Welcome prospective students!
Thank you for your interest in the College of Saint Rose. This page is here to provide you with information on auditioning for our program, as well as the opportunities available for students who enroll at this school. Feel free to contact me (Dr. Wise) with any questions via the contact page on this site.
All applicants to the music department at Saint Rose must pass an audition in order to be admitted to the program. The audition will be for a committee of 2-4 faculty members in your discipline. A typical woodwind audition will consist of the following:
- A scale of your choice.
- Two contrasting solos at a NYSSMA level 5 or higher. They do not have to be from the same piece.
- Sightreading provided by the committee.
- Do your research. Know the parameters of the audition and make sure that what you prepared lines up. The good news is that simply by reading this you are fulfilling this portion of the preparation, at least for a Saint Rose audition!
- Contact your prospective applied instructor ahead of time. We can answer any questions about the program you may have, and are often available for exploratory lessons. There is no better way to get a feel for what your experience will be like than to get to know your potential private teacher.
- Dress professionally. Most people have different ideas as to what constitutes professional attire, but we can all agree that jeans, t-shirts, sweats, and sneakers don't fit the bill!
- Be sure that everything you play is in a steady tempo and rhythmically accurate. Don't take the time to correct wrong notes; interruption of the pulse is of greater consequence to the listener than a momentary clam.
- Select your tempi carefully. It is more impressive to play something accurately and cleanly a little slowly than to go for the maximum tempo, which often results in sloppy technique.
- Look for ways to demonstrate your understanding of a piece of music beyond a simple conveyance of the notes on the page. A little individuality in your performance is a good way to make yourself stand out from the pack.
Opportunities at the College of Saint Rose
Instrumental Ensembles
Solo Performance
- The Saint Rose Wind Ensemble- Dr. Robert Hansbrough, director
An auditioned group of our finest wind instrumentalists, performing two to three full concerts per semester. The Wind Ensemble regularly performs some of the most highly regarded and challenging works in the wind literature, including works by Schwantner, Maslanka, Grainger, Husa, Hindemith, Holst, Vaughan Williams, as well as some of Saint Rose's own music faculty: Dr. Bruce Roter and Ralph Hays.
- The Saint Rose Orchestra- Dr. David Bebe, director
An auditioned group of strings and select winds, performing two full concerts per semester and one joint performance per year with the St. Rose Masterworks Chorale. One concert each year features student winners of the annual concerto competition and composition competition. - Symphonic Band- Stephanie Boice, director
A well-rounded ensemble whose membership includes music majors, students from outside the music department, and community members. - Chamber music
The Saint Rose music department features numerous opportunities to perform in small ensembles, including woodwind quintet, chamber winds, and several instrumental choirs, all coached by Saint Rose faculty.
Solo Performance
- Convocation
On Fridays, the entire St. Rose music department gathers to hear their peers perform solo works with piano. Exceptional performances may result in an invitation to perform in the Honors Convocation at the end of each semester. - Senior recital
The culmination of four years of study, every Music Education and Bachelor of Arts student gives a full recital during their senior year. - Senior playback
Senior Music Industry students get to display the end result of their studies with a presentation of original composition, songwriting, and arrangement in their final Capstone project.
