Audition on Oboe/English Horn

To gain admission to the B.Mus. in Music Performance (Oboe/English Horn), a student must pass an entrance audition before a faculty jury of three, to be appointed by the chairperson. The audition will occur near the end of the second semester of college and must demonstrate the student’s ability to perform well challenging repertoire representing several historical periods and styles. A student wishing to perform an entrance audition must notify the chairperson in writing at least three weeks prior to the audition. Only after passing the entrance audition may the student declare as a major the B.Mus. in Music Performance (Oboe/English Horn). A prospective candidate for the B.Mus. in Music Performance (Oboe/English Horn) may declare a major in Music prior to the semesters stated above but will be listed as a candidate for the B.A. Music until he or she passes the audition. A student who does not pass the entrance audition in the second semester may have a second opportunity in the third semester.

Repertoire Requirements

During the four years of study pursuant to a B. Mus. in Performance (Oboe/English Horn) at the College of Wooster, performance repertoire shall be drawn from all historical periods from Baroque to the current day. The following list is meant to be representative rather than comprehensive, and other works may be chosen as particularly appropriate to the needs and ambitions of particular students. Regardless of individual focus, students shall be required to learn extended performance techniques, and to demonstrate their proficiency in these skills through the performance of new music. The development of these skills shall be augmented by mastery of the Gilbert Cycle of extended range scales, along with etudes selected to meet the needs of individual students. Before qualifying for senior recital, all B. Mus. oboe students will be required to master the Barret articulation and melodic phrasing etudes, and to demonstrate awareness and musical maturity through self preparation of at least one of each type of etude from this book.

Repertoire for the entrance audition for the B. Mus. degree program with a major in oboe shall include works from at least the Baroque, Classical, and one of the more recent historical periods. New works are encouraged if a prospective student wishes to display proficiency in extended techniques. If this option is not chosen, then the Hindemith Sonata, the Britten Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Op. 49, or any other piece with similar rhythmic, metric, and technical challenges may be performed.

It is possible to focus on English horn within the B. Mus. oboe major. As an undergraduate degree program, an English horn major is not offered. English horn repertoire can, however, be chosen exclusively after mastery of required oboe skills has been demonstrated.

At least beginning reed-making skills are required for acceptance as an oboe major in the B. Mus. degree program. Self-sufficiency in reed making is required by graduation, and the senior recital must be played on a reed entirely scraped by the student. Sorting, gouging, and shaping skills also are required, although individual ownership of a gouging machine is optional.

Representative Oboe Repertoire

Note: Junior recital pieces must be from level 1 or 2 lists, or include pieces of equivalent difficulty. Senior recitals must include pieces with challenges equivalent to pieces taken from level 3 or 4.

Level 1