Vocal Arts Prospective Students
This page is designed to assist students interested in attending the Schwob School of Music as a vocal student. Below are helpful links outlining audition dates, audition requirements, and frequently asked questions. If a student wishes to schedule a visit or is having trouble completing on-line forms for auditions, they should contact the Schwob School of Music's Enrollment Coordinator, Mrs. Debra Tommey.
Campus Visit Information Spring 2025
- Monday, January 13, 2025
- Monday, February 10, 2025
- Monday, March 10, 2025
- Monday, April 21, 2025
Note: For scheduling a campus visit, please select one of the dates above and e-mail Dr. Joshua May at may_joshua@columbusstate.edu to let us know which date works best for you to attend our student shadow day experience at the Schwob School of Music with our students and faculty. Prospective students will get to meet our current students to attend classes, have a free trial lesson with a voice faculty member, tour of our facilities, and be part of our ensembles for the day. If one of these dates doesn‘t work for you, please let us know in your e-mail.
Audition Information 2024–2025
Audition Dates
- Friday, January 24, 2025
- Saturday, January 25, 2025
- Friday, February 21, 2025
- Saturday, March 1, 2025
- Friday, March 14, 2025
Note: For Fall 2024 entrance, Spring 2025 entrance, or special audition times due to conflict, please email Dr. Joshua May at may_joshua3@columbusstate.edu
Audition Requirements
Undergraduates: Two contrasting songs from memory sung in the original language or in English translation with piano accompaniment. Students may include one Musical Theatre song in their presentation, but the other must be from classical genre. Opera arias after the Classical period are not acceptable. You may bring a pianist, or an accompanist will be provided for you at a fee. Be prepared to sight read single line melodies (major and minor tonalities), chant/count rhythmic patterns, and sing aural memory passages. Transfer students are required to include a repertoire list of music studied at the college level. Vocal auditions will not be scheduled until all application materials are on file.
Graduate Students and Artist Diploma: Students should prepare an audition that includes English, Italian, German and French. Along with the performance of the songs listed below, prospective students will also be asked to sight-read basic melodies in major and minor keys and chant/count rhythmic patterns. Students pursuing the MM in Vocal Performance and the Artist Diploma should bring a repertoire list and a performance resumé.
- Early English or Early Italian art song/aria
- German Lied
- French mélodie
- operatic aria
- 20th or 21st Century English Art Song
Musical Theatre Performance Certificate (MTC) Requirements
Application Documents
Apply to Columbus State University. Deadline is 4 weeks prior to your audition.
Sign up for a music audition through the Schwob School of Music website.
Honors Program Honors Scholarship and Admission Application Deadline for Scholarship application can be found on the Honors College webpage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to audition?
Yes. Every music student MUST audition to be accepted into the music department. If
you do not audition, you will not be able to take lessons or any music major course.
Am I allowed to schedule an audition if I am only conditionally accepted to Columbus
State University?
It is best if you apply to the University at least 4 weeks prior to your audition
date. You may schedule an audition as long as your materials are on file with the
University Admissions and you have received a conditional acceptance. Most students
will be conditionally accepted pending their final GPA and transcripts from their
high school. If you have questions regarding your acceptance, please contact our Enrollment
Coordinator, Mrs. Debra Tommey at 706-649-7224.
Where should I live?
All freshman are now required to live on campus unless they are a nontraditional student
or live within a certain radius of the campus. It is best for music students to live
in the RiverPark Housing. The dorms on RiverPark Campus are only one block from the music building, where
a music student will be spending most of his/her day. Most music students will have
only one or two classes on the main campus each semester either in the morning or
evening hours. There is a shuttle that runs between campuses that makes traveling
between campuses easy. The shuttle even has WIFI!
IMPERATIVE: Once you know you will be attending CSU, it is very important that you reserve a room on the RiverPark Campus as early as possible. Demand is growing for dorms on the downtown campus and some music students have been unable to secure one for their freshman year.
When should I visit?
It is best to visit when classes are in session so that you are able to see current
students and classes in action. You will be able to attend classes with our current
students, sit in on ensemble rehearsals, explore our campus with a guided tour, and
have a trial lesson with one of our voice faculty members. We can schedule this visit
with you and your family to come to campus. We encourage you to visit on a Monday,
Wednesday, or Friday for the 2024 spring semester.
Who do I contact about scheduling a visit?
Please contact the voice area coordinator, Dr. Joshua May, via e-mail to schedule you campus visit.
When will I know if I am accepted into the Vocal Area?
Letters regarding your audition results should be received in mid April after our
scheduled audition days are completed.
Will I be eligible for a Music Scholarship?
Students auditioning on or before April are automatically eligible for a music scholarship
that would begin in the Fall of the following year. The last audition date for scholarship
consideration is clearly marked in the Audition Dates above. If a student cannot attend
our published audition dates, they should contact Dr. Joshua May at may_joshua3@columbusstate.edu to schedule an audition time. Any audition heard after our last listed date for scholarship
consideration will not be eligible for a scholarship.
When will I know if I received a music Scholarship?
Students will be notified of scholarship funds offered to them usually by mid April.
A letter with a contract will be sent outlining scholarships to each student's home
address.
With whom will I study voice?
Students will be able to express their preference for a voice teacher when they receive
their admission contracts in the mail in April. Students may rank the instructors
with whom they would most like to study and return the preference card in the mail.
Assignments will be made keeping student preference in mind. However, the vocal area
cannot guarantee an incoming student he/she will work with a particular instructor
because each instructor only has so many open slots to fill each year.
Do you have questions that were not answered here?
Contact Dr. Joshua May, voice area coordinator.
