Voice Division - Undergraduate
Bachelor of Music: Voice Principals
Bachelor of Arts: Voice Principals
The undergraduate voice audition is about 15 minutes in length. Applicants for all vocal programs (Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy, Composition, and the Bachelor of Arts) are required to:
- Perform one art song in English from memory.
- Perform one art song in Italian, German, or French from memory.
- Demonstrate sight-reading proficiency on one short exercise.
- Complete a short interview with Q&A with the voice faculty.
- Provide their own accompanist or pay the Vocal Audition Fee.
Vocal Audition
The voice faculty strongly feels that applicants give their best audition when performing with a pianist with whom has prepared their audition repertoire. If bringing the applicant's pianist to the audition is not possible, the School of Music will provide a collaborative pianist.
In addition, applicants will need to send PDFs of their audition repertoire to rentz@ohio.edu. Professor Rentz will pass the music along to the collaborative pianist. Taped/CD accompaniments are not allowed for in-person auditions.
Choosing Your Vocal Repertoire
Appropriate solo vocal literature can be found in a number of publications and/or online resources.
Popular sheet music books include The First book of Solos series (Edited by Joan Frey Boytim), the Standard Vocal Literature series (Edited by Richard Walters), and the Twenty-Eight Italian Songs and Arias (Edited by Richard Walters). These books are available in a number of school music libraries or for purchase at a local music store or through an online retailer. Additionally, many vocal works are in the public domain and are available for free PDF download at www.imslp.org.
The voice faculty is eager to hear the applicant's ability to sing healthily and beautifully with great attention to style, diction, interpretation, and stage presence. Please do not bring difficult songs to the audition that are not suitable to your current vocal abilities.
Recorded Auditions
Students residing in the continental United States are encouraged to audition in person. The live audition allows students to meet our faculty and explore the campus. There are also a variety of activities that take place on each audition day that seek to provide students with a complete picture of the School of Music and our curricular offerings. If auditioning in person is not possible, students may elect to audition virtually during a scheduled audition time. Students auditioning virtually are welcome to use pre-recorded accompaniment tracks. Students who are unable to audition in-person or virtually may send YouTube links of their recordings to Professor Rentz at rentz@ohio.edu. If you use a platform other than YouTube, please be sure all the voice faculty will be able to access your recordings.
Students residing outside the United States are encouraged to audition in person but may elect to audition virtually during a scheduled audition time. Students auditioning virtually are welcome to use pre-recorded accompaniment tracks. Students who are unable to audition in-person or virtually may send links of their recordings to Professor Rentz at rentz@ohio.edu. If you use a platform other than YouTube, please be sure all the voice faculty will be able to access your recordings.
Additional Information
All applications and auditions must be received and completed by February 19th in order to receive priority scholarship consideration. For additional information regarding vocal studies at the Ohio University School of Music, please contact:
Division Chair
Professor Debra Rentz
Associate Professor of Instruction
rentz@ohio.edu
740-596-6450
Additional Faculty
Kate Merryman
Adjunct Professor of Voice
Melissa Brobeck
Artist Coach of Musical Theater