Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion

Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Ensemble Placement Auditions - DFOM Students

If you have any questions, please contact the faculty member listed below.

Audition Times

Audition Venue

The Woodwind Brass and Percussion Ensemble Placement Audition will be held in-person at the Desautels Faculty of Music in Tache 2, room 145.

Audition Instructions

Please prepare the following 3 orchestral/solo and 2 wind band excerpts which are provided in PDF’s in your instrument specific folder on this webpage. Prepare the entire excerpt unless specific portions are indicated on the PDF or listed below. If ever in doubt, contact your major practical study teacher for clarification on these requirements. Note the scheduled time for your studio. Please arrive warmed-up 15 min in advance to draw your number for the blind audition and complete/submit the audition form.

Required audition excerpts for enrolled Desautels Faculty of Music students

Please note: The following excerpts are compressed folders containing multiple excerpts that you will need to download in order to access.

Prescribed Excerpts
InstrumentExcerpts
   Flute
  • Mozart - Concerto in G Major, Mvt 1 Exposition

  • Brahms - Symphony No. 4, Mvt 4, mm 89-105

  • Saint-Saens - Le carnaval des animaux “Voliere”

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 31 - 59

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 15 – 35

     

Piccolo (optional) 

 

  • Grainger – Molly on the Shore, m. 25 – 75 (skip rests)

  • Alarcon – Duende Mvt 2,  – m. 97 - end

   Oboe
  • Mozart – Concerto 

  • Brahms – Violin Concerto, Adagio

  • Ravel – Le Tombeau de Couperin

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 31 - 59

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 54 – 65

     

Bassoon
  • Bach - Orchestral Suite #1 – Overture

  • Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade

  • Stravinsky - Firebird – Berceuse

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 19 – 27; m. 123 - 147

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 54 – 84

     

 Clarinet
  • Beethoven – Symphony No. 6, mvt. 1

  • Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 3, mvt 2 (mm. 8-67)

  • Shostakovich – Symphony No. 9, mvt. 2 and mvt. 3

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 2 - 51

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 11 – 25

     

Bass Clarinet
  • Gershwin: An American in Paris, [15] to [17]

  • Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis, Mvt. IV, eight before [A] to eight after [A]

  • Bernstein/Lavender: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, “Cool,” pickup to [581] to [589]

  • Grainger – Molly on the Shore, m. 19 - 59

  • Alarcon – Duende Mvt 2, m. 1 – m. 11

     

Saxophone       
  • Bedard - Sonata I - mov't 1

  • Massanet – Meditation

  • Albright - Sonata - mov't 3

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 67 - 99

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 25 – m. 40; m. 101 – end

     

Trumpet
  • Beethoven – Leonore

  • Prokofiev – Lieutenant Kije

  • Getchell – choose either #86 or #87

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 59 – 75; m. 147 - 155

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 20 – 23; m. 35 – 54

     

    Horn
  • Tchiakovsky - Symphony No. 4, mvt. 1

  • Beethoven - Symphony No. 6, mvt. 3

  • Brahms - Symphony No. 1, mvt. 2

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 91 – 99; m. 115 - 131

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 51 – m. 80

     

Trombone
  • Bernstein - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, mm. 666-685

  • Saint-Saens - Symphony No. 3, rehearsal Q until 2nd measure of rehearsal S (omit the eleven measures of rest at rehearsal R)

  • Mahler - Symphony No. 3, 3rd measure of rehearsal 13 until rehearsal 17

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 123 - 147

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 25-54

     

Euphonium              
  • Mussorgsky – Bydlo

  • Strauss – Don Quixote

  • Russell Bennett – Symphonic Songs, Celebration

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 71 - 99

  • Alarcon - Duende *Mvt 1 – m. 107 – 135

     

    Tuba
  • Wagner - Die Meistersinger

  • Holst - The planets, Jupiter

  • Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 6, mvt. 3

  • Grainger - Molly on the Shore, m. 123 – 147

  • Alarcon - Duende Mvt 2, m. 72 – 97

     

Percussion

 

Bernstein – Westside Story (vibes)

  • 581-589 and 620-632

Beethoven – Symphony No. 7 (timpani)

  • Movement 1: 27 after Vivace to 2 after C and 421 to End 

  • Movement 4: 3 before k to the end 

Dvorak – Carnival (tambourine)

  • Top to C with no repeats 

  • T to the end with all 5 measure rests compressed to 2 measures

Alarcon - Duende – Mvt 2, Perc (flamenco box drum)

  • m. 5 – 25

Gandolfi – Vientos y Tangos (xylophone)

  • m. 216 - 246

     

Concert Band

Concert Band Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the faculty member listed below.

Audition Times

Audition Venue 

If you select the live audition option, Dr. Jacquie Dawson, Director of Bands, will be in touch in early August with your specific audition time and location

Audition Instructions

The University of Manitoba Concert Band is now open to all UM students and community musicians. Auditions are being accepted for the 2025-2026 academic year. The audition material for the Concert Band are the 2025 Manitoba Senior Honour Band scales and etudes which are now available on the Manitoba Band Association website: https://www.mbband.org/honour-bands/senior-honour-band 

 

You may submit a video audition anytime until Friday, August 22, 2025, or you may audition in person at the Desautels Faculty of Music on Monday, August 25, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Video auditions require each etude and scale to be sent in one link/file. The preferred platform is a private YouTube link. If you plan to audition by video submission or in-person, complete and submit the form below no later than Friday, August 1st, 2025. 

Please send all video audition submissions to Dr. Jacquie Dawson at jacqueline.dawson@umanitoba.ca

 

The form below is for non-DFOM students.

2025-2026 UM Concert Band Audition Form

Musical Theatre and Opera Theatre

Musical Theatre and Opera Theatre Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate contact listed below.

Audition Times

*Students may audition on either day but new undergraduate and graduate students should audition on a TBD date

Audition Venue

The Opera Theatre and Musical Theatre Ensemble auditions will be held in-person at the Desautels Faculty of Music in TBD

An accompanist will be provided. Students must have a double-sided legible copy of their sheet music for the accompanist. Please do not sing acapella.

Audition Instructions

Audition Registration & Sign Ups
All voice students will be placed into either the Opera Theatre Ensemble or the Musical Theatre Ensemble by audition. Please review the instructions below carefully and submit the registration form by TBD. 

Musical Theatre and Opera Theatre Ensemble Registration Form

Students should sign-up for their audition using the following link. Students should choose only one audition time, and should not remove the name of another student who has signed up. Please avoid leaving gaps when you sign up for your time. If there are too many gaps your time will be changed.
Audition requirements for Musical Theatre

Students must prepare one musical theatre or Gilbert & Sullivan piece of their choosing no more than four [4] minutes long.  Please prepare a piece that demonstrates your ability to create a great character arc, suits your vocal range and shows you at your vocal best!  All songs must be performed by memory so please choose something with which you are very familiar! 

In the event that students cannot find an appropriate selection or are having difficulty sourcing a score, backing track (For personal rehearsal only) and score links are offered below to assist students.

1. Bad, Bad Man (Lower voices)
2. Good Thing Going (Medium & Higher voices)
3. Gorgeous (Lower & Medium voices)
4. Why Did I Choose You (Medium & Higher voices)

Backing Tracks

Audition requirements for Opera Theatre

For students whose first choice is to be placed in the Opera Theatre Ensemble, please prepare and memorize a short aria or art song of no longer than four [4] minutes. The auditions will be in person and a pianist will be provided. 

Concert Choir

Concert Choir Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the faculty member listed below.

Rehearsal Times

  • Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 in the Vocal Arts Room 266 Tache 2, cross the walkway across from the library and turn left
  • First Rehearsal: September 10, no auditions after this date

Concert Dates

  • Winter concert date: November 28, 2025
  • Spring concert date: March 28, 2026

Audition Times

Audition Venue and Directions

The Concert Choir auditions will be held in-person at the Desautels Faculty of Music in Tache 1, room 211

Room 211 is just down the hall when you turn right after entering through the corner doors at Dafoe Road and Maclean Crescent.

Audition Instructions

Auditions for the 2025-26 UM Concert Choir season are Wednesday, August 27, and Thursday, August 28, 2025. If you are out of town or have conflicts with the audition dates, the director is available for audition times outside these dates by appointment beginning July 21. Please email Dr. Robbins at catherine.robbins@umanitoba.ca if you require a different date or would like to meet earlier.  All auditions for UMCC take place in T211 of the Desautels Faculty of Music in Dr. Robbins’ office. No auditions will take place once rehearsals begin on Wednesday, September 10 in room T266 Tache Arts Complex. 

Audition requirements for Concert Choir

Auditions focus for the most part on range/tessitura, singing tone, and tonal memory, and include a brief chat about your past choir and musical experience. If you’d like to sing a short section of a song you have prepared (any style), it would be welcome. Auditions are friendly and quite informal in nature.

Book an audition for UM Concert Choir

University Singers and Upper Voices

University Singers and Upper Voices Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the faculty member listed below.

Rehearsal Times

Audition Times

Audition Venue

University Singers and Upper Voices auditions will be held in room 225 at the Desautels Faculty of Music, 150 Dafoe Rd. 

Audition Sign-Up Instructions

Sign-up below to book and audition on August 27-29, 2025. If you will not have arrived in Winnipeg by August 29th, OR if you would prefer to audition earlier in August, please contact Dr. Elroy Friesen directly at elroy.friesen@umanitoba.ca 

Audition requirements for University Singers and Upper Voices

Please bring a solo of your own choice (any style – pop, classical, jazz, traditional etc.).  This can be sung with piano (bring sheet music and Elroy can play for you) or you can choose to use a soundtrack or sing a cappella.  The audition will also include some vocalizing to hear range and vocal colour, as well as some simple sight-reading (assisted as needed).

Book an audition for UM Singers and Upper Voices

University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra

UMSO Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate contact listed below.

Audition Time

Audition Venue

All auditions will take place at Desautels Faculty of Music – Taché Hall, Room 266

Audition Instructions

This year’s auditions will be visible (no screen), at the request of the Music Director.

All Desautels Faculty of Music (DFoM) string students (except guitarists) must audition for UMSO. Based on this audition, all string students will be placed into a secondary, smaller ensemble. Non-music UM students and community members are welcome to audition for UMSO and will be placed as appropriate.

All string students must complete the ensemble audition registration form before attending the audition.

Registration deadline: Prior to the audition on Thursday, August 28, 2025

Video submissions are allowed primarily if someone has illness or is currently out-of-the-country. We will require all video submissions to be uploaded prior to the live audition. 

Deadline for video submission: Tuesday, August 26, 2025 by 4:30 PM 

Please upload your video and send a link to the Orchestra Coordinator:
📧 Minna Chungminna.chung@umanitoba.ca

Required audition pieces

One solo piece of your choice (approx. 3–5 minutes), such as:

For Principal/Leadership Role Consideration:

 

By Year of Study:

 

Non-Music Majors & Community Members:

Helpful tips to prepare for your strings audition

Important Reminders

 

Summary Checklist

Feeling unsure about an excerpt? Don’t stress—many students are learning these for the first time! With a bit of research and focused practice, you’ll be well on your way.

Get Started with Online Resources:

There are excellent tools available to help you prepare, for example if you are a cellist:

OrchestraExcerpts.com: A great website with practice tips and recordings for many standard orchestral excerpts.

Spotify Playlists:

Orchestral Excerpts for Cello – Spotify Channel
Hear how your excerpts are played in professional recordings.

Masterclasses:

London Symphony Orchestra – Cello Excerpts Masterclass
Learn bowing, phrasing, and interpretation directly from pros.

Cello-specific resources from OrchestraExcerpts.com

(Many of these resources are helpful for all string players, not just cellists.)

If you need more assistance, email the Area Head, Dr. Minna Rose Chung, at minna.chung@umanitoba.ca for guidance and possible lessons with a graduate student to help prepare the audition repertoire.

Strings ensemble audition registration form

Strings ensemble audition time form

Piano

Piano Ensemble Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate contact listed below.

Audition Time

Audition Venue

Piano ensemble auditions will be held in-person at Desautels Faculty of Music in TBD

Audition Instructions

All piano students are placed into a second ensemble: 

  • 1st & 2nd year students register for Accompanying 1 & 2. 
  • 3rd and 4th year, post-baccalaureate and masters students are assigned into a chamber ensemble. 

All Piano students will meet individually with the Piano faculty to confirm their studio assignment schedule. These brief meetings will take place in David Moroz's studio (Taché 226) on TBD.

Collaborative Piano students should prepare a short solo OR piano part of a chamber music piece (excerpt performed with or without instrument/voice) and bring a copy of their complete class schedule with them.

Please submit the registration form and sign-up for an audition time below no later than TBD. 

Piano ensemble registration form

Piano ensemble audition sign-ups

Jazz

Jazz Ensemble Auditions

If you have any questions, please contact the appropriate contact listed below.

Jazz Ensembles & Rehearsal Times

Audition Video Submission

The deadline for submission of video auditions for the 2025 -2026 school year is Friday, August 15, 2025.

Audition videos should be submitted in the following ways: 
 
Jazz student audition video submission:

Non-jazz student applicants auditioning for UMJO:

 Non-jazz student applicants auditioning for a small jazz ensemble:

For any questions regarding ensembles and the audition process, please email Fabio Ragnelli

Audition Instructions

All instrumental jazz students will register for a small ensemble and all jazz vocal students will register for UMJVE (use MUSC X184 for both). All students also require a second ensemble (MUSC X190) which will be a second ensemble (to be determined).

Please note that small ensemble rehearsal times will be decided on during the first jazz masterclass, Friday, September 6th, 2024. In order to expedite this process, please submit your "Week at a Glance" as a PDF (both semesters) when submitting your audition video and take note that ensemble rehearsal times (both coached and uncoached) are the same time throughout the entire academic year due to room availability.

Jazz students can also participate in non-jazz ensembles. Students interested in a non-jazz ensemble should email Fabio Ragnelli as soon as possible if they are interested in auditioning for a non-jazz ensemble.

Non-jazz and non-music students of any instrument are welcome to audition for small jazz ensembles. Trumpet and trombone players are encouraged to audition for UMJO. Any vocalists interested in auditioning for UMJVE should email Karly Epp to determine eligibility. 

Students will submit their recorded audition for UMJO along with their other jazz ensemble materials on our online portal.

All students wishing to audition must fill out the form below: 
Jazz Ensembles Registration Form
Audition requirements for jazz students:  

Auditions may be recorded with a play-along track or a metronome at a medium or medium-up tempo. 

All students should record the head in and two choruses of solo. 
Drummers should play the rhythm of the melody on the drums for the head in.  

Pianists, guitarists, and drummers should play one chorus of comping after their solo choruses.  

Bassists should play a chorus of walking after their solo choruses.  

Vocalists should choose the key most appropriate for their voice.

An out-head is not required.  
  
Audition requirements for non-jazz students:  
Non-jazz students auditioning for a small ensemble should choose a tune from the list above that they feel is most appropriate for their ability level and follow the same instructions. In most cases, small ensemble participants will be expected to bring in written-out arrangements for their ensemble and be able to solo. If you are unsure of whether or not you should audition, please email Fabio Ragnelli.  

 Non-jazz students auditioning for UMJO should prepare the PDF excerpt for their instrument provided below. Those wishing to be considered for solo opportunities in UMJO should also prepare three choruses of solo over a Bb blues. Soloing is not required from non-jazz students in the audition or the ensemble.

Audition instructions and instrument audition excerpts (compressed folder for download)