Violin and Chamber Music Auditions

Mus 177, Violin

Welcome, and thank you for your interest in taking violin lessons for credit!

We offer half-credit lessons to intermediate through advanced violinists, and additional credit for music majors preparing a junior or senior recital. (Sorry, no beginning violin at this time.)

Lesson format and resources

  • Lessons are one half hour per week, customized to your schedule.
  • Scripps provides you with an accompanist at your lesson, at no extra charge! This is an extraordinary resource, which elevates your work to a professional level of interaction with the full content of your repertoire. In addition to having the accompanist at the lesson, you are given a half-hour per week of rehearsal time with the pianist. The accompanist’s participation in your performances is also paid for by Scripps!
  • Performance classes and student recital opportunities are offered as part of the violin curriculum. For performance classes, all the violinists meet three times per term for 90 to 120 minutes, and play for each other. I normally schedule these classes on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 pm.

 

Performance class is very low pressure! No public critiquing! These are not master classes! Most students play works which are still in progress. Classes are an opportunity to build our community, share your repertoire, and practice performing in a safe and friendly environment.

Requirements and expectations

  • Violinists enrolled in Mus 177 are required to enroll in Mus 175, Claremont Concert Orchestra.
  • You are expected to attend lessons, and at least two of the three performance classes. We can accommodate varying time zones.
  • You are expected to practice adequately to maintain progress throughout the semester.

Mus 172, Chamber Music

Chamber Music requires attendance at one coaching session per week, and one rehearsal weekly without the coach, each an hour long. Coaching and rehearsal times are tailored to your schedule. Once I know what our pool of enrollees is, I will place you in an appropriate ensemble. (If you wish, you may request to play with particular other players, or enter the course with a pre-formed group… but enrolling as an individual is fine too.) We will decide on repertoire, and I’ll get parts to you. Sometimes the pool is such that I just can’t place one or two players. In that case, those players have top priority for placement the following term. Performance class and student recital opportunities are available to chamber groups.

Preparing and submitting your audition video

  1. Position your camera so that both your hands are visible.
  2. State your name and college.
  3. State whether you are auditioning for Violin, Chamber Music or both.
  4. Briefly state your experience with the violin and/or with chamber music (ok if this is your first encounter with chamber music!)
  5. You may play anything which you feel shows your level. Choose 2 to 3 minutes of music. (It need not be memorized.)

Upload your video here.

Feel free to contact me:

Dr. Rachel V. Huang

[email protected]