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Undergraduate Auditions

Undergraduate Auditions Overview

  • Beginning with Fall 2025 admissions, the Department of Music will only audition prospective B.Mus. in Music students in the following specializations: Piano, Strings (Violin, Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass), and Vocal Arts. Students who play other instruments are invited to consider the B.A. in Music degree, which does not require an audition. (Please see the Overview of Undergraduate Programs page for more information.)
  • First-round prescreen (video) auditions are required for all B.Mus. applicants, including incoming 1st year students, incoming transfer students, and current UCI students seeking to add the B.Mus. in Music as a major. Prescreen video submissions are due in early December.
  • Applicants who pass the first-round prescreen audition will be invited to a second-round, in-person audition. Second-round auditions are held at UCI, during the Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. During the audition weekend, the department hosts noon panels each day featuring current students and faculty, and answers questions from applicants and their families and supporters.
  • Repertoire and deadlines for auditions are detailed below and updated each year as needed.
  • Please see our Auditions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for more information.

Audition instructions for prospective students entering in Fall 2026

First-round prescreen auditions:

1.    View the "Prescreen Audition Video Requirements" and "Undergraduate Prescreen Audition Repertoire Requirements" below.
2.    Submit your prescreen audition here by 11:59 pm on December 1st, 2025. 
3.    Applicants will receive their prescreening audition result no later than January 5, 2026. Those who pass the prescreening will be invited to attend a second round audition, to take place during the weekend of January 17-18, 2026.

Second-round auditions:

1.    A second audition is required for all applicants who pass the prescreen.
2.    The audition day and time will be assigned and sent no later than January 12th, 2026.
3.    Refer to Dates and Deadlines at UCI Undergraduate Admissions for final admission decisions, timelines, and more.

Prescreen Audition Video Requirements

  • Perform ONLY repertoire which meets the stated requirements below. If you have questions about the repertoire, contact the faculty member listed as a contact on the Repertoire Requirements page for your instrument.
  • Submit unlisted YouTube VIDEO links only, not audio-only files (We must see as well as hear you. Unlisted links preserve your privacy from search).
  • Clearly state your name and the repertoire you will be performing at the start of each video.
  • Verify your links work and that permissions are set correctly before submitting. We do not troubleshoot broken links; auditions that cannot be accessed may not be considered.
  • If applying for more than one instrument, submit links separately. Do not combine multiple instruments in one submission.

Prescreen Repertoire Requirements (Undergraduate)

Please use the links below to find the repertoire requirements for your instrument. If you do not see your instrument listed below, it is not a program that is offered at UCI.

Piano
Strings (Violin, Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass) 
Vocal Arts

Second-round Audition Dates, January 17 and 18, 2026

In-person auditions for fall admission are arranged as follows:

Saturday, January 17th

  • Piano 
  • Strings (Violin)
  • Vocal Arts

Sunday, January 18th

  • Piano
  • Strings (Viola, Violoncello, and Double Bass)
  • Vocal Arts

Doors open at 9:00 am (PST). Auditions begin at 10:00 am (Unless specified differently).

If you are unable to travel to UCI on the audition weekend, you may submit an exception request for a different time by emailing music@uci.edu. We cannot guarantee that exception requests will be accommodated.

Music Department Student/Parent Info Sessions:

Please join us for a Welcome and Overview of the Music Department and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts!

Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Winifred Smith Hall.

Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM in Winifred Smith Hall.

Claire Trevor School of the Arts & UCI Campus Tours

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