Audition for NEC

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Spring (January) Enrollment

Students interested in January admission should call the Office of Admission to inqure about anticipated program openings before filing an application. All auditions for January enrollment are normally by CD recording. However, applicants may be asked to present a live audition based on their major and/or proximity to Boston. To prepare your recording, please refer to the appropriate Audition Requirements by Major section at the bottom of this page and the Recording Guidelines page. If spring enrollment is available, admission decisions will be made on a rolling basis beginning November 15. January enrollment is not available in the Artist Diploma, Doctor of Musical Arts, Professional Piano Trio Training program or Professional String Quartet Training program.

Financial aid/scholarship for the January 2009 term is limited. In order to be considered for financial aid, applicants must submit a 2008-2009 NEC Financial Aid form no later than November 1, 2008. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are also required to submit results from the 2008/2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For additional information on financial aid, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at (617) 585-1110.

Fall (September) Enrollment

Each instrumental and vocal applicant must satisfy an audition requirement. This requirement is fulfilled by either a live audition or recorded audition. For those majors with a prescreening recording requirement, live auditions are offered by invitation only after review of the prescreening recording. Live auditions are scheduled after submission of a completed application, including application fee. There are a limited number of audition times for each major.

Live auditions at NEC are required of:

applicants from the United States, Canada, and Mexico applying to Jazz Studies, Contemporary Improvisation, Collaborative Piano, Piano, Violin, Viola, Violoncello, Double Bass, Guitar, Vocal Performance or Vocal Pedagogy;

applicants in all remaining majors living within 500 miles of Boston;

all applicants to the DMA, Artist Diploma, Conducting, or Harvard/NEC Double-Degree programs.

Prescreening recordings are required of:

all undergraduate, MM and GD applicants to Jazz Studies, Flute, Piano, Violin, Violoncello, Conducting (Choral, Wind Ensemble), Contemporary Improvisation, Vocal Performance or Vocal Pedagogy;

all Artist Diploma and DMA applicants, regardless of major.

Confirmation of a live audition date will be sent by email approximately one month prior to the audition. Applicants who cancel an audition for documented unforeseen difficulties (e.g., illness, inclement weather, injury) may request placement on a waiting list should audition openings occur at a later time. However, due to the large number of scheduled auditions, few openings usually occur.

Harvard/NEC double-degree applicants should prepare the undergraduate audition repertoire.

Accompanists are not required for instrumental auditions, although applicants wishing to audition with their own accompanist (personally arranged) may do so. For a fee of $25, NEC will provide an accompanist for Vocal Performance or Vocal Pedagogy auditions. For a fee of $25, NEC will provide a vocalist and/or instrumentalist for Collaborative Piano auditions. A rhythm section is provided free of charge for Jazz auditions.

For those applicants who are not required to attend a live audition and plan to send a Recorded Audition, please visit our Recording Guidelines section.

Audition Requirements by Major

Please click on the appropriate link below to review specific audition requirements for your major.

2009 Audition Dates

* Undergradate Only
^ Graduate Only