Audition Requirements

Applicants must submit a screening video with the application to be considered for the live auditions. Applicants will be notified in January of their live audition status.

Applicants must submit a screening video with the application to be considered for the live auditions. Applicants will be notified in January of their live audition status.

Prescreening

Applicants should prepare a video recording between 10–15 minutes in length containing the following.

  • One solo work (not for piccolo trumpet): Either a movement of a standard concerto or sonata (not to exceed 8 minutes) or a single movement solo work (not to exceed 8 minutes). Longer works or individual movements recorded with cuts are acceptable.

  • Three contrasting standard orchestral excerpts.

Live Audition (if advanced)

Undergraduate applicants are expected to prepare the following.

  • Two contrasting études from Bousquet, Brandt, Charlier, or equivalent

  • Adolphus Hailstork Variations for Trumpet (measure 75 to the end)

  • One movement of a sonata (Hindemith, Kennan, or equivalent) or a complete single movement work from the standard repertoire (Enescu, Bozza, or equivalent)

  • One complete concerto: Haydn, Hummel, Arutunian, or equivalent

  • 3–5 contrasting standard orchestral excerpts

Applicants must display at least rudimentary knowledge of transposition. Sight reading may be asked.

Graduate-level applicants are expected to prepare the following.

  • Two contrasting études from Charlier, Bitsch, or equivalent

  • Adolphus Hailstork Variations for Trumpet (complete)

  • Arthur Honegger Intrada

  • One complete concerto: Haydn, Hummel, Tomasi, Jolivet, or equivalent

  • 5 contrasting standard orchestral excerpts, including one for piccolo trumpet

You may be asked to sight read.

About Curtis

Curtis Institute Trumpets Win the National Trumpet Competition

Curtis Institute Trumpets Win the National Trumpet Competition

The Curtis brass department integrates new students from the moment they arrive into the full musical life of the school. Working with distinguished artist-faculty members, brass players study orchestral, solo, and concerto repertoire in private lessons, play in brass quintets and other chamber ensembles, perform in a brass choir with all brass students and play in weekly studios classes - in addition to the many rehearsals and concerts of the Curtis Orchestra. Because of the small number of students enrolled at Curtis each year, each student gets constant playing opportunities and assignments.

Curtis aims to educate and train musicians for 21st-century careers as performers on the highest professional level, through a unique "learn by doing" approach. Students can expect to perform often on the Student Recital Series and in other school-sponsored recitals from the very beginning of their Curtis careers.

Applicants who are admitted enter either the bachelor of music or master of music programs, or the post-baccalaureate diploma program. Those who already hold bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees or other certificates or diplomas are welcome to apply to the diploma program.