Pre-Screening

Pre-screening videos must be submitted with your application by December 1st. If you pass the pre-screening, you will be invited to audition with a full ensemble at Peabody.

Choral Conducting

• 2 performance excerpts, each  8-10 minutes in length, of contrasting repertoire demonstrating a variety of styles and tempi.
• 1 rehearsal excerpt, 5 minutes total in length.
• The camera should be placed at the back of the ensemble with the focus on the front of the conductor.

Orchestral Conducting

• 3-4 excerpts, each 2-3 minutes in length, of contrasting standard repertoire demonstrating a variety of styles and tempi.
• The camera should be placed at the back of the orchestra with the focus on the front of the conductor.
• A full-size orchestra is not required; a quintet with piano would suffice, for example.
• Appropriate dress is expected.
• There is no pre-screening requirement for the Late Admission round.

Wind Conducting

• Selections from the standard Wind Ensemble/Chamber Winds repertoire is preferred.
• The conductor should be recorded from the front so that their eyes, face, hands, gestures and posture are all clearly seen. Please no videos filmed from the conductor’s back.
• Total length of video: 15-20 minutes recommended; 30 minutes maximum.
• The video should be from recent conducting work (within the past two years).
• The subject should be shown rehearsing for part of the video and performing for the remainder.
  • Suggested time allocation: 1/2 rehearsal, 1/2 performance. The performance component should be just that, a complete run of a composition or movement.
• The chosen excerpts should include a variety of musical styles as well as some technically challenging passages.
• The video should be accompanied by a word document including:
  • The conductor’s name, the repertoire, the date, and location of the selected rehearsals and performances, and the ensembles conducted.
  • A brief description of the type of ensemble (e.g. student, community, semi-professional, workshop, etc.)
  • For the rehearsal portion of the recording, please include where the recording was made in the rehearsal sequence. For example, this was the third rehearsal in a sequence of six rehearsals.
• Lighting should be adequate and the microphone should optimally be placed in front of the ensemble, if possible, in order to get a good sense of the overall sound of the ensemble. Ideally, a separate microphone should be used, rather than the built-in microphone on the video camera. For the rehearsal component of the recording, the microphone should be place near the podium so that the rehearsing conductor’s comments and instructions are clearly heard.

Learn more about Pre-Screening

Auditions

Applicants who pass the pre-screening round will be invited to audition at Peabody. An ear training test will be required in advance of your audition for Choral and/or Orchestral Conducting. You will be notified of this requirement and applicable deadlines via email. The test is administered online.

Audition requirements are as follows:

Choral Conducting

• Session with a lab choir – 15 minutes
  • Bernstein: Chichester Psalms, mvt. I (ed. Boosey & Hawkes) [please purchase score]
  • Brahms: Shicksalslied (public domain, Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926-27) [full score; p/v score]
  • Schütz: Die mit Tränen säen werden (public domain, Breitkopf & Härtel, 1926-27) [score]
  • While these works will be performed with piano reduction in the audition, it is preferred that conductors rehearse from the full score, not the p/v score
• Interview/Keyboard skills assessment with Beth Willer, Director of Choral Studies – 30 minutes
• Score analysis – A 1 hour proctored analysis

Orchestral Conducting

Regular Decision:

• Strauss: Don Juan
• Haydn: Symphony 59 (expositions)
• Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite (Orchestral version)
  • 4 before rehearsal 6 to rehearsal 17
  • Pickup for 2 before rehearsal 35 to rehearsal 51

(NEW!) Late Admission:

• At least two contrasting excerpts from the standard repertoire
  • Examples include Brahms: Symphony No. 4, Mozart: The Magic Flute, Copland: Appalachian Spring Suite (Orchestral version)

Wind Conducting

• Interview: Hindemith, Symphony in B-flat
• Audition with the Peabody Wind Ensemble: Ernst Toch, Spiel for Blasorchaster