Graduate Admissions & Support

Applicants to the MM in Composition degree program must submit a portfolio of five original musical works:

• For music that has a written score, submit pdf files.
• Recordings are encouraged, submitted as links to easily accessible online platforms (such as YouTube or Soundcloud) or file-sharing services (such as Dropbox or Google Drive). MIDI recordings are acceptable. 
• For music without a score and music with electronics, links to recordings must be provided. 

To submit your materials, please email Dr. Michael Wittgraf. Include your full name and “Composition Portfolio” in the subject line.

Applicants to the MM in Conducting (Choral) degree program must submit a portfolio including the following:

• Current curriculum vitae
• Repertoire list of works conducted
• 30-minute video recording of a rehearsal, include vocalises.
• 30-minute video recording of a conducted performance (or performances).

To submit your materials, please email UND Music. Include your full name and “Choral Conducting Application” in the subject line.

Applicants to the MM in Conducting (Instrumental) degree program must complete the following:

• An audition demonstrating performance conducting as well as rehearsal techniques (15-20 minutes maximum). In lieu of a live audition at UND, a video recording is acceptable.
• An interview discussing the candidate's background and experiences as a musician, as well as their goals and aspirations. This interview may be either in person or through Zoom.
• Submit a list of literature studied and performed as a conductor, as well as similar repertoire lists for the candidate’s primary instrument(s).

To submit materials and schedule your audition and interview, please email Dr. James Popejoy. Include your full name and “Instrumental Conducting Application” in the subject line.

A minimum of one year of K12 music teaching experience or comparable field experience is preferred.

Applicants to the MM in Music Education degree program must submit a scholarly writing sample.

To do so, please email Dr. Whitney Mayo. Include your full name and “Music Education Application” in the subject line.

Applicants must have completed a Master of Music, preferably music education, or a closely related field. A minimum of three years of K12 music teaching experience is preferred. 

Applicants to the Ph.D. in Music Education degree program must submit a scholarly writing sample.

To do so, please email Dr. Whitney Mayo. Include your full name and “Music Education Application” in the subject line.

• 3-4 contrasting works from different eras
• 3 orchestral excerpts may be substituted for one work

Please contact Dr. Lisa Bost-Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two contrasting movements of a major concerto or sonata
• A movement or solo piece from a contrasting era

Please contact Dr. Scott Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two contrasting movements of a major concerto or sonata
• A movement or solo piece of a contrasting style

Please contact Dr. Scott Sandberg with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two contrasting movements of a standard concerto or sonata
• Contrasting orchestral excerpts or an etude

Please contact Dr. Cory Driscoll with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two contrasting movements of a standard concerto or sonata
• Contrasting orchestral excerpts or an etude 

• Two movements from different major works in the trombone concerto/sonata repertoire
• Three major orchestral excerpts
• Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two movements from different major works in the euphonium concerto/sonata repertoire
• Three major wind band excerpts
• Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two movements from different major works in the tuba concerto/sonata repertoire
• Three major orchestral excerpts
• Major and minor scales

Please contact Dr. Joel Pugh with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• One four-mallet marimba solo
• One orchestral snare etude
• One rudimental snare etude
• One timpani etude

Please contact Dr. Jason Kihle with questions regarding audition requirements. 

Piano Performance Specialization

• One movement of a major classical sonata
• One movement of major piece from Romantic period such as sonata, OR
• A major character piece not shorter than 5 minutes, OR
• One etude by Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Debussy or Prokofiev

Collaborative Piano Specialization

• The first movement of a sonata for strings by a major composer
• Two classical songs in contrasting styles

Please contact Dr. Nariaki Sugiura with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• One movement of a major concerto
• Two contrasting movements of sonata or partita by J. S. Bach

Please contact Dr. Alejandro Drago with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• One movement of a major concerto 
• Two contrasting movements of a violin sonata, partita OR cello suite by J. S. Bach

Please contact Dr. Alejandro Drago with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• One movement of a major concerto
• One movement from a cello suite by J. S. Bach
• The first movement of a major sonata OR a show piece OR an etude

Please contact Dr. Simona Barbu with questions regarding audition requirements. 

• Two contrasting movement of a major concerto or sonata
• One movement of a work from a contrasting style period OR an etude

Please contact Dr. Simona Barbu with questions regarding audition requirements. 

Vocal Performance Specialization

• A minimum of 12 minutes of repertoire sung in English, French, German, and Italian

Vocal Pedagogy Specialization

• A minimum of 12 minutes of repertoire sung in English, French, German, and Italian

Please contact Dr. Anne Christopherson and/or Dr. Justin Montigne with questions regarding audition requirements.