Audition & Interview Guidelines

An integral part of selecting our entering class is our unique audition & interview experience, designed to help you show your strengths while helping us assess your talent and potential to succeed in Berklee's highly charged and dynamic environment. Although there is a general format for the audition & interview, each experience is unique—just like you. Berklee considers all applicants for both admission and scholarship through the audition & interview process.

The audition is formatted to assess students' overall musicianship because Berklee students take core music classes including harmony, ear training, and arranging in addition to private instrumental studies and ensembles. We take a holistic approach in our evaluation process. Each component of the audition helps the audition team assess your overall abilities as a musician and your potential for success at the college level.

Although each component is important, we recognize it is common for applicants to have imbalances in their playing abilities. We realize that many applicants may not have advanced skills in improvisation, reading, ear training, or multiple musical styles. Our curriculum materials are designed to help students build skills in these areas.

The interview is an open discussion about your goals and aspirations with an admissions representative. We are interested in finding out what inspired you to pursue music, why you chose Berklee, and what you will bring to the Berklee community.

You should come to your audition & interview prepared to show us what you've got.

Logistics

Please plan to arrive at the audition site no later than 30 minutes before your warm-up time in order to prepare. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to accommodate any travel delays.

The Audition

Prior to your audition, you will have 15 minutes to warm up on your instrument and review the reading material. The audition will be 15 minutes long and will consist of the following parts:

  • a prepared piece of your choice
  • a reading selection (if you can)
  • simple-form blues
  • an optional improvisation over a standard jazz tune or harmonic vamp
  • melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic ear training exercises

At the discretion of each audition team, technical exercises and/or a jam with the audition team might be part of your audition.

The Interview

You will participate in a 15-minute interview with our admissions representative to discuss your goals and aspirations, and what you will bring to Berklee. The board of admissions encourages applicants to share their creative work. Instead of bringing supplemental material to your interview, please provide a link to Youtube, MySpace, or a personal website when you submit your application.

Audition Invitations & Locations

Applicants will be invited to their audition & interview via email approximately one week from the submission of the online application for admission. Due to the demand in certain cities, applicants may be scheduled for their audition & interview in Boston regardless of their preference for one of our tour locations. Due to space limitations in all our remote cities, the majority of applicants will complete their audition & interview in Boston.

At our Boston campus, most audition rooms are equipped with a piano, a drum set, guitar and bass amplifiers, a PA system, a CD player, and music stands. Vocalists may choose to bring a microphone and cable in Boston but it is not necessary. At all our remote audition locations, the audition rooms are equipped with a piano, a drum set, guitar and bass amplifiers, a microphone, a PA system, a CD player, and music stands.

Audition Checklist

  • If you require accompaniment for your prepared piece, you may bring an accompanist, a play-along CD, or an iPod.
  • You must bring your instrument to the audition if you play acoustic or electric bass, brass, guitar, hand percussion, a string instrument (including the harp, mandolin, and banjo), or woodwinds.
  • Bass players, guitarists, and string players (including mandolin and banjo players) are reminded to bring a tuner, an instrument cable(s), and any effects needed for their prepared piece.
  • The college provides amplifiers for guitarists and bass players.
  • Vocalists may choose to bring their microphone and a cable for their prepared piece.
  • The college provides a standard drum set with cymbals for drum set players. Double-bass pedals are not provided.
  • Drummers should bring their sticks as well as a practice pad to use in the warm-up room, as most warm-up rooms will not have a drum set.
  • Due to rental limitations when we travel, total percussion principals are required to audition and interview in Boston.

For a detailed description of the audition components, please click on the instrumental department links below:

  • Bass
    Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
  • Brass
    Baritone Horn, Bass Trombone, French Horn, Trombone, Trumpet, Tuba
  • Guitar
  • Percussion
    Drum Set, Hand Percussion, Marimba, Total Percussion, Vibraphone
  • Piano
  • Strings
    Banjo, Cello, Harp, Mandolin, Viola, Violin
  • Voice
  • Woodwinds
    Bassoon, Clarinet, Flute, Oboe, Saxophone