Guidelines for Instrumental Pre-Screening Recordings 

• Recordings must be genuinely performed by you. 
• Your pre-screening videos do not need to be professionally recorded: A quality recording made on a smartphone, tablet, laptop/computer, or other simple recording device is acceptable.
• Each of your required pieces should be uploaded to your application as a separate file. 
  • Acceptable video file types include: .avi, .flv, .m1v, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .webm, .wmv. 
  • If you recorded a video file on an iPhone model 7 or later, you may experience difficulty uploading your file. If so, please convert your file format to one of the above acceptable video file types.
• The application system uses a timed auto logout function. If your recordings fail to upload, and you are using one of the approved filetypes, please make sure you are still logged into the system before attempting to re-upload your recordings.
• Please rename your videos before you upload them with the suggested format: Composer's last name: title. For example: Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No.3 in B Minor, Op. 61; Mozart: Piano Sonata No.10 in C Major, K330.
• Recordings must not be edited, nor should any effects such as “reverb” be added.
• Review your recordings before uploading to ensure that they are of good quality and represent your best work to date. 
• Upload your recordings to your application well in advance of the application deadline.

Applicants who successfully pass the pre-screening portion of the application process will be notified by March 15 whether they will be invited to register for an audition.  Auditions will be held at the new Tianjin campus in April, 2025. Applicants who are invited to audition live will be assigned to one of the following audition days.

April 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2025 | Tianjin
Location: Tianjin Juilliard School
Address: No. 2946 Xinhua Road, Binhai New Area, Tianjin

Please fill out our inquiry form to receive more Pre-College information.

Please note that all Pre-College programs require you to submit pre-screening materials as part of your application. The admissions committee will review the recordings and, if you pass the pre-screening round, you will be invited to a live audition.

The pre-screening and live audition repertoire requirements for all instrumental areas and composition are listed below.

Please Note: All auditions except violin, viola and cello will be conducted without piano accompaniment.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

*Students through age 11: 

1. Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves, key of the applicant's choice 
2. An étude on the level of Mazas, Kayser, or Dont (Op. 37) 
3. One piece or one movement by composers from Baroque period
4. A slow and fast movement of a concerto by a composer such as Bériot, Viotti, Rode, Bach, or Mozart 

*Students ages 12 through 14: 

1. Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves, key of the applicant's choice  
2. An étude on the level of Dont (Op. 37), Kreutzer, Fiorillo, or Rode
3. One movement from a Bach solo violin sonata or partita (BWV 1001-1006) 
4. A slow and fast movement from a concerto by a composer such as Kabalevsky, Mozart, Bruch, Wieniawski, or Lalo 

*Students age 15 and older: 

1. Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves, key of the applicant's choice  
2. An étude on the level of Rode, Dont (Op. 35), Paganini, or Wieniawski 
3. A slow and fast movement from a substantial Romantic or Contemporary concerto 
4. Two contrasting movements from a Bach solo violin sonata or partita (BWV 1001-1006)

*All auditions must be performed from memory. Violin applicants will complete the live audition with a piano accompanist from The Tianjin Juilliard School.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition 

*Students through age 12: 

1. Two scales and arpeggios: 3 octaves, one major, one minor, slurred, moderate tempo 
2. Two contrasting movements of a solo Bach cello suite 
3. An étude by Kayser, Kreutzer, Dont, Rode, Campagnoli, or Fiorillo 
4. Two movements of the Telemann Concerto or a movement of a concerto by Handel/Casadesus, J.C. Bach/Casadesus, Stamitz, Hoffmeister, Vanhal, Dittersdorf 

*Students age 13 and older: 

1. Two scales and arpeggios: 3 octaves, one major, one minor, slurred, fast tempo 
2. Two contrasting movements of a solo Bach cello suite 
3. An étude by Kayser, Kreutzer, Dont, Rode, Campagnoli, or Fiorillo 
4. One of the following: 
   • A movement of a sonata or suite by Brahms, Schubert, Glinka, Schumann, Hindemith, Clarke, Bloch, or Vaughan-Williams 
   • A short work in one movement for viola and piano by Bruch, Enescu, Glazunov, Vieuxtemps, Weber, Carter, or Hindemith
   • Two movements of the Telemann Concerto or a movement of a concerto by Handel/Casadesus, J.C. Bach/Casadesus, Stamitz, Hoffmeister, Vanhal, Dittersdorf, Bartok, Walton, or Hindemith’s der Schwanendreher 

*Memorization is strongly encouraged for concertos and Bach. Viola applicants will complete the live audition with a piano accompanist from The Tianjin Juilliard School.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines. Please contact the Admissions Office if you would like to play a piece of equivalent level that is not on the list.  

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition 

*Students through age 14: 

1. Major and minor scales in three octaves, key of the applicant's choice  
2. An étude on the level of Schroeder Foundation Studies, Vol. 2 
3. Two contrasting movements from an unaccompanied cello suite by Bach or a comparable unaccompanied work 
4. A first or last movement of a concerto by Boccherini, Saint-Saëns, Haydn C Major, or comparable
5. A virtuoso concert piece(can be a movement from a sonata) 

*Students age 15 and older: 

1. Major and minor scales in four octaves, key of the applicant's choice  
2. An étude on the level of Duport études, Piatti, or Popper High School of Cello Playing 
3. Two contrasting movements, including a Prelude, from an unaccompanied cello Suite by Bach 
4. A first or last movement of a concerto by Lalo, Dvorak, Haydn D Major, or comparable 
5. A virtuoso concert piece(can be a movement from a sonata)

*All auditions must be performed from memory. Cello applicants will complete the live audition with a piano accompanist from The Tianjin Juilliard School.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition 

1. One scale and arpeggio in at least two octaves, preferably three, key of the applicant's choice  
2. An étude 
3. Two contrasting solo pieces

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Please note, the Harp program does not have any openings in the studio currently. However, there may be available space as we move towards next fall. Those who apply and pass the audition will be placed on the waitlist and will be considered for admission should a spot become available.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition 

*Students through age 13: 

1. An étude from Bochsa Op. 318 or an étude from Pozzoli
2. Two contrasting solo works, such as Six Sonatines for Harp by Dussek, Tema Con Variazioni by Handel, John Thomas' Minstrel's Adieu, Automne by Marcel Grandjany, or works of comparable difficulty

*Students age 14 and older: 

1. Two études from Bochsa Op. 62 or Op. 34 of contrasting style 
2. Two contrasting solo works of comparable difficulty to Tournier’s Au Matin and Glinka's Variations on a Theme of Mozart

*Applicants must audition on the pedal harp and be prepared to play solo works from memory.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition

*Students through age 11:

1. One scale in at least 2 octaves, key of your choice
2. An étude from 25 Etudes Op.60 by Matteo Carcassi
3. One piece or one movement from a work by J.S. Bach

*Students ages 12 through 15:

1. One scale of your choice from Francisco Tarrega Complete Technical Studies
2. An étude by Heitor Villa-Lobos
3. One piece or one movement from a work by J.S. Bach

*Students age 16 and older:

1. One scale of your choice from Francisco Tarrega Complete Technical Studies
2. An étude by Heitor Villa-Lobos
3. One fast movement or two contrasting movements from a work by J.S. Bach
4. Any piece by Albeniz, Granados, or Piazzolla; or a 19th or 20th-century piece originally composed for guitar by Tarrega, Brouwer, Regondi, Ponce, Lauro, Turina, Tedesco, Torroba, Barrios, Pipo, or similar

*All auditions must be performed from memory.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition 

1. Scales and arpeggios in all major and minor scales (up to 4 accidentals at least) 
2. Two études of different characters on the level of Köhler Op.33, Book 1 or 2, or Andersen Op.33 
3. One slow and one fast movement from a Baroque or Classical sonata or concerto (excluding Mozart Concerti)  
4. A short work or movement(s) from a larger work from the Romantic or 20th century period

*At least one of the audition repertoire should be played from memory.*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

1. Major and minor scales, specific key(s) to be determined by the panel at the audition 
2. Two of the 40 Progressive Melodies from the Barrett Method book 
3. Two contrasting movements from a sonata or concerto by Marcello, Cimarosa, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, Albinoni, Mozart, or a work of comparable difficulty 

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

*Students through age 13: 

1. All major and minor scales, and chromatic scale from low E to high C 
2. A slow étude 
3. One movement from a sonata or concerto comparable in difficulty to the Sonata by Vanhal or the Concerto No. 3 by Stamitz 
4. A contrasting movement to No. 3 (above), or another contrasting work 

*Students age 14 and older: 

1. All major, minor and chromatic scales 
2. An étude comparable to those by C. Rose 
3. One movement from a work comparable in difficulty to the Concerto in A Major, K. 622, by Mozart; Concerto in F Minor, Op. 73, by Weber; sonatas by Bernstein, Saint-Saëns, or Hindemith; or any of the 16 Grand Solos by Bonade 
4. A contrasting movement to No. 3 (above), or another contrasting work

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

*Students through age 13: 

1. Major and minor scales up to four sharps and four flats 
2. An étude taken from Weissenborn Studies, Vol. 1 
3. A work of the applicant's choice 

*Students age 14 and older: 

1. All major and minor scales 
2. Two études from Weissenborn Studies (advanced section), or Gambaro Studies, or Milde Scales and Chords 
3. A work of the applicant's choice

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

1. Major and minor scales 
2. Two contrasting selections. These can be:
   • Pieces or movements of pieces, such works by Balay, Barat, Bozza, Goedicke, etc.
   • And/or études/characteristic studies, such as those by Arban, Böhme, Bousquet, Goldman, etc. 

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast. 
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

1. Major and minor scales 
2. An étude by Kopprasch 
3. Two contrasting movements from the Beethoven Sonata, the Franz Strauss Concerto, Mozart concerti, Richard Strauss Concerto No.1, Saint-Saëns Morceau de Concert, or a work of comparable difficulty

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast.
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

1. Major and minor scales 
2. Two contrasting études from Bordogni/Rochut, Kopprasch, or Blazhevich Clef Studies 
3. One solo work such as Andante et Allegro by Barat, Morceau Symphonique by A. Guilmant, or Concerto No. 2 by Blazevich 

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting short works or movements from larger works. Please consider era, style, genre, tempi and character as elements of contrast.
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

1. Major Scales (at least one octave)

2. Two contrasting tuba études: One lyrical (legato) etude from Bordogni/Rochut or similar; One technical (articulated) etude from Blazhevich, Kopprasch, Arban (Complete Method for Tuba), or similar.

3. One or Two movements from a major solo work, such as

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Air and Bourree (Tuba Solo with Piano )
• Antonio Capuzzi: Andante and Rondo (arr. Philip Catelinet)
• Franz Strauss: Nocturne (arr. Rudy Emilson)
• Lebedev Alexander: Concerto in one movement
• Edward Gregson: Concerto
• Paul Hindemith: Sonata
• Ralph Vaughn Williams: Concerto

Pre-Screening

1. Snare Drum - solo of your choice
2. Mallets - solo of your choice
3. Timpani - solo of your choice
4. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition Repertoire 

Snare Drum:

1. Concert solo by Cirone, Delecluse, Peters or equivalent
2. Rudimental solo by Pratt, Wilcoxon or equivalent
3. Sight reading

Mallets: 

1. Two-mallets – Solo of your choice
2. Four-mallets – Solo of your choice (required of auditionees 15 years old and older. Optional for younger students)
3. Knowledge of all major and minor (natural, melodic, harmonic) scales and arpeggios
4. Sight reading

Timpani: 

1. Orchestral solo by Delecluse, Nick Woud, Vic Firth, Hochrainer or equivalent
2. Interval recognition
3. Sight reading

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

 Pre-Screening

1. Two contrasting works, each within 10 minutes, preferably one in a lyrical style and the other in a virtuosic style, by different composers from different eras. Movements from larger works are acceptable.
2. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your musical pre-screening videos.

 
 Live Audition Repertoire 

*Students through age 11:

1. A work by Bach, excluding the two-part inventions
2. Two contrasting movements of a classical sonata
3. A virtuosic etude
4. A work by a 19th-century composer

*Students ages 12 through 15:

1. A work by Bach, excluding the two-part inventions
2. A complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (excluding Op. 49)
3. A virtuosic etude
4. A Romantic work by Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninov

*Students age 16 and older:

1. A complete work by Bach, excluding all inventions
2. A complete sonata by Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven (excluding Op. 49 and Op. 79)
3. A substantial Romantic work by Chopin, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninov
4. A work by a 20th or a 21st-century composer

*All auditions must be performed from memory.

*The live audition and the prescreening repertoire may overlap, as long as both programs adhere to the guidelines.

Pre-Screening

All applicants must submit two or more scores of the student's original compositions. The scores may be handwritten (if neat and legible), or computer generated.

1. You may upload recordings of your compositions to your application, but recordings are not necessary. No fully electronic/midi compositions will be accepted.
2. Upload each of your compositions as a separate pdf file before the application deadline.
3. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your primary instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction video along with your other pre-screening materials.
    

Live Audition

1. Interview and Audition: Applicants will meet with members of the faculty to present their music and discuss various topics of interest. Applicants will also be asked to perform briefly (5-7 minutes) on an instrument of their choice from a work that best represents their ability on that instrument.
2. Composition Assignment: Applicants will be given a special composition assignment to be handwritten on the day of the audition. The details of the assignment will be determined by the composition faculty. Applicants may use their own writing supplies and will be given two hours to complete their work. The School will provide each applicant with access to a private room with a piano.

Pre-Screening

1. A standard 17th or 18th century classical Italian song sung in Italian, for example: Caro mio ben, Sebben credule, O del mio dolce ardor, Ombra mai fu, Lascia ch'io pianga.
2. A standard Chinese art song, for example: Nostalgia (思乡), Three wishes of the Rose (玫瑰三愿), How can I help but think of you (叫我如何不想他), I reside at the top of Yangtze River (我住长江头), Waves of Huge River Flowing Eastward (大江东去).
   • Please record the two songs above separately with piano accompaniment. You need to sing from memory without any microphone.
3. Please record a 1-2 minute video introducing yourself, in English. Tell us your name, age, school, where you are from, your instrument, and something interesting about yourself. Please upload your English self-introduction videos along with your musical pre-screening videos.

Live Audition

1. The faculty will choose one song from your pre-screening repertoire for you to sing live from memory. Piano accompaniment will be provided by Tianjin Juilliard.
2. The faculty will interact with you on site. Vocalizing practices will be included.