Private Lessons

Students enrolled in applied piano take weekly private applied one-hour lessons with our piano faculty.

Master Class

Studio class meets weekly for an hour. The piano area regularly hosts nationally and internationally known guest artists.

Piano Project

An annual collaboration among piano students and faculty who put together an evening concert of piano music centered around a particular theme.

Accompaniment

Students receive regular coachings with piano faculty each semester to assist with on-campus accompanying preparation. Since ISU has no staff accompanist, ambitious students earn considerable money through additional accompanying work.

Piano Pedagogy Project

In conjunction with piano pedagogy class, the project pairs pedagogy students with young beginning pianists for supervised piano lessons, guided by the ISU faculty.

Undergraduate Pianists

1. Three contrasting piano works from different style periods: one Baroque, one Classical, and one Romantic or 20th/21st century. Works should be concert repertoire, not popular music.
2. Three-octave major and minor scales and arpeggios.
3. Auditioning students may be asked to sight-read.

For Music Education and Piano Performance applicants, all works must be performed from memory. For other applicants, at least one work must be performed from memory.

If you are uncertain about how to choose pieces for your audition, we can suggest the four-volume "Audition Repertoire for the Advancing Pianist: Two Stylistically Balanced and Technically Diverse Programs," edited by Jane Magrath, published by Alfred. Volumes 3-4 are suitable for Undergraduate Music Education and Piano Performance auditions; Volumes 2-4 are suitable for other Undergraduate Music Major auditions; Volumes 1-4 are suitable for Undergraduate Music Minor auditions. It is important to choose all pieces from the same program within one of these books, as the pieces are designed to complement one another.

Jazz Piano Auditions

Note: All students auditioning for acceptance into the B.M. in Jazz Studies sequence must complete two separate auditions: one classical audition on your instrument (see each studio’s requirements) and also a jazz audition (requirements listed below.)

1. Play major and minor scales two octaves ascending and descending including natural, harmonic, and melodic minor forms.
2. At least one prepared bebop melody (head) selected from: Billie’s Bounce, Au Privave, Blues for Alice, Confirmation, Anthropology or Ornithology.
3. Play a solo improvisation outlining the chord progression to:
   • A standard jazz blues progression in Bb or F.
   • A tune from the jazz standard repertoire that contrasts the blues selection. Suggestions for this would include: All the Things You Are, There Will Never Be Another You, Rhythm Changes, Autumn Leaves, Ladybird or something similar.
4. Comp using good jazz voicings over the progressions you select for your solo improvisations.
5. Sight read a selection provided at the audition.

Note: For numbers 2 - 4, students may use a play-along device of their choosing if desired such as “I-Real Pro” or they may choose to play un-accompanied.

Graduate Piano Performance, Music Therapy, and Music Education Applicants

Present three works that present a balanced program of different stylistic periods showcasing your technical and musical development.  These must be performed from memory. If you live outside of Illinois, you may audition live on campus or via video/audio recording.

Graduate Collaborative Piano Applicants

1. A substantial solo piece that showcases your technical and musical development. This work must be performed from memory.
2. A major work for instrument and piano (not a concerto or other orchestral transcription). This must be performed with the instrumentalist.
3. An art song from the standard repertory that has a substantial piano part (No arias). This must be performed with the singer.

If you are auditioning live at ISU, you may either use ISU collaborating students, or bring your own collaborators. If you use ISU collaborators, you will need to work with a list of approved repertoire; a new repertoire list is created each school year – contact Professor Tuyen Tonnu for details. If you are bringing your own partners or submitting a video/audio recording, you may choose your own repertoire from the standard repertory within the above guidelines. Auditioning students may be asked to sight read.

Graduate Jazz Piano Auditions

1. Play major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor (ascending version only), major modes, diminished, whole tone, and blues scales in all keys. Scales should be played two octaves ascending and descending.
2. Comp and improvise over a standard jazz blues progression in Bb or F in a swing style at a tempo of quarter note = 140 or above.
3. Play melody, comp, and improvise to a standard jazz tune in a swing style at a tempo of quarter note = 120 or above. Suggestions include: All the Things You Are, Stella by Starlight, Have You Met Miss Jones, What Is This Thing Called Love, or something similar.
4. Play melody, comp, and improvise to bebop or Rhythm Changes tune at a tempo of quarter note = 160 or above. Suggestions include: Groovin’ High, Scrapple from the Apple, Afternoon in Paris, Au Privave, Blues for Alice, Anthropology, or Ornithology.
5. Sight-read a selection provided at the audition.

Note: For numbers 2 - 4, students may use a play-along device of their choosing, such as “I-Real Pro.” If a play-along option is available at the audition, then it will likely be used. If not, a student may need to play unaccompanied.

On Campus

• Piano area recitals, jury recognition recitals, convocation concerts, community outreach concerts, and degree recitals.
• Interested piano students are encouraged to participate in the annual Concerto-Aria Competition, small and large chamber ensembles, Wind Bands, and the Illinois State University Symphony Orchestra.
• Other performance opportunities include premiering works written by students from the Composition Department.
• Piano majors have the opportunity to become an accompanist for one of our seven choirs, or a pianist for one of our many exciting instrumental ensembles.
• Pianists interested in jazz piano can play with one of our three jazz ensembles.

Off Campus

• Local retirement centers concert series and annual MTNA Young Artist Competitions.

Teaching opportunities

Opportunities to teach are available through:

• Community School for the Arts
• Metcalf Music Society

• Daniel Shapiro, Professor of Piano, Cleveland Institute of Music
• Uriel Tsachor, Professor of Piano, University of Iowa
• Michael Brown, pianist-composer, winner of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career Grant