.
  • Prepared Solos: Two contrasting works totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Brief Interview

Guitar

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys.
  • Prepared Solo: Two selections of your choice.
  • Sight-reading: Single note lines (standard notation) and chord charts.
  • Improvisation: Over 12-bar blues.
  • Brief Interview

Percussion

  • Concert Snare Drum: One prepared selection. You may be asked to play a variety of concert and rudimental snare techniques/rudiments in addition to your prepared material.
  • Mallet Keyboard (two and/or four mallet): One prepared selection. You will be asked to play major scales (two octaves) in addition to your prepared material.
  • Timpani: One prepared selection. You will be asked to match pitch (sing pitches) in addition to your prepared material.
  • Drum-set: Demonstrate a variety of musical styles.
  • Sight-reading: Snare drum and two-mallet keyboard.
  • Brief Interview

Piano

  • Major Scales and Arpeggios
  • Prepared Solos: Two works in contrasting styles (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern) totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Brief Interview

Strings

  • Major Scales: All twelve keys, as many octaves as possible on the instrument.
  • Prepared Solos: Two contrasting works totaling five to ten minutes in duration.
  • Sight-reading
  • Students auditioning in improvisational styles like fiddling can forgo the above requirements and instead demonstrate two contrasting tunes that demonstrate a range of playing. However, if they are capable of doing scales and sight-reading, those are encouraged for the audition.
  • Brief Interview

Voice

  • Prepared Solos: Two art songs or arias of contrasting styles, tempos, and languages. Ideally, one should be composed before 1850.
  • Vocal exercises: Sung to demonstrate vocal range.
  • Brief Interview
  • Accompanists will be provided for the audition, or the singer can bring their accompanist to the audition. If the singer plans to use a UVA Wise accompanist, music should be sent to Peter Ryan at least one week prior to audition.