Q: What should I Prepare for an Audition or Portfolio Review?
A: Audition requirements for each curriculum vary. Specific requirements are published in the Shenandoah Conservatory Undergraduate Audition Guidelines.
Q: Where do I upload my audition materials?
A: Audition materials must be uploaded via the Shenandoah Application Portal. If you submit your application through CommonApp, you will still need to activate your student portal to upload your materials.
Q: Must I come to the campus to audition?
A: Most students will come to campus to audition. However, for non-musical theatre applicants who live more than 250 miles from campus, we do offer virtual auditions. Register for an Audition, Interview & Portfolio Review via your Shenandoah Application Portal. We also offer regional theatre auditions in New York City and Chicago.
Q: When should I audition?
A: Applicants should audition as soon as they are ready, and applications must be submitted prior to the audition. Applicants must audition at one of our pre-set dates, October through February. In order to be fully considered for a Conservatory Scholarship, you must audition no later than February.
Q: What should I wear to the audition?
A: While there is no specific dress code for auditions at Shenandoah Conservatory, it is important to dress appropriately and professionally. Your choice of attire should reflect your respect for the opportunity and your commitment to your craft. It is generally advisable to err on the side of being slightly overdressed rather than underdressed, as it demonstrates your seriousness and dedication to the audition process.
Q: What is an artistic resume?
A: An artistic resume is an overview of your artistic history and achievements. We recommend that you focus your resume on accomplishments that you have achieved during high school, but you do not need to limit your achievement list to just the program/instrument you are applying to Shenandoah for. If you play multiple instruments or are involved in multiple arts disciplines, we welcome that information.
Feel free to contact your Admissions Counselor with any questions about your artistic resume.
Q: What is an audition repertoire?
A: Audition repertoire refers to the list of pieces and their composers/writers that you intend to perform for your audition. You may submit your audition repertoire list via your Shenandoah Application Portal. Note: An audition repertoire is not required for collaborative audio arts, dance, and theatre design and production applicants.
Q: How should I prepare for my Musical Theatre prescreen?
A: Check out our Prescreening Guidelines, created by some of our Musical Theatre students!
Q: Must I have an accompanist?
A: All singers, including musical theatre applicants, must perform with accompaniment. Shenandoah will provide an accompanist for all on-campus, undergraduate voice auditions, with the exception of Contemporary Musicianship & Entrepreneur Development (CMED) voice students, who must either accompany themselves or have recorded accompaniment. Instrumentalists are not required to perform with accompaniment but may do so if they bring their own accompanists to the auditions.
Q: What is an audition like?
A: Music, musical theatre, and acting auditions are similar to a private performance, done for a panel of conservatory faculty who are specialists in the given area of performance (voice faculty hear singers, theatre faculty hear actors, etc.). Composers, audio arts, and technical theatre applicants have a private interview and portfolio review with a member of the appropriate faculty. A typical audition or interview lasts between five and 15 minutes, and performers will be given plenty of time to warm up. Dance auditions are done in a class setting, with all performers working together with members of the dance faculty. Musical Theatre auditioning students are in for a long audition day, lasting until approximately 5PM, while instrumentalists are typically finished for the day immediately following their audition.
Q: May my parents/family/friends sit in on the audition?
A: No. Parents or guests are not permitted into the audition.
Q: Where can I stay if I come to Winchester to audition?
A: There are several hotels within a very short distance of the campus.
Q: What about Conservatory Scholarships?
A: The Shenandoah Conservatory offers talent scholarships to qualified students based upon their individual audition and the needs of the conservatory. When you audition, you will automatically be considered for a talent scholarship; there is no separate form to complete. Award offers are typically made by April 1. Conservatory awards are only a part of the total financial aid package and are renewable for up to three additional years, provided a student remains a full-time undergraduate student, continues satisfactory academic and artistic progress and participation, and remains enrolled in the conservatory.
Q: Who evaluates my audition?
A: Auditions are evaluated by the auditioning faculty in the respective department(s), in consultation with other teachers in the specified genre of the audition.