GENERAL
            application deadlines
            dates of summer program
            contact us

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS –general instructions

           Application Form
           Application Fee (includes application deadline dates)
           Letter of Recommendation
           Resume

AUDITION
            General Requirements for ALL applicants
            Specific Instructions for… 
                        - String, Woodwind, Horn
                        - Piano
            TECH TIPS
            Repertoire List

GENERAL

Scholarships covering all but $125 of total instructional fees and housing are awarded to each student.

Application deadlines -- Feb 9-16 (see Application Fee below)

Dates for 2008 Season – June 29 through August 10
- Participants will arrive on campus before 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 29.
- Final event will conclude in the evening of Sunday, August 10.

Contact information:
- mailing address-- Kent/Blossom Music
                                    Kent State University
                                    PO Box 5190
                                    Kent, OH 44242

- street address      E101 Music & Speech Center

- phone                      330-672-2613
- fax                            330-672-7837
- email                        kbm@kent.edu
           

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Early application is encouraged.

Application Form is to be submitted online or mailed.  All other components must be mailed, and clearly marked with your name and instrument.

Following are the necessary and optional components to be submitted for an application to be considered complete:


Application Form  

Online Application – Preferred Method 
PDF version – print and mail
Paper Application – Need it mailed to you?  Submit request at kbm@kent.edu or 330-672-2613

Application Fee

 -     $50 if postmarked by Feb 9
 -     $55 if postmarked Feb 10-16
 -     Checks and credit card payments (MasterCard, Visa, and Discover) are accepted and must be mailed. 
 -     Credit card payments – please provide the following info: 
            -     name on card
            -     billing address
            -     16-digit credit card number
            -     expiration date
            -     signature

Letter of Recommendation

-      from a teacher or another professional musician familiar with your work
-      must include a phone number
-      must be postmarked/received by Feb 16
-      can be submitted via:
            -     postal mail
            -    e-mail
            -    fax

 
Is a letter of recommendation Required or Optional?
-     String, Woodwind, Horn:  letter of recommendation is optional
-     Piano:        - with DVD audition, a letter of recommendation is optional;
                        - with audio-only audition, TWO letters of recommendation are required

Resume (optional)

Must be postmarked/received by Feb 16.

AUDITION

AUDITION -- General Requirements for ALL Applicants

- Recorded auditions must be submitted by mail, by deadlines listed above.
- Recordings must not be edited or altered in any way.  Kent/Blossom Music reserves the right to disqualify studio-altered recordings.
- All required repertoire must be played in the order listed.
- All required repertoire must be recorded without accompaniment.
- Each individual selection from your required audition list must be performed WITHOUT STOPPING OR PAUSING the recording. Each individual selection must be a ONE-TAKE TRUE "LIVE" PERFORMANCE.  However, stopping the recording between each individual excerpt or selection is allowed.
- Recordings should be of the highest quality possible to assure accurate representation of your musical ability.

AUDITION – String, Woodwind, Horn

Audition recordings must be video.  DVD video is the required medium.  The DVD should be a standard 120mm disc.  It should be playable in a standard DVD player that would be attached to a TV.  Audio-only recordings will NOT be accepted (i.e. No CD’s, mini-discs or cassette tapes, etc.).

Strings:  DO NOT include repeats for Bach selections. Include the exposition only for requested concerto/solo selections.

AUDITION – Piano

DVD video is the preferred medium.  The DVD should be a standard 120mm disc.  It should be playable in a standard DVD player that would be attached to a TV.  However, audio-only standard CD recordings will be accepted for keyboard only (NO mini-discs or cassette tapes) with the inclusion of TWO letters of recommendation.

DVD AUDITION – TECH TIPS

List of helpful ideas/solutions shared by previous applicants: 
(feel free to submit additional pointers for inclusion)

1.  The audition does not need to be captured digitally (although that may produce superior quality).  Instead, VHS recordings can be converted to a DVD. 

2.  Where to find a recorder –

1. Your university/school/conservatory likely has a department offering services to students in need of creating a DVD (or VHS), including equipment available to borrow/rent (perhaps an Audio/Visual department, the Library, or Teleproductions, etc.).
2. Local small-appliance rental companies may offer video recording equipment for rent.
3. Your school of music's recording engineer may have suggestions for you.
4. Faculty at your music school may have suggestions, or may even have a DVD (or VHS) recorder you could borrow (opera, band, dance, orchestra, etc.).
5. Team up to share resources (borrowed or rented) with others at your school recording an audition.
6. Ask a family member or a friend.

3.  Transfer to DVD –

The audition does not need to be captured digitally (although that may produce superior quality).  Instead, VHS recordings can be converted to a DVD. 

1. Again, your university/school/conservatory would likely have assistance/suggestions in this area (perhaps Audio/Visual, IT, computer help desk, etc.).
2. Companies offering VHS - to - DVD conversion service can be quite reasonably priced.  You may have time to utilize online resources like www.stashspace.com or http://neatoduplication.com, or you may find a local company in your area.  Check local yellow page listings under “video tape duplicating & transfer service”.
3. If you need further assistance with technical issues (transferring to DVD), please contact our Media Specialist A.S.A.P.:  Jason Forbes, at 330-672-1872, or jforbes@kent.edu.   

4.  Playback / Miscellaneous

1. Before submitting your DVD audition, test it in a standard DVD player attached to a TV. 
2. If your DVD doesn’t play on the TV’s DVD player, be sure that you completed the final step on your computer:  to “close” or “finalize” the DVD.
3. Keep a copy of your audition.
4. If you need further assistance with playback issues, please contact our Media Specialist A.S.A.P.:  Jason Forbes, at 330-672-1872, or jforbes@kent.edu.   

AUDITION – Repertoire

Faculty artist who will adjudicate recording is noted.

VIOLIN
Preucil
One movement from a Mozart concerto
One movement from a romantic concerto

VIOLA
Vernon
One movement of a standard concerto
Two contrasting movements of a violin sonata or cello suite by Bach

CELLO
Geber
One movement of a standard cello concerto
Two contrasting movements of an unaccompanied suite by Bach

BASS
Haigh
Solo: 
   1st movement of a classical concerto (either Vanhal in C or D, or Dittersdorf) OR
   1st movement of Bottesini Concerto #2
Orchestral Excerpts:
   Brahms 2nd symphony (2nd movement – 2 before letter C to 2 before letter D; pickup to 9   
   before letter F to 4 after letter F) and (4th movement – 8 before letter L to 2 before letter M)
   Tchaikovsky 6th symphony (3rd movement – pickup to 3 after letter H until letter K)
   Mendelssohn 4th symphony (1st movement – 22 before letter C to 43 after letter C)
   Mozart 39th symphony (1st movement – pickup to 16th bar of opening Allegro to letter C)


FLUTE
Smith
Mozart: G Major concerto, first movement (exposition)
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo (solo)
Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis, third movement (solo)
Stravinsky: Petrushka, (cadenza)

OBOE
Rosenwein
Shostakovich: Symphony No.1, third movement (opening solo)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, third movement (40-48; 91-122, dotted half note = 108)
Brahms: Symphony No.2, third movement solo (opening - 31)
Barret: Grand Etude No.11
Ferling: Etude No.4 A minor

CLARINET
McKelway

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto – first movement exposition, second movement through cadenza

Brahms: Clarinet Quintet – first movement (opening to No.1), and second movement (double bar after 1 through measure 5 after No. 4)

Stravinsky: No. 2 of the Three Pieces

BASSOON
Clouser
Mozart: Concerto K. 191 (first movement exposition and second movement)
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro (recapitulation)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd movement final solo)
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (second movement and cadenzas)
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (opening)

HORN
King
Mozart: Concerto No. 2 or 4, first & second movement (expositions)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5, second movement (solo)
Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (opening solo)

PIANO
Jones
First movement of a solo sonata by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven
One movement of any large solo romantic work
Two contrasting movements of a major:
            - string/wind piano sonata, performing the work with instrumentalist 
                 OR
            - any other chamber work, performing the work with full ensemble

Jerome LaCorte | Program Director | Phone: 330.672.2613 | E-mail: kbm@kent.edu