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UK School of Music

Graduate Voice Auditions

Greetings from UK!

We are happy that you are considering the University of Kentucky for your graduate studies in voice. This attachment is designed to provide you with useful information for preparing your visit and audition on campus. If you have further inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me. You may also want to learn more about the School of Music by visiting our web site at http://www.uky.edu/FineArts/Music/. All information is subject to change until the Graduate School Bulletin for academic year 2008-09 is published. The current bulletin is available on the web.

The spring 2008 graduate Voice audition dates are Friday and Saturday, February 1-2 and Thursday and Friday, February 28-29. If you are able to come during the second weekend of auditions, you will be able to attend The UK Opera Program’s production of Hänsel and Gretel (February 29 and March 1). Please contact Meriah Kruse tkrus2@email.uky.edu to reserve a complimentary ticket.

We are also happy to announce a major scholarship competition at UK: the Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition, to take place on Sunday, March 2. This competition is by nomination only based on the entrance auditions. The Alltech competition designates two awards for graduate students, with a first prize of $10,000.00 plus a full tuition scholarship and monthly stipend, and a second prize of $7,500.00 plus a full tuition scholarship and monthly stipend. Alltech http://www.alltech.com is a global animal health company headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, and the title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held from the 25th of September until the 10th of October 2010, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. Alltech provides natural, nutritional solutions to the animal feed industry with offices in 85 countries around the world. If you are nominated for the Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition, based on your UK entrance audition, you must compete in person on March 2, 2006. Please let us know which of the following dates you would like to audition at UK using the online Audition Registration Form. Please give a first and second choice and indicate if you are planning to stay to take the required entrance exam.

Graduate Voice Audition Dates

We are usually able to accommodate the weekend you choose, and it would be helpful for me to know if you are available both days. If, during a given weekend, you can sing either day, that allows room to schedule those with specific conflicts. If you are not able to audition on any of these dates, please contact us to arrange another time. For information on where to stay during your audition, see the UK Visitors Center.

General information:

1. All students must take the general portion of the GRE and be accepted by the University as well as by the School of Music.

2. The School of Music requires entrance exams in music history and theory. In addition, the voice area requires an entrance exam. Please note that these exams are entrance exams and that a certain amount of proficiency is required before acceptance into the program. Entrance exams are offered on audition weekends. Please note that we now have new dates for Entrance Exams for new graduate applicants. These are:

2nd Saturday of November
1st Saturday of February
1st Saturday of March
3rd Saturday of June

If you are unable to take the exam during the audition weekends, you will need to secure and pay for a proctor on an alternate date. Inquiries about these exams should be directed to Dr. Joanne Filkins at jmfilk00@uky.edu. There is also useful information about exam preparation on the UK website.

3. In addition to applying to the School of Music, you must also apply to the Graduate School of the University of Kentucky. This is separate application that must be executed in order to be considered for admission.

4. We cannot accept you officially into the program or offer scholarships until your application is complete. For best consideration, completed applications should be in by February 1. Your application must contain the following for financial Scholarship considerations and Teaching Assistantships:

  1. GRE
  2. School of Music/Voice entrance exams
  3. 3 Letters of Recommendation
  4. All other requirements set forth in the Graduate Application. Complete information on applying for Graduate music programs is located online.

Audition Information:

  1. Once we receive your preferences as to audition dates, you will be assigned an audition date in time to make flight arrangements. If for some reason you will need to arrive at UK on the same day as you plan to audition, particularly if flying, please let us know! You will be sent the exact time of day and audition location approximately one week before your scheduled visit.
  2. Auditions will very likely be in the Singletary Center for the Arts. Directions can be found on the UK website.
  3. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled time.
  4. Please provide 5 typed copies of your audition program (not music) for the faculty.
  5. Provide one copy of music for the accompanist (an accompanist will be provided).
  6. Provide a resume and, if possible, a headshot (you do not need to have one specially made).

Audition Requirements:

  1. 15 minutes of music, which are varied in style/language and display a range of technical facility. You should prepare the following:
    1. One opera aria
    2. One oratorio selection
    3. One song in English
    4. 1-2 songs in a foreign language
  2. You will choose the first song, and the faculty will choose the other selections.
  3. Expect to sing 2 or 3 pieces.
  4. The purpose of the voice audition is for admission into the program and scholarship consideration including the nomination to Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition.

For any questions concerning your audition, please contact Audition Coordinator Sarah Klopfenstein. I should be able to answer any question that you may have about the university.

Due to the number of auditionees on audition weekends, we are not able to schedule individual lessons, however, if you are interested in a certain teacher, you should endeavor to contact that teacher to schedule a time that you can meet later in the semester.

Again, thank you for your interest in the vocal program at the University of Kentucky. We look forward to meeting you and hearing you sing!

All best wishes,

Sincerely,

Sarah Klopfenstein
Irailuda Rodrigues
Vocal Audition Coordinators

For
Everett McCorvey, D.M.A.
Professor of Voice
Coordinator of Vocal Area
Director, UK Opera Theatre
Lexington Opera Society Endowed Chair in Opera Studies
(859) 257-9331