Auditions for choral and instrumental music ensembles will begin Saturday, Sept. 5, 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 4:50–6 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 4:30–6:00 p.m.)
Viking Chorus (first-year men; meets Tuesday, Wednesday 4:30–5:30 p.m. and Thursday 4:50–5:45 p.m.)
Manitou Singers (first–year women; meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday 3:15–4:15 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.)
Jazz Ensembles (meets Monday and Wednesday 7–10 p.m.)
Collegium Musicum (meets Tuesdays 6:30-8:30pm)
Handbell Choirs (two ensembles; meets Tuesday 3:45–4:55 p.m. or Tuesday 5:05–6:15 p.m.)
Gospel Choir (no audition required; meets Monday 6:30-7:30 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 for Music Majors Only
First-year and transfer music majors are required to take a keyboard placement assessment between 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 5. 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, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. on the Music Department bulletin board. Check the results and register for the indicated course or lessons.
Music Composition Information Sessions
Meet composition faculty member, Justin Merritt, to learn about program options, expectations for admission to the major, and degree requirements. Two forty minute sessions in CHM 233 at 9:30 a.m. and 10:10 a.m., Monday, September 7.
Music Theory Advanced Placement
First-year students who received a score of 5 on the AP theory exam and are interested in advanced placement must take an exam on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 12:30 - 2:30p.m. in CHM 232. This is the final examination for Theory I and Aural Skills I and will last approximately two hours. Transfer students should contact David Castro, assistant professor in music theory (CHM 231, x3801, dcastro@stolaf.edu), for more information.
Music Lesson Registration:
Registration for music lessons takes place in person in the Music Office (CHM 101) at the following times:
Registration times are:
Saturday, Sept. 5: 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Accepted music majors only
Monday, Sept. 7: 1 - 4:00 p.m. Non-music majors*
*Students interested in instrumental study may be asked to demonstrate skill level. Please be prepared to play a short excerpt of something you have played in your most recent lessons.
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.