Guitar Audition Requirements | KPU.ca - Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Classical & Acoustic Guitar

Two solo guitar pieces of different periods, contrasting style, tempo, and technique.
One guitar etude or study.
Major and harmonic and melodic minor scales (two octaves) up to and including four sharps and four flats.
Chromatic scale: 2 octaves - A to a'.
I-IV-V7-I chord progression in major and minor keys up to and including four sharps and two flats. Chords may be fingered in open and/or closed positions.

NOTE: Auditions must be played on a nylon-string or an acoustic guitar.

Foundation Courses for Guitar

"If you lack a solid foundation, you compromise the entire structure…In fact, nearly every difficulty you face in your chosen training can be traced to skipping steps in the past—to weaknesses in your foundation." – Dan Millman

Applicants who demonstrate musical talent but have not established a thorough grounding in the practical skills and knowledge of the guitar at the appropriate level (i.e., equivalent to Royal Conservatory of Music Grade VI) may be permitted to undertake foundation studies (MUSI 1105 & 1205) to upgrade specific musical and technical skills.

If you have no formal training, applicants may still be considered if you can demonstrate an appropriate level of musical knowledge, skill, and literacy. All applicants will be tested/interviewed at the audition to ascertain this.

To be eligible to register for these courses, students must be able to demonstrate the following skills:

Basic music reading abilities (sight-reading modern music notation in 1st position).
Basic knowledge of major, minor, and pentatonic scales.
Practical knowledge of common major, minor and dominant seventh chords.
Perform two pieces of contrasting style, learned from written music, minimum level equivalent to Royal Conservatory of Music Grade IV.
Perform one study or etude, minimum level equivalent to Royal Conservatory of Music Grade IV

NOTE: Auditions must be played on a nylon-string or an acoustic guitar.

Examples of the Musical and Technical Level of the Repertoire to Qualify to Register for MUSI 1105 – Foundation I

Lágrima – Francisco Tárrega
Choros – Domingo Semenzato
Der Fuggerin Tanz – Melchior Neusidler
Mrs. Winter's Jump – John Dowland
Petite valse des cinq cordes – Francis Kleynjans
Allegretto, Opus 50, No. 22 – Mauro Giuliani
Andante, Opus 35, No. 13 – Fernando Sor
Etudes Simples, No. 5 – Leo Brouwer
Rondo, Opus 241, No. 34 Ferdinando Carulli

The above is only a guide. Instructors assisting students who are preparing for an audition should use discretion and make appropriate choices that best reflect the candidate's musicality and technical abilities.

Students must provide, at the time of the interview, ONE EXTRA COPY of the music they will be performing.

First-Year Applicants

Applicants for first-year must demonstrate musical skills, knowledge and musicianship equivalent to the level of Royal Conservatory of Music Grade VI. However, possession of a conservatory certificate is certainly not necessary.

Examples of Repertoire Appropriate for Entry into the First Year of the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts Program - Guitar Concentration

Pavane III – Luis Milán
Bourrée (From Lute Suite BMV 996) – Johann Sebastian Bach
Divertimento – Mauro Giuliani
Waltz – José Ferrer
Adelita (Mazurka) – Francisco Tárrega
So Unusual – Caról van Feggelen
Chicago Style Blues – William Beauvais
Moderato, Opus 35, No. 17 – Fernando Sor
Etude, Opus 100, No. 12 – Mauro Giuliani
Etudes simples, No. 6 – Leo Brouwer
Lesson 18, Las cuartas lecciones – Julio Sagreras
Prelude No. 4, Cinq preludes – Heitor Villa-Lobos

Examples of Repertoire Appropriate for Entry into the First Year of the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts Program - Guitar Performance

Allemande (From Lute Suite BMV 996) – Johann Sebastian Bach
Ciacona – Silvius Leopold Weiss
Mazurka en sol – Francisco Tårrega
Caprichio arabe – Francisco Tarrega
Granada – Isaac Albeniz
Julia Florida – Augustin Barrios Mangore
Vals Venezolano, No. 3 – Antonio Lauro
Danza caracteristica – Leo Brouwer
Allegretto moderato, Opus 6, No. 11 – Fernando Sor
Allegro, Opus 60, No. 20 – Matteo Carcassi
Etude No. 1, Douze etudes – Heitor Villa-Lobos

Transfer Students

In addition to the general admission requirements to Kwantlen, students from another institution wishing to transfer into the second or third year of the BMMA (Guitar) degree program are expected to prepare the following:

Second Year Admission
Students wishing to transfer into second-year should prepare to play three pieces of contrasting style and tempo as well as two studies (or etudes), one focusing in on the right-hand and the other on the left-hand. The musical and technical difficulty of the pieces should be a minimum level equivalent to Royal Conservatory of Music Grade VII. Applicants should also be able to play major, harmonic and melodic minor scales (two octaves) up to and including four sharps and four flats.

Third Year Admission
Students wishing to transfer into third-year of the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts degree program should prepare to play a twenty-minute program of contrasting styles and tempos. Applicants should also be able to play major, harmonic and melodic minor scales (two & three octaves) up to and including four sharps and four flats.

Third Year Admission - Performance
Students wishing to transfer into third-year of the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts degree as a Performance Major should prepare to play a forty-five minute program of contrasting styles and tempos, and ideally incorporating one multi-movement composition or suite. Applicants should also be able to play major, harmonic and melodic minor scales (two & three octaves) up to and including four sharps and four flats.