Music Assessment
BEAM welcomes pre-high school students and students of 10th - 12th grades. We have two curriculum directions: classical music and contemporary music. The classical music direction includes majors in voice, instrumental music (such as woodwind, brass, percussion, string, keyboard, classical guitar, harp), composition, and conducting. The contemporary direction includes majors in music theatre, voice (popular), contemporary instrumental performance (electric guitar, electric bass, jazz piano, jazz trumpet, jazz drum), electronic music production, songwriting and film scoring.
Audition Requirements
Classical Programs
Voice
a. A Chinese art song
b. A foreign song：
A song from the 17th or the 18th century in Italian, French, German, or English
c. Speaking
Speak/act a line from any opera in Italian, German, English or Chinese (under 1 minute)
Instrumental Music
Piano
a. An etude (at a difficulty level above Czerny Op.740 )
b. A Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach
c. A classical sonata, allegro, rondo or variation movement
d. A piece of your choice
Strings
Violin Viola Cello Double Bass
a. Any set of major and relative-minor scale and arpeggio (Violin and viola students must play both single note and double notes)
b. An etude of your choice
c. A piece of your choice
Woodwind & Brass
Woodwinds
Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon Saxophone
Brass
French Horn Trumpet Trombone Euphonium Tuba
a. Any set of major and relative-minor scale and arpeggio, in legato-tongued and staccato articulations, at least two octaves
b. An etude of your choice
c. A piece of your choice
Percussion
Please play the following items respectively:
Snare drums
a. A rhythmic etude
b. A technique etude
Keyboard Percussion (Marimba)
a. Any set of major and relative-minor scale and arpeggio
b. A piece of your choice
Optional Timpani Playing
Classical Guitar
a. Two Segovia scales (from 24 major and minor scales) of your choice
b. An etude of your choice (at least 2 minutes)
c. A Renaissance or Baroque piece
d. A piece of your choice
Harp
a. A Baroque piece
b. A piece of your choice
Composition
a. Paper test: to compose an art song, including the piano part, based on given lyrics
b. Live performance:
1. Piano performance*
(1) Three pieces of your choice
an etude with difficulty level above Czerny Op.740
a fugal piece
a sonata or other piece
* Candidates may play a second instrument (optional)
(2) Two pieces composed by the candidate
2. Solfège
(oral test)
Conducting
a. Conducting performance: to conduct an orchestral piece, a movement from a symphony, or two choir pieces (with piano accompaniment)
b. Piano performance*
Three pieces of your choice
an etude with difficulty level above Czerny Op.740
a fugal piece
a sonata or other piece
* Candidates may play a second instrument (optional)
c. Solfège
(oral test)
Contemporary Programs
Music Theatre
a. Singing: prepare two songs from classical musicals (Chinese and foreign);
b. Dancing: a repertoire of your choice;
c. Acting: recite a poem/a section of literature/theatrical monologue (90 seconds minimum)
Contemporary Voice
a. A song in Chinese or English from memory (3-5 minutes in length, choose songs that demonstrate your voice quality and techniques
b. A set of major and minor scale and arpeggio in your voice range (ascending and descending)
c. Improvisation
Applicants are required to improvise a short melody based on given chords
Contemporary Instrumental Music
Electric Guitar or Electric Bass
a. Two solo works of different styles that demonstrate your musical interests and capabilities
b. Scale
Ascending and descending scale in any position
(major, minor or modal)
c. Improvisation and techniques
Improvise according to the teacher’s requirements to demonstrate improvisation and performance skills
Jazz Instruments (jazz piano, jazz trumpet)
a. Two pieces in different styles, keys and rhythms (each piece must contain an improvisational section)
b. Scales
Blues and modal scales (e.g. Dorian, Phrygian)
c. Improvisation
Improvise in different jazz styles according to the teacher's requirements
Jazz Drum
a. Two pieces in different styles (Swing/Funk/Pop/R&B/Blues)
Candidates may use a minus-one play-along track
b. Perform basic drum skills:
Paradiddle, hand to hand flams, open double stroke roll, closed or buzz roll
c. Sight Reading
Sight read according to the given music score
Electronic Music Production
a. Submit one piece of electronic music in any musical style and by any platform (a minimum of 2 minutes and 3 different instruments/tones)
b. Interview
Candidates must bring their own computer to play the piece and explain the concept, structure, the choice of instruments/tones, and answer any questions about the work
c. Instrumental performance
Perform an instrument (preferably piano; a piece at a difficulty level above Czerny Op. 740; memorization is not required).
Other instruments combined with singing or improvisation are also allowed. Playing one’s original work may earn extra points.
Songwriting
a. Submit an original song with lyrics and the accompaniment part (must include complete theme and refrain), in score or sound recording format
b. Paper test
Compose a song with piano, guitar or other instrumental accompaniment part with given lyrics.
c. Interview
1. Explain the composition concept and process to the interviewers and answer any question they may have
2. Within a certain time limit, improvise an accompaniment part for piano, guitar or other instruments for a given song, and perform the song (both singing and playing the accompaniment part)
3. Perform a piece of your choice on an instrument of your choice
Film Scoring
a. Submit an original audio track, related audio engineering files, and scores (1 - 5 minutes in length)
b. Interview
Explain the composition details, your knowledge in music production software, your prior musical experience, and answer any question that the interviewers may have
c. Instrumental Performance
Perform an instrument (preferably piano; a piece at a difficulty level above Czerny Op. 740; memorization is not required)
Other instruments combined with singing or improvisation are also allowed. Playing one’s original work may earn extra points.
