We’re thrilled you’re coming to our campus, especially CFA at 855 Commonwealth Avenue to audition. A week before your audition date, you will receive a confirmation of your final audition from the School of Music Admissions office. On Audition Day, we ask all applicants to check in 45 minutes before their scheduled audition time.
After numerous practice sessions, we’re sure you’re ready for this big day. Here are helpful resources and additional information to prepare you for success on Audition Day.
Directions & Parking
Most auditions are held at the School of Music, which is located in the College of Fine Arts building at 855 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Check out this map for directions.
Metered street parking is available along Commonwealth Avenue and directly outside the building. However, street parking may be limited depending on the time of day. We recommend visitors park in the Agganis Arena Parking Garage, which is located just a block away from the School of Music.
Using the MBTA is a great alternative to driving and parking. There is a “T” Green Line stop conveniently located in front of the CFA building.
Check-In
Welcome to BU! Enter the College of Fine Arts through the main entrance at 855 Commonwealth Avenue (down the walkway under the 855 arch); our bright red check-in table will be in front of the CFA Concert Hall. Check-in opens at 8:00AM. We ask that applicants check in at least 45 minutes prior to their first assessment (either the live audition or the Music Education interview).
Our check-in table will move to the School of Music Office (Room 244, 2nd floor) at noon (12:00PM).
Warm-Up Rooms
Hey! Warming up is important!
There are 119 soundproof, renovated practice rooms in the basement of the School of Music. These rooms will be available to you starting at 8:00 AM on the day of your audition. Warm-up times are not assigned.
Please read our policy below:
- Access to practice rooms is granted at the discretion of the School of Music. The School of Music maintains the right to deny practice room access if deemed necessary.
- Do not leave instruments or other valuables unattended. Neither the School of Music, College of Fine Arts, nor Boston University are liable for any damage, loss, or theft.
- Lost Items: The School of Music reserves the right to collect and store items left in unoccupied practice rooms. A room will be deemed unoccupied if its overhead light is off. Unclaimed items will be held in the Scheduling Office for 21 days, after which they will be discarded.
- Food and Beverages: Food is not permitted in practice rooms, but may be consumed in the lounge area. Closed beverage containers are permitted in the practice rooms, but may not be placed on pianos.
- Compliance: When inside the practice room area, users must follow the directions of School of Music staff and faculty at all times and present proper identification when asked.
Events on Audition Days
No pre-registration is required for any of the following Audition Day events – please feel free to drop on in!
Info Session and Meet & Greet: Mr. Zachary Schwartz, Director of Admissions of the School of Music
11:30 am | CFA 410
Info Session and Meet & Greet: Mr. Zachary Schwartz, Director of Admissions of the School of Music
3:00 pm | CFA 410
Performances
Sound Icon Performs Works of Sarah Nemstov | 8:00 PM | January 31, 2025 | CFA Concert Hall
Boston University Symphony Orchestra | 7:30 PM | February 7, 2025 | Tsai Performance Center
Faculty Spotlight Performance | 7:30 PM | February 13, 2025 | CFA Concert Hall
Composition Applicants
If you’d like to, undergraduate composition applicants have the opportunity to meet with a faculty member on Audition Day. These information sessions are optional, but a great way to learn more about the composition program and get your questions answered. To learn more about meeting with a member of the Composition faculty, please contact Martin Amlin, Chair of Composition & Theory, at mamlin@bu.edu.
Graduate composition applicants should bring a hard copy of their portfolio to the interview. A short piano and ear training exam may be part of the interview as well.
Music Education Applicants
Undergraduate Music Education applicants will have a short interview with members of the Music Education faculty on Audition Day. Specific times for these interviews will be sent out with final confirmations before your scheduled audition.
Placement Examinations for Music Theory
We do not administer any placement or assessment examinations on audition days – hooray! Placement exams for music theory and aural skills are administered during New Student Orientation in the summer, prior to the start of classes.
Audition Rescheduling Policy
We recognize that life happens and scheduling conflicts can occur when coordinating audition dates with multiple schools. If you need to reschedule your audition, please send an email to the School of Music Admissions office as soon as possible at cfamusic@bu.edu. Due to a large number of applicants, we cannot guarantee that all audition date change requests will be possible, but we will do our best.
Accompanist Policy
For voice, violin, viola, and cello auditions in Boston, accompanists are required and will be automatically provided. All other auditions are unaccompanied.
Applicants must bring a bound piano score (not single-page photocopies) to the audition. This can be from a book, a separately bound copy, or double-sided music in a binder.
Rehearsal time with accompanists prior to the audition is not permitted; you may give instructions to the accompanist before the audition begins or before each piece.
There is no accompanist fee.
The accompanist policy does not apply to those auditioning for Artist Diploma.
Audition No-Show Policy
If you miss your audition and don’t get a chance to notify the School of Music Admissions office in advance, we will not be able to reschedule your scheduled audition. However, you can submit a final recorded audition through our Online Portal, Acceptd.
Inclement Weather
If there’s inclement weather (we’re looking at you, New England) and you’re unable to attend a scheduled audition, we will make every attempt to reschedule the audition to another day or time. However, we cannot guarantee that an audition space will be available; in which case, a video-recorded audition may be uploaded to our Online Portal, Acceptd.
Hotel Accommodations
We’ve compiled a list of hotels close to CFA in commuting, driving, or walking distance:
- Hotel Commonwealth | 7-minute drive; 10 minutes on the T (Green B Line); 20-minute walk
- Courtyard by Marriott Boston Cambridge | 6-minute drive; 15-minute walk
- Hyatt Regency Cambridge | 5-minute drive; 15-minute walk
- Sheraton Boston Hotel | 13-minute drive; 23 minutes on the T (Green B Line); 40-minute walk
Concerts, Events, and More!
We recognize the days leading up to Audition Day can be filled with anxious thoughts, but, please, enjoy yourselves while you’re here in Boston (especially if it’s your first time in Beantown)!
At CFA, we always have events going on. Free and open to the general public. From concerts to gallery exhibitions, check out our CFA Events Calendar to make the most out of your travels.
The University’s digital newspaper, BU Today, has a series called The Weekender where they list the top things to do in Boston. There’s so much to see and do here!