Music

The Residential High School Music Audition

All Residential High School Music auditions will include an audition, a demonstration of musicianship, and an interview.

Demonstration of Musicianship

• After hearing a music pattern clapped once, clap the pattern.
• After hearing a pitch played once at the piano, sing that pitch.
• After hearing a chord played once at the piano, sing that chord’s highest or lowest pitch.
• After hearing a short melodic pattern played once at the piano, sing the pattern.

The Vocal Audition

All vocalists perform their solos with a piano accompanist that is provided by the Governor's School. Vocalists should bring a copy of the piano accompaniment for the two solos to the audition (a photo copy is permissible). MP3 tracks, karaoke tracks, and outside accompanists are not allowed.

Vocal Audition Process

• Students audition in small groups of no more than six students.
• Students take turns singing their two solos in front of the audition group. Students may or may not be allowed to sing your entire solo. It may be a time issue or that the adjudicators have heard all they need to hear to make a decision (which can be a good thing!), so do not read too much into this.
• After the solos, the group will wait outside the audition room.
• Students will be called back in the room, one at a time, for sight singing, the demonstration of musicianship, and the interview.
• The interview will not be long or formal. Be prepared to speak about past experiences, future goals, and knowledge of musical styles and performances, and ask any questions you may have.

Vocal Audition Requirements

Solos:  Select two songs from standard vocal literature which show the character and quality of your voice. Use the suggestions below to help select your solos. Students should be prepared to sing both selections from memory with piano accompaniment.

• A selection appropriate for younger singers from the 24 Italian Songs and Arias book or a traditional art song in English or another language
• Folk songs, spirituals, sacred songs or hymns, ballads, selections from musical theater, or jazz standards

Sight Reading:  Sight-sing a simple melody

The Instrumental Audition

During the audition, instrumentalists will perform the audition requirements, the demonstration of musicianship, and a brief interview. Keep in mind, the interview tends to be informal in nature, and may feel more like a conversation than an interview.

All instrumental solos are performed without piano accompaniment. Select your instrument to view the specific audition requirements.

Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba) 

• Solos:  Select two pieces / movements in contrasting styles for your instrument. Solo work(s) from the standard repertoire are suggested such as the All-State etude/solo and pieces that would be performed at the high school level for solo and ensemble festival. 
• Scales: Chromatic scale and all twelve major scales in range that is appropriate for your instrument 
• Sight Reading

Concert Harp

• Solos: Select two pieces of contrasting style from the standard harp literature. 
• Sight Reading

Percussion (Snare, Mallets, Timpani)

• Solos: Perform a solo piece for each of the three percussion areas (snare, mallets, timpani).
• Rudiments: Prepare to play basic rudiments required for Clinic All-State Band in addition to your solo piece.
• Sight Reading

Students may bring their own snare drum, or SCGSAH will provide one.

Piano

Solos: Select two pieces in contrasting styles, preferably memorized. Examples of ideal audition pieces are: 

• An Invention or Prelude and Fugue by J. S. Bach
• A sonata or sonatina movement by a Classical composer such as Clementi, Haydn, or Mozart
• A character piece by a Romantic composer such as Mendelssohn, Chopin, Schumann, or Grieg
• Any modern composition

Scales: All 24 keys, three or four octaves, hands together.

Sight Reading

Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass) 

• Solos: Select two pieces of contrasting style for the instrument (for example, one etude and one movement from a suite, sonata, or concerto).
• Scales: Major and minor scales; three octaves.
• Sight Reading

Woodwinds (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone, Bassoon)

• Solos: Select two pieces / movements in contrasting styles for your instrument. Solo work(s) from the standard repertoire are suggested such as the All-State etude/solo and pieces that would be performed at the high school level for solo and ensemble festival. 
• Scales:  Chromatic scale and all twelve major scales in range that is appropriate for your instrument.
• Sight Reading

Application Fee: $50 for all applications submitted after November 30. For those in need of financial assistance, the Application Fee Waiver on the Submission Confirmation page of the application can be submitted instead of this fee.

Tuition: Free 

Residence Hall Fee: $150, non-refundable residence hall fee

Meal Plan: $3,575 annual food services fee paid directly to Aramark Food Services. Payment plans are available.

Financial aid is available for residents of South Carolina with validated financial need.

Fees and Financial Aid