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UK School of Music

Undergraduate Voice Auditions

Greetings from UK!

We are happy that you are considering the University of Kentucky for your undergraduate 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 us. You may also want to learn more about the School of Music by visiting our web site. All information is subject to change until the Undergraduate Bulletin for academic year 2007-08 is published. The current bulletin is available online.

The spring 2008 audition dates for undergraduate voice are Friday and Saturday, February 1-2 and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, February 28-March 1. 

We are also happy to announce a major scholarship competition at UK: the Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition, to take place on Sunday, March 2, 2008 . 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.  The Undergraduate Prizes are offered by the William Schmidt Foundation and will be a first prize of $5,000 and a second prize of $2,500.  Alltech 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 – 10th 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, 2008.  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.

Undergraduate Voice Audition Dates:

February 1 or 2, 2008

February 28, 29 or March 1*, 2008

We are usually able to accommodate the weekend you choose, and it would be helpful for us to know if you are available for both the Friday and Saturday dates. 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, check the resources from the UK Visitors Center.

*Please note: Voice auditions on Saturday, March 1 will only be scheduled after all time slots on February 28 and 29 are filled. Do not select March 1 as your preferred date.

Undergraduate General information:

  1. All students must make an application to the University of Kentucky as well as the UK School of Music.
  2. The University requires that every undergraduate student take either the ACT or the SAT as part of the entrance requirement.
  3. We cannot accept you officially into the program or confirm your Choral Grant-in-aid (scholarship) until your application is complete. Information about undergraduate admissions can be found online.
  4. Choral Grants-in-aid are awarded based on the quality of the audition and the needs of the choral program.

Audition Information:

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.

  1. Auditions will be in the Singletary Center for the Arts. Directions can be found on the Singletary Center's website.
  2. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes ahead of your scheduled time.
  3. Provide one copy of music for the accompanist (an accompanist will be provided).

Audition Requirements:

  1. Please prepare two vocal selections which are varied in style/language and display a range of technical facility.
  2. The voice faculty will choose one of these selections to be heard.
  3. The purpose of the voice audition is for admission into the program and for Choral Grant-in-aid consideration including the nomination to Alltech Opera Scholarship Competition.

For any questions concerning the audition itself, please contact Dr. Jefferson Johnson jeff.johnson@uky.edu. For questions about scheduling, contact Dwight Newton dwight.newton@uky.edu.

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,

Dr. Jefferson Johnson
Director of Choral Activities
Director of Choirs
(859) 257-5897

Dwight Newton
Dwight Newton, Public Information
University of Kentucky School of Music
859-257-1808