Voice
Please prepare two songs for your audition. One song must be in English. The other may be in a foreign language but both may be in English. If one song is slow and sustained the other should contrast it and be in a quicker tempo. Your song choices should present your voice at its best. Your musicianship and the beauty of your singing are important; the difficulty of your music is not. Musical Theatre, commercial, pop and gospel songs are not appropriate for the audition. Choral parts (S, A, T, B lines from choral works) are not acceptable.
Auditions must be accompanied by piano. If you would like VCU Music to provide an accompanist, you will need to indicate that on your audition request form. You will also need to send (by mail or fax) a copy of your music to our admissions coordinator, Sue Elliott. Your music must be received two weeks before your scheduled audition date and you will need to bring your original music with you to your audition.
Students auditioning for the voice area may bring their own accompanist on the day of the audition. However, please note that your audition time cannot be confirmed in advance, so your accompanist will need to spend most, if not all, the audition day with you at VCU.
Repertoire suggestions
English language
- Folk song arrangements such as The Arnold Book of Old Songs (Quilter)
- Henry Purcell
- Lute Songs by Dowland, Campian, Morely, etc.
- John Jacob Niles
- Roger Quilter
- Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Samuel Barber
- Aaron Copland
- Richard Hundley
- Lee Hoiby
Foreign language
If you wish to present a selection in a foreign language, standard art songs in French, German, Italian and Spanish are appropriate.
Sight-singing
Students will be asked to play (piano) and sing a short passage at sight.
Other preparation
A career in music requires that you play the piano and read music with fluency. Your audition will be more successful if you have studied a musical instrument and are familiar with the keyboard.
If you have questions regarding the suitability of your song selections or other aspects of the voice audition, please contact Cynthia Donnell, coordinator of vocal studies, at csdonnel@vcu.edu.
