Prescreening

Undergraduate Applicants

  • A prescreening recording is required for all Flute, Violin, and Voice applicants who would like to audition live at Boston University.
  • The prescreening video should follow the Audition Repertory Requirements for your instrument.
  • Early Decision applicants have a November 1 application deadline and do not need to submit a prescreening recording.  The Early Decision audition date will be Friday, November 18, 2011.  Auditions can be scheduled only after the application is received.  Early Decision applicants who would prefer to submit a final Recorded Audition should do so by November 1.
  • Trustee Scholarship and MLK Scholarship applicants also do not need to be prescreened.  The audition date for these programs will be Friday, December 9, 2011.  Trustee and MLK applicants who would prefer to submit a final Recorded Audition should do so by December 1.
  • Transfer applicants in Flute, Violin, and Voice who wish to audition on one of our regular live audition dates should plan to submit a prescreening recording.  However, because the transfer application deadline is April 1, prescreening will be handled on a case-by-case basis for any applications received closer to that deadline.
  • All other undergraduate programs and instruments are not prescreened.
  • Alumni of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute applying to the BM program do not need to submit a prescreening recording – simply email the admissions office for information about scheduling your audition.

Graduate Applicants

  • A prescreening recording is required for all Flute, Violin, and Voice applicants who would like to audition live at Boston University.  MM Music Education applicants to the Applied Music path on these instruments who wish to audition in Boston must submit a prescreening recording.
  • Prescreening is required for all graduate applicants to our Choral Conducting, Orchestral Conducting, and Artist Diploma programs. Conducting and Artist Diploma applicants who pass prescreening must audition live in Boston in order to be considered for admission; regional auditions and final recorded auditions are not allowed.
  • Master of Sacred Music degree applicants in Organ and Choral Conducting must also submit a prescreening recording.
  • The prescreening video should follow the Audition Repertory Requirements for your instrument.
  • All other graduate programs and instruments are not prescreened.
  • Current BU School of Music students applying to another degree program in the School of Music do not need to submit a prescreening recording – simply email the admissions office for information about scheduling your audition.  There are no exceptions or waivers to the prescreening requirement for Artist Diploma applicants.

All Prescreened Applicants – December 1 Submission Deadline

Please note that the Audition Repertory Requirements for prescreening are the same as for the live audition.  Please submit your prescreening recording online through our ArtsApp portal.  You will need to register and submit your prescreening materials by December 1.  Please note that ArtsApp is separate from our online applications for admission which have a January 1 deadline: Graduate Application and Undergraduate Application.

ArtsApp accepts the following format types:

  • Audio (.mp3, .mp4, .m4a)
  • Video (.asf, .avi, .flv, .mov, .m4v, .mp4, .mpg, .mvb, .swf, .wmv)
  • Images (.bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tiff)
  • Documents (.doc, .pdf, .xls)

Total portfolio size needs to be under 6 GB, with a maximum file size of 1.2 GB. Please upload each piece as its own file. The fee for submitting your prescreening materials via ArtsApp is $10 per applicant, but you save the cost of creating a physical recording or portfolio and sending it through the mail.  We will receive your files the day that you submit them, and you will receive verification of your submission.  For technical support with your ArtsApp submission, please contact support@artsapp.com.

Other Policies

  • Recordings must be submitted online through ArtsApp.  Physical CD’s, DVD’s, and tapes will not be accepted.  Emailed files are not acceptable.
  • Recordings must be made no earlier than six months prior to the application deadline
  • All recordings will be evaluated by the same faculty who hear auditions in Boston
  • Recordings must be in accordance with the audition repertory guidelines
  • Applicants who are prescreened will be notified of the prescreening decision by email only