Conservatory Ensemble Information

Below you will find information for the Conservatory ensembles that require an audition. You are welcome to audition for any ensemble for which you meet the prerequisites. If you play another instrument other than your major or sing you are welcome to audition for ensembles with that instrument.

Required auditions will scheduled for you and sent by email from the Registrar's Office. The audition will be under ten minutes in duration. See the orientation schedule on the current student page for audition dates.

For more information regarding all ensembles click here or read the Collegiate Catalog.

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Conservatory in the Schools (interview required)
Community Service Project/Music to Go!
Audition requirement: one piece or movement, or for vocalists, one song or aria This audition will take place at the time of each instruments' general audition.

Click on the link below to see specific information for your instrument.

Orchestral Instruments
Guitar Majors
Keyboard Instrument Majors
Voice Majors

Conservatory Orchestra
All orchestral instrument majors (apart from Chamber Music majors) must audition for orchestra. More information can be found by going to Conservatory Orchestra website.
This audition will be scheduled for you.

Conservatory Baroque-Instrumental
Audition requirement: one movement of any baroque composition

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Elisabeth Reed, baroque cellist, to the faculty. Elisabeth will join Corey Jamason as co-director of the baroque ensemble. Elisabeth Reed, apart from being a remarkable cellist is also a wonderful viola da gamba player and will offer coachings on viola da gambas that may be borrowed to any and all interested students in the ensemble.

Fall Concerts:

1. Vivaldi Four Seasons and other Vivaldi Concertos 2. Chamber music of Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann

Spring Concerts:

1. Charpentier and Vivaldi in collaboration with vocal ensemble 2. Orchestral music of Lully and Rameau 3. French baroque chamber music

New Music Ensemble/Blueprint (more info)
No extra audition repertoire required other than the orchestral excerpts used for Conservatory Orchestra. This audition will take place at the same time as the Conservatory Orchestra audition.

Chamber Music: Strings and Piano
Audition requirement: one solo piece or movement This audition will take place at the same time as the Conservatory Orchestra audition.

Chamber Music: Woodwind
No extra audition repertoire required other than the orchestral excerpts an solo piece used for Conservatory Orchestra. This audition will take place at the same time as the Conservatory Orchestra audition.

Chamber Music: Brass
No extra audition repertoire required other than the orchestral excerpts an solo piece used for Conservatory Orchestra.. This audition will take place at the same time as the Conservatory Orchestra audition.

Jazz Improvisation Workshop
Audition requirement: prepare one jazz "standard" If you do not know any standards then be prepared to improvise.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Guitar Ensemble
Audition requirement: one solo piece or movement
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Conservatory Baroque-Instrumental
Audition requirement: one movement of any baroque composition

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Elisabeth Reed, baroque cellist, to the faculty. Elisabeth will join Corey Jamason as co-director of the baroque ensemble. Elisabeth Reed, apart from being a remarkable cellist is also a wonderful viola da gamba player and will offer coachings on viola da gambas that may be borrowed to any and all interested students in the ensemble.

Fall Concerts:

3. Vivaldi Four Seasons and other Vivaldi Concertos 4. Chamber music of Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann

Spring Concerts:

4. Charpentier and Vivaldi in collaboration with vocal ensemble 5. Orchestral music of Lully and Rameau 6. French baroque chamber music

This audition will happen at the same time as your guitar ensemble audition.

Jazz Improvisation Workshop
Audition requirement: one jazz "standard" If you do not know any standards then be prepared to improvise.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Chamber Music: Strings and Piano
Audition requirement: one solo piece or movement and sight-reading
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Conservatory Baroque-Instrumental
Audition Requirement: one movement of any baroque composition

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Elisabeth Reed, baroque cellist, to the faculty. Elisabeth will join Corey Jamason as co-director of the baroque ensemble. Elisabeth Reed, apart from being a remarkable cellist is also a wonderful viola da gamba player and will offer coachings on viola da gambas that may be borrowed to any and all interested students in the ensemble.

Fall Concerts:

5. Vivaldi Four Seasons and other Vivaldi Concertos 6. Chamber music of Vivaldi, Bach, Telemann

Spring Concerts:

7. Charpentier and Vivaldi in collaboration with vocal ensemble 8. Orchestral music of Lully and Rameau 9. French baroque chamber music

Jazz Improvisation Workshop
Audition requirement: one jazz "standard" If you do not know any standards then be prepared to improvise.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Read me!

Click here for a letter from the chairs of the vocal department

Conservatory Baroque-Vocal
Audition requirement: any baroque aria

Fall Concert: Solo Cantatas of Antonio Vivaldi
Spring Production: Charpentier Les Arts Florissants and Vivaldi Gloria
Spring Concert: Solo French cantatas

Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

New Music Ensemble/Blueprint (more info)
Specific audition repertoire and date of audition is not yet set. Please check back later.

Musical Theatre Workshop
Audition requirement: two contrasting musical theatre pieces, one must be by Stephen Sondheim

2007-2008 will be a very exciting year for the Musical Theatre Workshops under the direction of Heather Carolo and musical director Bryan Nies. In the fall, the Main Workshop and the Advanced Workshop will perform together for an amazing evening of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and Lucy Simon's The Secret Garden. The show will have two performances in November. Both workshop's will also be concentrating on audition technique and building strong performance skills.

In the spring of 2008, the Main Workshop will perform an incredible review based on the musicals of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty including; Ragtime, Once on this Island, A Man of No Importance and many more. The advanced workshop will perform the beautiful and poignant song cycle Myths and Hymns by The Light in the Piazza composer Adam Guettel.

Auditions for the spring productions will be in December.

Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Jazz Improvisation Workshop
Audition requirement: one jazz "standard" If you do not know any standards then be prepared to improvise.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Opera Workshop
Audition requirement: two contrasting arias, sophomore standing required for Beginning Opera Workshop, junior standing required for Advanced Opera Workshop, successful completion of 303/304 Stage Basics

The Opera Program of the San Francisco Conservatory is an integrated training, performance and career curriculum which addresses the many elements facing students who wish to become working professionals in the field. The Opera Workshop and Opera Theatre provide a range of training and performance opportunities for them.

There are four sections of Opera Workshop; the Beginning Workshop and three sections of Advanced Opera Workshop. Scene assignments are made at the beginning of the semester, and the workshops culminate in public performances of opera scenes, in several styles and languages, with a conductor and piano accompaniment. One section, "Preparing a Role" is devoted to performing one act operas. Special attention is also given to audition techniques, aria coaching and the performance of recitative.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Opera Theater
Auditions for both the fall and the spring operas will occur on Sept 15th and 16th with call-backs on Sept. 17th.
The fall production will be a condensed version of Mozart's The Magic Flute, directed by Heather Carolo with musical direction by Kathy Cathcart and pianist Darryl Cooper. The opera will be double cast and performed in English. The opera will be performed at two different Elementary Schools and as well as 4 performances on December 15 and 16 at the Conservatory in the Concert Hall with piano and conductor. This production will be fully costumed and use touring sets. The role of Sarastro will mainly be a narrator. The roles of the three spirits will be played by SFCM students. Please prepare the excerpts for your audition using Marcie Stapp's English translation which may be found in the SFCM library.

The spring opera production will be Cavalli's L'Egisto and will be performed in Italian with full orchestra and costumes April 11-14, 2008. It will be directed by Richard Harrell with Musical Direction by Kathy Cathcart and Musical Coaching by Darryl Cooper. Please note: If cast in this opera it means you must give up your spring break for additional rehearsals. Many roles in this production will also be double cast. Excerpts are on reserve in the SFCM Library. (For a list of the required L'Egisto and The Magic Flute excerpts, refer to the bottom of the voice department letter posted at the beginning the voice ensemble section.) Opera Theatre is open to all voice majors, freshman through post-graduate.

Operatic Stage Direction:
Audition requirement: No additional repertoire needed, completion of a minimum of one semester of Opera Workshop at SFCM.
Sign-up for your audition time on Wed. Aug., 22 outside room 408.

Preparing a Role
Auditions take place in April for the following fall semester
The class will prepare and present one-act operas in workshop setting. The course will give the participants the opportunity to learn and prepare an entire opera role. Participants will audition during the previous semester and will assigned at that time. This allows singers to prepare musically well before the class begins which maximizes staging time. Prerequisite: one completed semester of Opera Workshop and audition.
The class will prepare and present one-act operas in workshop setting. The course will give the participants the opportunity to learn and prepare an entire opera role. Participants will audition during the previous semester and will assigned at that time. This allows singers to prepare musically well before the class begins which maximizes staging time. Prerequisite: one completed semester of Opera Workshop and audition.

New Class! Audition Workshop for Singers
Prerequisite: second year master's students in voice and postgraduate diploma candidates in voice, with two arias already prepared-no audition necessary

Specifically designed for students who will be graduating and auditioning for jobs in the opera/musical theater business. Includes instruction in creating a resume and the business of singing, as well as specific dramatic instruction on each student's two audition arias. The class will culminate in a mock audition for a panel of directors/professionals in the business, where the student will receive immediate feedback on all aspects of the audition.