Auditions for choral and instrumental music organizations will begin Saturday, Aug 30, at 8 a.m. Auditioning students should have received notification of the time and place of their audition in a letter from the Department of Music.
Music Information
Bands • Choirs • Orchestras • Lessons • Theory
Ensembles:
First-year students are welcome to audition for:
St. Olaf Band (meets Monday 3:15–4:45 p.m., Tuesday 4:30–6 p.m., and Thursday 4:50–6:15 p.m.)
Norseman Band (meets Monday 5–6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 4:30–5:30 p.m.)
Viking Chorus (first-year men; meets Tuesday, Wednesday 4:30–5:30 p.m. and Thursday 4:50–5:15 p.m.)
Manitou Singers (first–year women; meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday 3:15–4:15 p.m.)
Early Music Singers (meets Tuesday 11:45 a.m.–1:10p.m. and Thursday 12:45–2:05 p.m.)
Collegiate Chorale (women only — no audition required; meets Tuesday 6–7 p.m.)
St. Olaf Orchestra (meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday 4:30–6 p.m.)
St. Olaf Philharmonia (meets Tuesday 3:15–4:45 p.m. and Thursday 3:55–5:20 p.m.)
Collegium Musicum (meets Tuesday 6:30–8:30 p.m.)
Jazz Ensembles (meets Monday and Wednesday 7–10 p.m.)
Handbell Choirs (two ensembles; meets Tuesday 3:45–4:55 p.m or Tuesday 5:05–6:15 p.m.)
Transfer students may audition for:
St. Olaf Choir St. Olaf Orchestra
St. Olaf Cantorei Chapel Choir
Early Music Singers Collegium Musicum
St. Olaf Band Norseman Band
St. Olaf Philharmonia Jazz Ensembles
Handbell Choirs
You may pick up a copy of all rehearsal schedules in Christiansen Hall of Music (CHM).
Auditions:
- All instrumental and vocal auditions take place in Christiansen Hall of Music (CHM), where times and locations are posted on bulletin boards.
- If you already have an audition time, please arrive a few minutes early to fill out a form and warm up.
- If you wish to sign up for an audition, change your audition time or ask any questions, report to CHM 204 (vocal) or CHM 140 (instrumental).
Keyboard Placement Assessment
First-year and transfer music majors are required to take a keyboard placement assessment between 9 to noon on Saturday, Aug 30. Sign-up schedules are posted outside the Music Department Office, CHM 101. Please sign up early to avoid scheduling conflicts.
- In a 5-minute appointment, music faculty will assess your playing, music reading, and theory-at-the-keyboard knowledge to determine your piano placement.
- If you have studied piano, please prepare a short piece or excerpt to demonstrate your level of achievement.
- Keyboard placement results will be posted no later than Saturday, Aug 30, at 6 p.m. on the Music Department bulletin board. Check the results and register for the indicated course or lessons.
Music Major in Composition Information Sessions
- Meet composition faculty member, Justin Merritt, to learn about program options, expectations for admission to the major, and degree requirements. Two twenty minute sessions in CHM 233 at 9:30 a.m. and 10:10 a.m., Monday, September 1.
Music Theory Advanced Placement
First-year students who received a score of 4 or 5 on the AP theory exam and are interested in advanced placement must take an exam on Monday, Sept. 1, at 8 or 10 a.m. in CHM 232. This is the final examination for Theory I and will last approximately two hours. Transfer students should contact Justin Merritt, assistant professor in music theory (CHM 234, x3189, merritt@stolaf.edu), for more information.
Music Lessons:
First-year students wishing to register for music lessons (performance studies) must do so on Saturday, Aug. 30, or Monday, Sept. 1, in the Music Office (CHM 101).
Registration times are:
Saturday, Aug. 30: 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. music majors
Monday, Sept. 1: 9 a.m.–noon non-music majors
Lockers and Instrument Rentals
Contact Tim Wells, administrative assistant for the Music Department and Music Organizations (CHM 112, x3119, wells@stolaf.edu) for an instrument locker assignment or to rent an instrument.