Postgraduate auditions

Find out everything you need to know about the New Zealand School of Music’s postgraduate audition process, including application and preparation.

Apply to audition—postgraduate classical and jazz

Your application must be submitted by 24 July to start studying in Trimester 1 of the following year. Once your application is received you will be sent instructions about your recording and document upload, due 31 July.

Apply to study in Trimester 2 by 20 May, with recording and document upload by 29 May. Late applications may be considered. Contact music@vuw.ac.nz

Apply now

Prepare for your audition

All applicants

Auditions will be held using recordings and video conference interviews. Submit an unedited recording of your audition recital. It must have been recorded within the last year. It can be a recording of your qualifying degree final recital, if appropriate. Read our guidelines for recorded auditions

Domestic students apart from current students will need to apply to audition. Download the referee report form to give to your referee, to comment on your musical ability and suitability for tertiary study. Submit the report with other documents, as outlined in the audition application.

For any questions about repertoire contact music@vuw.ac.nz

Jazz performance

Prepare a 45- to 60-minute recital programme. You should feature prominently as a soloist in at least half the material and, if appropriate, as a rhythm section player in at least 80 percent of the material. The recital should consist of at least four tunes of differing styles.

Classical performance

Prepare a 45- to 60-minute recital programme offering contrasting styles from at least three periods.

MFA(CP) in Orchestral Studies

All students, including current NZSM students, must supply audition recordings of one solo piece and a list of orchestral excerpts provided in the instrument-specific audition repertoire list supplied at this link: MFA(CP) Orchestral Studies Audition Repertoire Lists

Current students

‘Except for the MFA(CP) in Orchestral Studies, a recent final recital from your qualifying degree will serve as your audition.

Transfer students

If you are transferring from another New Zealand or Australian tertiary institute you may submit a recent, unedited final recital recording.

International students (except PhD/other doctoral students)

Apply for admission through Wellington University International. They will request your audition recording after receiving your application. To ensure your recorded audition meets requirements see recorded audition guidelines

PhD/other doctoral students

Apply for admission through the Faculty of Graduate Research and then send your recorded audition directly to music@vuw.ac.nz See the recorded audition guidelines

Questions

Contact music@vuw.ac.nz if you have questions about your audition.