Bachelor of Music

Conservatory-level undergraduate degree with majors in performance and music studies, within a research university.

Department

Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music

Awarding body

Not stated on the pages we checked

Official award

Bachelor of MusicBM

Award family

BM / BMusA Bachelor of Music or BMus, exactly as titled by the awarding institution.

Qualification level

Bachelor’s degree

Qualification standing

Academic qualificationA degree, or a certificate or diploma awarded by a degree-awarding institution within a national qualifications framework.

Orientation

Orientation not published

Previous degree required

Not published

No program-level accreditation or validation record has been verified yet. That does not mean none exists; check the national authority and the institution.

Delivery

On campusTaught at the listed campus.

Study mode

Not published

Duration

Not published

Intakes

Fall 2027

Campus

Northwestern University70 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL 60208-2405

Taught in

English

English

English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.

Audition

Audition depends on route or instrument

Audition details

• Format: Recorded prescreening and live audition
• Prescreening: Prescreening video required for the instrument pages that state it (most instruments); see each Program Requirements page. Composition has no audition component.
• Audition application deadline: Fall 2027 Early Decision auditions must be completed by November 23, 2026; Regular Decision on-campus auditions February 5-14 (2027), per the application timeline page
• Accompaniment: Jazz studies and voice applicants: the Bienen School provides accompaniment for on-campus auditions; all other instrument areas are unaccompanied.
• Interview: Music composition finalists interview with composition faculty on Zoom

Required repertoire, as published

• Bassoon: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 20 | Regular Decision: February 6 & 13 | For Final Audition: | Solo Selections: | Choose exposition sections from two works or movements that are contrasting in style or time period. | NOTE: Listed repertoire is not required; any pieces of commensurate difficulty will be accepted. Two contrasting movements from the following compositions are also acceptable, but other works of commensurate difficulty are welcome. | Suggested solos: | Milde, étude from Concert Studies Book 1 | Mozart, Concerto K.191, first and second movements | Weber, Concerto Op. 75, first and second movements | Orchestral Excerpts: | Two contrasting orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice | In addition: in-person auditionees should be prepared to play all major and harmonic-minor scales up to high C.
• Cello: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 13 | Regular Decision: February 5 & 12 | For Prescreening: | One étude by Popper or one caprice by Piatti | One movement from a Bach Suite | The exposition from a standard cello concerto | For Final Audition: | One étude by Popper and one caprice by Piatti OR two by either composer | Two contrasting movements from a Bach Suite | One movement from a cello concerto such as Boccherini, Dvořák, Haydn, Saint-Saëns, Schumann, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, or Shostakovich. Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme is also acceptable.
• Clarinet: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 17 | Regular Decision: February 7-8 | For Prescreening: | NOTE: The Debussy and Mozart requirements must be submitted with piano accompaniment. | #21 from Rose 40 Studies for Clarinet | #35 from Rose 40 Studies for Clarinet | Mozart, Clarinet Concerto KV 622, first movement exposition: bars 57-154 (with piano accompaniment) | Debussy, Rhapsodie (with piano accompaniment) OR Stravinsky, Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet (please record the Stravinsky pieces all in one video) | Required Orchestral Excerpts: Mendelssohn, A Midsummer's Night Dream , scherzo: beginning to letter B, 7th bar of D until 2 bars before G (please record both Mendelssohn excerpts in one video) | Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, first movement: 2 before K to bar 492 | Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, second movement: bars 68-77 | For Final Audition: | #21 from Rose 40 Studies for Clarinet | #35 from Rose 40 Studies for Clarinet | Mozart, Clarinet Concerto KV 622, first movement exposition: bars 57-154 | Debussy, Rhapsodie OR Stravinsky, Three Pieces for Solo Clarinet | Required Orchestral Excerpts: Mendelssohn, A Midsummer's Night Dream , scherzo: beginning to letter B, 7th bar of D until 2 bars before G | Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, first movement: 2 before K to bar 492 | Beethoven, Symphon
• Classical Guitar: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 16 or 20 | Regular Decision: February 5, 8, & 12 | For Final Audition: | A program of varied solo literature and études, including: | One movement from a Bach suite or another equivalent work from the 16th- through 18th-century repertoire | Prelude, sonata, or theme and variations by Sor, Giuliani, Ponce, Torroba, Turina, Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, or equivalent repertoire | Études by Carcassi, Sor, Brouwer, or Villa-Lobos, or equivalent repertoire
• Double Bass: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 14 | Regular Decision: February 6 & 13 | For Prescreening: | One solo piece | One three-octave major scale | Two orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice from any works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and/or Strauss (any combination is acceptable). | For Final Audition: | Two contrasting solo pieces | One major scale, one harmonic minor scale, and one natural minor scale of choice, in two or three octaves | Three orchestral excerpts of the applicant's choice from any works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and/or Strauss (any combination is acceptable). | Note: Sight-reading and memorization are not required
• Euphonium: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 18 | Regular Decision: February 5, 7, 10 | For Prescreening and Final Audition: | ​​​​​​​Please choose 6 excerpts from standard solo literature that display the following aspects of your playing. Selections can include orchestral, band, or chamber music repertoire or études. | 1. Lyrical playing | 2. Technical playing | 3. Loud dynamic | 4. Soft dynamic | 5. High register | 6. Low register
• Flute: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 16 | Regular Decision: February 6 & 13 | For Prescreening: | Two contrasting movements from a standard solo work OR one standard work with contrasting sections | Two contrasting orchestral excerpts | For Final Audition: | If including a multi-movement work for the first three selections below, only two contrasting movements from the work are required: | A Baroque work | A Classical or Romantic work | A work from the 20th or 21st century | Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
• Harp: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 12 | Regular Decision: February 11 | For Final Audition: | Bochsa, Etude No. 1, from Cinquante Etudes , Op. 34, Book 1 | Two orchestral excerpts; one must include the harp cadenza from Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers | Two contrasting solos. Note: memorization of one solo work is required. Solo examples include: Grandjany, Fantasy on a Theme of Haydn | Prokofiev, Prelude in C Major "Harp" | Tournier, Etude de Concert (Au Matin)
• French Horn: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 21 | Regular Decision: February 5-6, 12-13 | For Prescreening: | One solo movement demonstrating style, tone, range, rhythm, and technique, such as Strauss Horn Concerto No.1, first movement or Hindemith Sonata in F, first movement | First-movement exposition from any Mozart concerto | One étude from Maxime Alphonse Book No.3 | Required Orchestral Excerpts: | Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, 3rd movement (scherzo) | Brahms, Symphony No. 3, solo beginning at measure 98 or rehearsal F (poco allegretto) | Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks , opening first horn solo | For Final Audition: | Two contrasting solo pieces demonstrating style, tone, range, rhythm, and technique, such as Strauss Horn Concerto No.1, first movement and Hindemith Sonata in F, first movement | First movement exposition section from any Mozart concerto | One étude from Maxime Alphonse Book No. 3 | Sight-reading | Required Orchestral Excerpts: | Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, 3rd movement (scherzo) | Brahms, Symphony No. 3, solo beginning at measure 98 or rehearsal F (poco Allegretto) | Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks , opening first horn solo
• Oboe: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 21 | Regular Decision: February 6 & 13 | For Final Audition: | Two études with contrasting tempos by Barret or Ferling | Two or three contrasting standard orchestral excerpts of the applicant’s choice | Two solo selections of the applicant's choice (if the applicant selects a work that has multiple movements, it is not necessary to prepare the entire piece) | Suggested Solo Selections: | Concerto by Cimarosa, Marcello, Handel, Mozart, or Vivaldi | Sonata by Telemann, Handel, Saint-Saëns, or Hindemith | Schumann, Three Romances | Britten, Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
• Percussion: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 16 | Regular Decision: February 7-8, 14-15 | For Final Audition: | The audition should include snare drum, timpani, and keyboard percussion. Sight-reading during the live audition may be required. | Suggested Repertoire: | NOTE: Listed repertoire is not required; any piece of similar difficulty will be accepted. | Snare Drum | • One orchestral snare drum étude, such as: | o Delécluse 12 Études | o Peters Advanced Studies for Snare Drum | • One rudimental piece by Pratt, Wilcoxon, or other studies | Timpani | • One timpani solo, such as: | o Two-drum or Three-drum Étude by Hochrainer | o Solo/étude by Duncan Patton or Nick Woud | Keyboard Percussion (2 and 4 mallets) | • One 2-mallet piece on marimba or xylophone, such as: | o Bach, any fast movement from Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin | o Creston, Concertino for Marimba (1st or 3rd movement) | o Musser, A-flat étude | o Kreisler, Tambourin Chinois | o Any xylophone rag | • One 4-mallet piece on marimba, such as: | o Tanaka, Two Movements for Marimba (1st movement) | o Burritt, October Night (2nd movement) | o Stout, Astral Dance or Mexican Dance (2nd movement) | o Sammut, Caméléon | o Druckman, Reflections on the Nature of Water (2nd or 6th movement) | o Schuller, Marimbology (4t
• Piano: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 17 | Regular Decision: February 8-10, 12-13 | For Prescreening: | Repertoire is required and must be memorized. Prescreening should total a minimum of 20 minutes. | Sonata-allegro movement from a classical sonata, preferably by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert | Romantic work | Optional: additional pieces of applicant’s choice | Included with your prescreening submission should be a list of significant repertoire studied. | For Final Audition: | Repertoire is required and must be memorized. Selections do not have to be the same as the prescreening repertoire. | A work by J.S. Bach | A complete classical sonata, preferably by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, or Schubert | Romantic work | Impressionist or contemporary work | A list of significant repertoire studied should be brought to your audition.
• Saxophone: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 20 | Regular Decision: February 5-6 & 12 | For Prescreening: | Spoken introduction which includes your name, hometown, school, teachers, brief information about your background on the saxophone, and which degree(s) you are interested in pursuing at Northwestern. | Two full-range major scales of the applicant's choice; one should be presented slurred and the second should be performed in a slur two/tongue six pattern. | Two full-range minor arpeggios of the applicant's choice; one slurred, one tongued. | Two contrasting études by Ferling, Berbiguier/Mule, J.L. Small, Labanchi, Voxman Selected Studies, or similar. | One complete, multi-movement classical work or two to three contrasting movements from different works. Suggested repertoire includes works by Creston, Glazunov, Ibert, Tomasi, Bach, Fasch, Debussy, Heiden, Muczynski, Rueff, Boutry, Bozza, and Milhaud. | Optional: If you have a background in jazz that you would like to demonstrate, you may present jazz selections such as a transcription, jazz étude, and/or improvisation (with play-along). | For Final Audition: | All major and harmonic minor scales (full range), and chromatic scale (low Bb to high F#). | Two contrasting études (one lyrical, one technical). These should NOT be the same étude
• Trombone: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 9 | Regular Decision: February 6 & 13 | For Prescreening and Final Audition: | All repertoire required. No substitutions. | Solo Selection: Saint-Saëns, Cavatine, Op.144 | Orchestral Excerpts: | Berlioz, The Damnation of Faust “Hungarian March” (second trombone) | Mozart, Requiem “Tuba Mirum” (second trombone) | Ravel, Boléro | Saint-Saëns, Symphony No. 3 in C minor, slow movement | Wagner, Die Walküre “Ride of the Valkyries,” B-Major section
• Trumpet: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 21 | Regular Decision: February 7-8 | For Prescreening: | 1 étude of applicant’s choice from Charlier, Brandt, Arban Characteristic Studies, or equivalent | 1 short standard solo piece (Enescu Légende or equivalent), or the first movement of a standard concerto or sonata of the applicant’s choice (Haydn, Hummel, Hindemith, Kennan, or equivalent) NOTE: No piccolo trumpet solo allowed | NOTE: Choose contrasting works that will display your highest level of achievement musically and technically. Repertoire can be recorded in separate takes and uploaded in separate files. | NOTE: Applicants who submit incomplete prescreening repertoire requirements may be disqualified from consideration. | For Final Audition: | 1 étude of the applicant’s choice from Charlier, Brandt, Arban Characteristic Studies, or equivalent | 2 contrasting solos or movements from a standard concerto or sonata of applicant’s choice. One piece must be the first movement of a standard concerto or sonata | 3 contrasting standard orchestral excerpts | Adolphus Hailstork Variations for Trumpet , measure 75 to the end | NOTE: Applicants who submit incomplete audition repertoire requirements may be disqualified from consideration.
• Tuba: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 18 | Regular Decision: February 5, 7, 10 | For Prescreening and Final Audition: | ​​​​​​​Please choose 6 excerpts from standard solo literature that display the following aspects of your playing. Selections can include orchestral, band, or chamber music repertoire or études. | 1. Lyrical playing | 2. Technical playing | 3. Loud dynamic | 4. Soft dynamic | 5. High register | 6. Low register
• Viola: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 21 | Regular Decision: February 11 & 13 | For Prescreening: | The exposition or equivalent of the first movement of any major viola concerto | The prelude of a solo suite or first movement of any sonata or partita by Bach | For Final Audition: | Two contrasting movements of any solo suite, sontata, or partita by Bach | Complete first movement of any major concerto
• Violin: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 16 | Regular Decision: February 5-6, 12 | For Prescreening: | Memorization is required. | One movement from a Bach sonata or partita | First movement of a standard concerto | For Final Audition: | Memorization is required. | Two contrasting movements from a Bach sonata or partita | First movement of a standard concerto | One étude or caprice
• Classical Voice: Audition dates: | Early Decision: November 9 & 16 | Regular Decision: February 5-6, 8, 12-13 | For Prescreening and Final Audition: | Applicants needn’t perform the same repertoire for both rounds of auditions, provided all repertoire meets the requirements below. | Memorization is required. | Four selections, one in each: | Italian | French or German | English | Language of your choice | Songs may be from the art song repertoire or a combination of art songs and arias from opera/oratorio. No more than two selections may be arias. Music selected should represent a variety of styles. Musical theater repertoire is not acceptable for the prescreening or live audition rounds. | Final Audition Musicianship Assessment | Immediately following their voice audition, all applicants invited to the final audition round will complete an individual musicianship assessment administered by the Office of Choral Organizations. No prior preparation is needed, and no study materials or further details are available. | The musicianship assessment will consist of the following: | Singing a melody at sight in a major or minor key | Performing rhythmic sight reading in duple and triple meters | Answering questions to assess basic musicianship (names of pitches on the treble and bass clef staves, key signatures,

SourceSpecific to this program and intake. Check the current admissions cycle; nothing here guarantees admission, and you cannot assume you may audition for a particular teacher.

Portfolio

Portfolio requirement not published

Interview

Not published

Deadlines

• Fall 2027 Early Decision and QuestBridge: Bienen School Supplement (with prescreening materials) due · Fall 2027 (2026) · this date has passed; check the current cycle
• Fall 2027 Early Decision auditions must be completed (QuestBridge auditions by November 17) · Fall 2027 (2026)
• Fall 2027 Regular Decision: Bienen School Supplement (with prescreening materials) due · Fall 2027 (2026)

The institution does not publish tuition for this program on the pages we checked. Ask for current fees, what they include and whether lessons, accompanists, practice rooms, instrument hire, software, recording, recitals, travel and residency costs are extra.

Not published on the program’s source pages: tuition, duration, full-time or part-time options, whether a previous degree is required, accreditation or validation record.