Apply & Audition
No doubt about it—BUTI will deliver something you can’t find anywhere else. Here, you’ll meet new people, pursue your passion (or discover a new one), and open your mind to the world and the people in it. No matter where you come from, you’ll fit right in.
Admissions Timeline
| November 1, 2024 | Applications are open!! |
| January 17, 2025 | Applications due (applications will be still be accepted after this date and reviewed on a space-available basis) |
| Before March 15, 2025 | Notification release |
How To Apply
Prior to applying, we recommend you read our Frequently Asked Questions.
Application Requirements
-
Admissions Application
Si desea una version en español de la Solicitud de Admisiones, póngase en contacto con tanglewd@bu.edu.
-
Audition
Live or recorded, see information below, including repertoire requirements
-
Personal Statements
Follow this link to see 2024 prompts for written and video statements.
-
Recommendation
Recommender’s email address submitted within the Admissions Application
-
Scholarship Application
Optional, found within the Admissions Application
-
Application Fee of $80
See information below regarding reduced or waived application fees
Applying for Multiple Programs and Instruments
Students are often eligible to apply for multiple programs on the same instrument (for example, a two-week workshop plus a young artists program, or the Electroacoustic Composition Workshop and the Young Artists Composition Program). BUTI recommends that you select all programs for which you’re interested in being considered. Selecting multiple programs of interest increases your chances of admission. In the event you are admitted to multiple programs, you will have the option to select which program(s) you would like to attend.
If you wish to apply on multiple instruments or within multiple program areas, (for example, violin and composition), you must submit a separate application (with a reduced application fee) for each additional instrument or area. To apply on a secondary instrument, use the BUTI coupon code 02BUTI24 on the final payment screen of the second application to obtain a reduced application fee of $30.00 on your second application. If accepted into overlapping programs, you may decide which program you would like to attend.
BU School of Music Applicant Information
If you are also applying to a degree program at BU School of Music, you may opt to utilize your BU School of Music audition for BUTI admissions purposes. You must, however, still complete the BUTI admissions application.
Application fee reductions and waivers
If you’re a current BU affiliate (limited to current BU degree-seeking students and children of current BU faculty/staff), you qualify for a reduced application fee of $30 when applying for BUTI. Before submitting your application, contact us to be given instructions on how to obtain a reduced application fee. In certain cases of financial hardship, a student may qualify for an application fee waiver. Please complete and submit the Request for Application Fee Waiver form before submitting your application to obtain an application fee waiver.
Technical Assistance
For technical assistance or if you forget your username and password, please contact the Acceptd support team from the login page of the online application. BUTI administration does not have access to user’s login information.
Apply Now
Audition Information
BUTI accepts both live auditions and recorded auditions. BUTI recommends unaccompanied auditions for instrumental auditions. If an instrumentalist chooses to use a pianist for their audition, however, they will not be penalized. Vocalists are required to audition with live piano accompaniment*. BUTI does not provide accompanists. Composition applications are required to submit scores to fulfill audition requirements.
*If you wish to use a recorded accompaniment, you must contact the BUTI offices to receive permission to do so. Permission is not guaranteed.
Recorded Auditions
If you choose to do a recorded audition, you will be prompted to upload your audition video(s) directly to the application. You will not be able to submit your application until your audition materials have been successfully uploaded. Video recordings are strongly preferred to audio recordings. You may choose to upload one continuous video, or separate video files. Your audition videos must be unedited.
Live Auditions
In most cases, a member of the BUTI admissions staff will be present to record live auditions, which will then be shared with adjudication faculty at a later time. BUTI faculty are typically not present at live auditions.
You must submit your application before you can schedule a live audition. Please submit your application in plenty of time to schedule an audition on your preferred date.
Live Auditions for 2025 are TBD. To learn more about addresses, dates, times, and what to expect on your audition day, please follow this link.
Open Live Audition Locations
TBD
Closed Audition Locations
TBD
2025 Repertoire Requirements
Violin
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Violin Workshop
- String Quartet Workshop
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- One complete movement of a Bach Partita or Sonata.
- One work (or complete movement within a multi-movement work) representative of the Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary eras.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon.
Viola
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Viola Workshop
- String Quartet Workshop
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- One movement of a solo Bach Suite, Sonata, or Partita.
- The first movement from a concerto or sonata of your choice representative of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary eras.
- One Etude of your choice from Kreutzer, Kayser, Campagnoli, or similar level.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon.
Cello
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Cello Workshop
- String Quartet Workshop
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- One movement of a Bach Suite.
- One work (or movement within a multi-movement work) representative of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Contemporary eras.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon.
Double Bass
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Double Bass Workshop
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
One movement of a solo Bach Suite, Sonata, or Partita
First movement of a concerto or sonata of your choice
Optional:A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon.
Choose three of the following excerpts:
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, mvt. 4 – Recitatives (mm 1- 90)
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, mvt. 3 – Beginning to mm 100
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, mvt. 3 – mm. 141-219
- Bernstein, Symphonic Dances, Fugue – 2 measures before 656 to mm. 685
- Brahms Symphony No. 1, mvt. 1 – Letter E to F (mm. 161 – 189)
- Haydn, Symphony No. 31, mvt. 4 – Double Bass solo
- Mahler Symphony No. 2, mvt. 1 – Page 1 (pickup to measure 6 to downbeat of measure 29)
- Mozart, Symphony No. 35 mvt. 1 – mm. 13-48 and mm. 59-66
- Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg Overture – Letter J to M
Flute
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Flute Workshop
- Two-Week Woodwind Quintet Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
Flute (required for all programs)
- Two contrasting solo works (one of which may be an etude) that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Debussy: Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, [2]–[3] omit opening
- Strauss: Salome, “Dance of the Seven Veils,” [D]–three measures after [H]
- Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, two before P–end
- Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf, [2]–[4]
Piccolo (required for Young Artists programs only, recommended for Workshop)
- Ippolitov-Ivanov: Caucasian Sketches, Suite 1, “Procession of the Sardar,” bars 3-17
- Rossini: Overture to Semiramide, five bars after rehearsal G – two bars after rehearsal H
Oboe
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Oboe Workshop
- Two-Week Woodwind Quintet Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Program
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting solo works that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake,Act II, No. 10: bars 1–19
- Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, second movement, bars 32-67 AND bars 83-100
- Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin, Prelude, beginning-[2]
- Schumann: Symphony #2 Mv. 3 Adagio Espressivo measures 8-19
- Stravinsky: Pulcinella: Gavotta – Var. 1a, #77 to #81
OPTIONAL ENGLISH HORN: Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, second movement, bars 7–18
Clarinet
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Two-Week Clarinet Workshop and Young Artist Wind Ensemble
Applicants should prepare the following:
- First movement of a concerto or one solo work of your choice that best demonstrates the full range of your technical and expressive skills
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome
- Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, beginning-rehearsal B
- Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, second movement, measures 8 – 56
- Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, rehearsal 3–4 and rehearsal 6–5 measures after rehearsal 7 (top line)
- Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2, third movement, beginning to 2 measures after rehearsal 47
Optional E-FLAT CLARINET: Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, “Hexensabbat,” rehearsal 63–6 measures after rehearsal 64
Optional BASS CLARINET: Grofe: The Grand Canyon Suite, “On the trail,” 8 measures before rehearsal 3–Vivo
Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting movements of different works that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, beginning-rehearsal B
- Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 3, second movement, measures 8 – 56
- Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, rehearsal 3–4 and rehearsal 6–5 measures after rehearsal 7 (top line)
- Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2, third movement, beginning to 2 measures after rehearsal 47
- Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf, rehearsal 20-21
Optional E-FLAT CLARINET: Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique, “Hexensabbat,” rehearsal 63–6 measures after rehearsal 64
Optional BASS CLARINET: Grofe: The Grand Canyon Suite, “On the trail,” 8 measures before rehearsal 3–Vivo
Bassoon
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Bassoon Workshop
- Two-Week Woodwind Quintet Workshop
- Young Artist Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- One movement from a concerto of your choice that best demonstrates the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Mozart: Overture to Marriage of Figaro, bars 139-171
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony 4, second movement, bar 274–end
- Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, [43]–[45]
- Maslanka: Symphony 7, first movement, bars 99-106
- Rimsky Korsakov: Scheherazade, second movement, opening solo (Andantino – rehearsal A)
OPTIONAL Contrabassoon: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, second movement, [65]–9 bars after [68]
Saxophone
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Two-Week Saxophone Workshop
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting movements of different works that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
Young Artists Wind Ensemble
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting movements of different works that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Milhaud: La creation du Monde
- Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances
*While it is preferred that the listed excerpts be performed on Eb alto saxophone, these same excerpts may be performed on soprano, tenor, or baritone saxophone.
French Horn
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Horn Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting movements of different works that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- One excerpt from each of the following three categories (totaling 3 excerpts).
Excerpt Categories
Category I:
Brahms Symphony 3, HN1. Mvmt. 3. 1 before F to 13 after F.
Tchaikovsky Symphony 5, HN1. Mvmt. 2 (opening)
Thomas Overture to Mignon, HN1. Letter B to 13 after B.
Category II:
Beethoven Symphony No. 3, Mvmt. 3, HN 2, mm. 171-201, Trio
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, HN2. Mvmt. 1. Third bar of REH 17 to 2nd bar of REH 21.
Strauss, R. Don Quixote, HN2. Variation 7.
Category III:
Beethoven Symphony No. 7, HN 1. Mvmt. 1 mm. 84-103
Strauss, R. Ein Heldenleben, HN1. Opening
Wagner Gotterdammerung, HN1. Short Call from Siegfried’s Rhine Journey.
Trumpet
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Trumpet Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- One solo work of your choice that best demonstrates the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Copland: Outdoor Overture, mm. 16–34
- Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, “Promenade”
- Price: Symphony No. 1, second movement, beginning – mm. 28
- Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Neopolitan Dance, beginning – rehearsal 2
*Please note that if necessary, it is acceptable to play excerpts using a trumpet other than what is indicated. Excerpts must be played at the correct concert pitch.
Tenor Trombone
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Trombone Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Tenor Trombone Applicants should prepare the following:
- Berlioz: La damnation de Faust (Trombone II), “Hungarian March,” six bars before [20]–two bars after [21]
- Mozart: Requiem (Tuba Mirum), beginning to bar 34
- Advanced Musical Etudes: Etude #60 and Etude #92 for Trombone and Euphonium in Bass Clef, by Reginald H, Fink (based on Blazhevich’s School in Clefs for Trombone)
Published by Accura Music - Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
Bass Trombone
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Trombone Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Bass Trombone applicants should prepare the following:
- Berlioz:La damnation de Faust, “Hungarian March”: six before rehearsal 4–two after rehearsal 5
- Haydn: The Creation, No. 26, beginning–C
- Grigoriev arr. Allen Ostrander (not Randy Hawes): 24 Studies, #2 and #19
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
Euphonium (Bass)
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Tuba & Euphonium Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting solo works (one of which may be an etude) that best demonstrate the range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Holst: Second Suite in F – mvt. 1, March
- Blazhevich: Etude 38
- Holst: The Planets, Mars – six measures before rehearsal 2 until eleven measures after rehearsal 2; AND first nine measures after rehearsal 15
- Holst: The Planets, Jupiter – nine measures before rehearsal 1 until three measures after rehearsal 1; AND four measures after rehearsal 11 until sixteen measures after rehearsal 11.
*Holst excerpts are only available in treble clef (in Bb).
Euphonium (Treble)
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Tuba & Euphonium Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting solo works (one of which may be an etude) that best demonstrate the range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Holst: Second Suite in F – mvt. 1, March
- Blazhevich: Etude 38
- Holst: The Planets, Mars – six measures before rehearsal 2 until eleven measures after rehearsal 2; AND first nine measures after rehearsal 15
- Holst: The Planets, Jupiter – nine measures before rehearsal 1 until three measures after rehearsal 1; AND four measures after rehearsal 11 until sixteen measures after rehearsal 11.
*Holst excerpts are only available in treble clef (in Bb).
Tuba
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Tuba & Euphonium Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting solo works (one of which may be an etude) that best demonstrate the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, first movement, [3]-three after [4]
- Wagner: Vorspiel from Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg
- Wagner: Die Walküre
- Berlioz: Marche Hongroise, [4]-[5], [6]-end
Percussion
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Two-Week Percussion Workshop
- Young Artists Wind Ensemble
- Young Artists Orchestra
Applicants should prepare the following:
- SNARE DRUM: One solo or etude of your choice-concert style (Delecluse, Cirone, Peters, or similar) is preferred over rudimental solos.
- TIMPANI: One solo or etude of your choice (Hochrainer, Firth, Goodman, Woud, or similar) or two standard excerpts from the orchestral repertoire. Please send the solo OR excerpts, not both.
- TWO-MALLET KEYBOARD: One solo or etude of your choice on marimba, vibraphone, or xylophone, with or without accompaniment.
- FOUR-MALLET KEYBOARD: One solo of your choice on marimba or vibraphone, with or without accompaniment.
Harp
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Young Artists Harp Program Applicants should prepare the following:
- Two contrasting solo works (one which may be an etude) that best demonstrates the full range of your technical and expressive skills.
- Optional: A movement or work written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon is welcome.
- Choose two excerpts from the following list:
- Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra, first movement, bars 155 – 198
- Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker Suite, cadenza only
- Excerpt of your choice
Voice
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Young Artists Vocal Program Applicants should prepare the following:
Two selections from these categories in the Classical Voice Repertoire:
Note: All songs must be memorized.
- One song in Italian from the Baroque Period (Handel or Haydn Arias are acceptable), OR from the Romantic repertoire (Bellini, Donizetti Songs).
- One song in English from the 20th or 21st Century Art Song repertoire. We welcome songs written by composers who represent those who have been historically excluded in the field.
- Optional: A third selection in a foreign language and/or written by a composer who represents a group historically excluded from the classical canon.
Choose pieces that best demonstrate your musical, expressive, and technical skills with a variety of tempi.
The ‘Classical Voice Repertoire’ does not include Musical Theatre, Jazz, Rock, or Pop music.
Guitar
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
- Classical Guitar Workshop
Applicants should prepare the following:
- Three contrasting pieces with a total performance time ranging from 10-15 minutes.
- Possible repertoire may include, but is not limited to: Movements from a major work by J.S. Bach (e.g. lute suites, violin sonatas and partitas, cello suites, etc.); important 20th-century sonatas (e.g. Ponce, Turina, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Berkeley, Henze, Tippett, Brouwer); etudes written for the guitar (e.g. Villa-Lobos, Sor, Barrios, Tarrega, Brouwer, Regondi); tremolo pieces.
Pieces may be recorded one at a time and may be submitted separately. Individual pieces should not be edited, spliced, or modified in any way.
Piano
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Young Artists Piano Program Applicants should prepare four contrasting works as follows:
- A one-minute introduction where you tell us your name, age, grade, hometown, and your interests in and outside of music
- Four contrasting works as follows:
- One solo piano work or movement from the Baroque or Classical period;
- One solo piano work or movement from the Romantic period;
- One virtuosic étude of your choice, e.g. by Chopin, Kapustin, Liszt, Ligeti, MacDowell, Rachmaninoff, etc;
- One chamber music work or movement, or a fourth solo piano work of your choice, preferably from 20th or 21st century piano literature
Download Audition Repertoire Requirements
Composition (All Programs)
Audition Repertoire for the following Summer 2025 programs:
Composition Fundamentals Workshop
Applicants should submit the following:
- Written statement related to compositional aspirations.
- Music submission: Two original compositions (no arrangements), notated by hand or using computer software. A resumé is welcome but not required.
Electroacoustic Composition Workshop
Applicants should submit the following:
- A written statement detailing your musical background and your interest in electronics and computers in composition.
- Recordings and/or scores of three contrasting compositions of any genre (single movement works or individual movements of a larger work are accepted). MIDI realizations are accepted as audio files.
- If submitting multi-channel works (such as 5.1 surround sound), please send all output tracks as separate, clearly labeled audio files, i.e. Piece_FrontLeft.wav, Piece_BackRight.wav.”
Young Artists Composition Program
Applicants should submit the following:
- Three original scores (no arrangements) representative of your work
- Scores should be uploaded to the application. We will not be accepting physical copies.
- OPTIONAL: Audio files or MIDI files of scores are accepted, but not required. Audio files should be saved in .mp3 format and uploaded to your application along with your scores.