Wells School of Music

All West Chester University students — regardless of major or class year — are welcome to join a choral ensemble! All our choirs require an audition. Each student will be placed in an ensemble that best fits their goals and needs. It is important for the directors to know every student in the ensemble as an individual, and this audition appointment helps kickstart that process.

AUDITION FORMAT

For your choral audition, you will be asked to perform the following:

• Solo Song: Please prepare a short song excerpt. The piece should demonstrate the overall quality of your singing. Arias, art songs, folk songs, hymns, jazz standards, and pop tunes are all acceptable representative pieces. ("Happy Birthday" is fine!) Please limit your selection to 1 minute in length. You may sing unaccompanied or bring sheet music for an accompanist – someone will be available to play for you.
• Range Exercises/Vocalises: Each singer will be asked to sing a few vocalises (“warm-up” sequences) so that the directors can get a more thorough understanding of their ranges and tone qualities.
• Pitch Memory: Each student will also be asked to sing some short tonal memory exercises. The director will play a series of four to six pitches and ask you to repeat them on your own.
• Sight Reading: Each student will be given short musical examples to read unaccompanied via screen share. A starting pitch will be given, and you will have a short period to look over the example. Do your best, but don’t stress out. It is important that we get to know you as much as possible so that we place you in the choral ensemble where you will grow the most—and have the most fun.

AUDITION DATES & SIGN-UPS

Fall 2025 Audition Dates:

Date	Event
Saturday, August 23	Junior and Senior Voice Majors and Former Concert Choir members only
Sunday, August 24	All Choirs
Monday, August 25	All Choirs
Tuesday, August 26	All choirs, except Mastersingers and Concert Choir (Appointment times will be released as needed.)

Concert Choir Callbacks will be held on Monday, August 25 from 7:30-9pm in Room 320.  This is a mandatory requirement for enrollment in Concert Choir. Only students invited to callbacks will be required to attend this session.

Links for audition sign-ups and the information form are live on August 1.

Fall 2025 Choral Audition Sign-Ups

Please be sure to write down your audition date and time and fill out the information form before your audition.

2025 Audition Information Form

Everyone must fill out the Audition Info Form before the audition. It is online and requires that you attach a copy of your schedule (pdf, screenshot, jpg, or link). Please fill this out before your audition so we can review it before your appointment. You will need to be logged in with your WCU account (@wcupa.edu) in order to fill out the form.

String Seating Auditions for the Fall 2025 WCUSO will be administered through video submission. Video recordings must be uploaded by 5 PM on Friday, August 22.

Video Submission Instructions:

• Recordings do NOT need to be done with any specific equipment. Please make sure, however, that you and your instrument are clearly visible and that the audio level is high enough for you to be heard easily.
• Please begin your recording by introducing yourself – your first and last names (as well as your preferred name/nickname if different).
• Please record music in the order listed below.
• You can pause between selections, but all excerpts must be recorded as one continuous, unedited take.
• Please name the file using the following convention – “YOUR FIRST NAME_YOUR LAST NAME_YOUR INSTRUMENT.”
• Please upload your recording NO LATER THAN 5 PM ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, to the appropriate folder listed below the audition requirements:

Music for Seating Auditions

Violin (use Violin I part) -

Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 4 in F Minor

• Mvt. 1: Violin 1, nine bars after V-end (no repeat; play second ending)
• Mvt. 2: Violin 1, one bar before A to eight bars after B
•  Mvt. 4: Violin 1, beginning to B

Viola -

Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 4 in F Minor

• Mvt. 4: nine bars after C to E

Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis

• Mvt. 1: four bars before B through four bars after C
• Mvt. 2: six bars after I to five bars after P

Cello -  

Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis

• Mvt. 2: L to O

Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 4 in F Minor

• Mvt. 1: Moderato con anima after A for eight measures
• Mvt. 2: 21 bars before A to A

Bass -

Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis

• Mvt. 1: four bars before B to 8 bars before D (quarter = 100/108)
• Mvt. 4: six bars after beginning to 8 bars after A (half-note = 75/80)

Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 4 in F Minor

• Mvt. 1: six bars before B to C (dotted quarter = 80/85)
• Mvt. 1: P to 10 bars after Q

Upload audition videos at the links below:

Questions?  Contact Maestro Bryan at pbryan@wcupa.edu

Brass and Woodwind Auditions will be held Sunday, August 24 in the Swope Music Building. Students can sign up for audition times by accessing the Fall 2025 Woodwind and Brass Audition Form below. Times have been determined based on the availability of your studio professors. Since ensembles begin rehearsal Monday, August 25, no alternate audition times will be available.

For the audition, you should prepare excerpts from the PDF provided for your instrument as well as major scales. A sight-reading example may also be provided.

Questions? Contact Dr. Yozviak at ayozviak@wcupa.edu

Jazz Auditions will be held Monday and Tuesday August 25 and 26 at times outlined on sign-up sheet in Room 141 of the Swope Music Building.  

For the 2025-26 season LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE will be audition-based. If you are interested in participating, please sign-up for an audition.

Questions? Contact Professor Ragonese at jragonese@wcupa.edu

The Swope Music Building at West Chester University offers a wide array of practice facilities for your use including eight Piano Major Practice Rooms (with Grand Pianos), 32 Standard Practice Rooms (most with Upright Pianos), a Percussion Practice Suite, three Organ Practice Rooms, a Harpsichord Room, a Reed Room, and Piano Pedagogy Room. Practice facilities are free for students to use for the duration of their enrollment in a Wells School of Music degree program at West Chester University. All music majors may have access to the Standard Practice Rooms with non-music majors enrolled in an ensemble or taking lessons through the Community Music Program having access on weekends only until the end of the 12th week of each fall and spring semester. However, students may only have access to the specialized facilities if they are enrolled in major lessons respective to those facilities; their Ram-e-Cards will be automatically programmed based on scheduled lessons. While practice facilities are free for students' use, students will be financially responsible for any damages incurred to the practice facilities during their use as determined by the Wells School of Music Administration. A valid Ram-e-Card is required to access the practice rooms.

The Presser Music Library is located on the first floor of Swope and is available to all members of the University community and to members of the public who have been given a library card at the F.H. Green library.

Scores, reference books and most LP recordings are on open shelves. Materials on course or general reserve, all compact discs and anything with a call number ending in "(c)" are in a locked cabinet or reserved stacks behind the service counter, and may be requested by call number. Materials on reserve, sound recordings, reference books and scores stamped "Does not circulate" may be used only in the library. You may borrow from the rest of the collection (notably most scores) for a six-week period, with one possible renewal.

For help in locating materials or operating equipment, feel free to ask any member of the library staff to assist you. Check out the subject guide for music for more information and additional resources.

During your time in the Wells School of Music, you may want to use spaces in Swope Music Building for a variety of events or programs. Room booking is easy. Look for and reserve an available room on the WCU Space Management Website. Before booking, please review the general rules and guidelines for reserving and using spaces in Swope Music Building.

Please note that the person booking the room is responsible for the following:

• Put the room back to its original set up.
• Return all borrowed equipment (chair, tables, stands, and risers) to its original location.
• Make sure that all windows and doors are locked when you leave.
• Use the room responsibly.
• Notify the music office if this event is changed or cancelled.
• Remind your guests that the Swope Music Building is a NO SMOKING/NO ALCOHOL facility.
• There is to be absolutely NO FOOD AND/OR DRINKS IN THE ROOMS.
• There is absolutely NO FIRE OR OPEN FLAMES PERMITTED IN THE ROOMS.