UNDERGRADUATE

Auditions in Voice

The voice faculty and the School of Music administration require the following skills in order to be accepted as a voice major or minor in the music education, music performance, and Bachelor of Arts in Music degrees.

  • Students must be able to read music well enough to play on a piano the vocal melody of a song chosen by the faculty, with pitch and rhythmic accuracy
  • Students will be tested on sight-singing and rhythm during the audition, singing a melody at sight and clap/tap 8 measures of rhythm.
  • Standards for evaluating the voice of a potential student are determined by the voice faculty, following the guidelines of The National Association of Schools of Music.
  • Two audition selections should be chosen from the OMEA Solo and Ensemble list or music of comparable quality. The Solo and Ensemble list is available on the OMEA website (omea-ohio2.org) under the Parents/Students link. All repertoire must be memorized.
  • Students must bring a copy of any music to be performed for use by the staff accompanist, who will be provided. No tapes or recorded accompaniments are permitted.
  • New freshman must take a theory and keyboard placement exam. The Student must pass the theory placement test. Admission to any voice degree is provisional until the student is enrolled in Theory 1 and Voice 124.

Preparing to Be a Music Major

  1. If you are not already studying piano, begin immediately. You need about six months to become familiar with the keyboard. Find a good piano teacher who will teach you the following:
    • scales in the major and minor keys (two octaves with correct fingerings in both hands)
    • arpeggios in major and minor keys (two octaves with correct fingerings in both hands)
    • sight-reading simple melodies in both treble and bass clef
    • building basic chords in root, first and second inversions
    • building I, IV, and V chords in all keys
    • sight-reading a simple hymn
  2. Buy a basic music theory workbook and begin developing an understanding of music theory. Learn the key signatures in both clefs. Learn all meter signatures and what they mean. Learn to recognize intervals in both clefs at sight and sing them as well. When you complete one book level, move to the next.
  3. If you are studying voice ask your voice teacher to help you sight-sing intervals.
  4. If you are not currently studying voice, don’t begin. You are NOT behind.
  5. Take your choral work very seriously and try to learn everything you can about the score during rehearsals.
  6. Please do not hesitate to call the School of Music Voice Area if you have any questions about any aspect of our program. We are here to help you.

Financial Aid for Music Students

  • Everyone should complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
  • Go directly to the FAFSA website.
  • Ask that your information be sent to UA (School Code 003123)
  • This is ONLY an ONLINE form - no paper.
  • Or, on the university website go to: www.uakron.edu/finaid. Find the link for the FAFSA form.
  • The FAFSA form can be completed after Oct. 1. UA's priority FAFSA deadline is December 1. File your FAFSA by this date in order to be considered for certain need-based financial aid programs.
  • If you have specific questions you can call the Financial Aid Office at: 330-972-7032.
  • All paperwork needs to be completed by March 1 for priority awarding of student aid.