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Explore our Music facilities with Guildhall students

Guildhall has a unique buzz and vibe to it…a great sense of community and friendliness

Rebecca Carson
BMus Flute

Guildhall has prepared me for a career in music therapy from searching for jobs to having brilliant work experience from the placements they chose for me

Emma Barber
MA Music Therapy

Guildhall had a crucial role in my success. The very high quality orchestral projects and masterclasses prepared me for professional life

Joao Seara
BMus Double Bass

Studying at the Guildhall School has been a life-changing and unforgettable adventure

Rebekah Carpio
MMus Clarinet (Orchestral Artistry)

The strong collaboration between departments has created a very special and supportive atmosphere

Meili Li
MMus Opera Studies

The teaching staff encourage the diversity that Guildhall is known for…there is something for everyone, regardless of style and influence

Oliver Leith
MMus Composition

Such incredible musicians and inspiring teachers and the opportunity to hear from world-class visiting artists has been invaluable

Vijay Prakash
MMus Jazz Trombone

During my time here, I organised an international conference based around my subject involving delegates from 4 continents

Emily Baines
DMus, ‘Mechanical Musical Instruments as a Source for Historical Performance’

In my first year, I was given the opportunity to play with the Britten-Pears Orchestra. We performed a number of concerts and our CD, recorded at one of those concerts, went on to win the BBC Music Magazine Award for Best Opera Recording.

Andrew McCoy
BMus Tenor Trombone

Working in pairs during the MA has helped me developer a deeper understanding of how opera composers work and how to spark their imaginations with a libretto.

Zoe Palmer (writer)
MA Opera Making and Writing

The relationship between the Barbican, BBC, and Guildhall is absolutely invaluable as it provides opportunities for students that cannot be found elsewhere.

Emiko Edwards
MPerf Piano

I feel that the people here really make the institution. I found Guildhall to be a really supportive environment that gave me room to explore, take risks, and mature as a mucisian, and as a human being.

Francesca Chiejina
MPerf Vocal Studies

Writing music for theatre has been a highlight of my time at Guildhall, as it has allowed me to explore an art form in which I have a great amount of interest and to work towards a professional finished product.

Alexander Hall
BMus Composition

Barbican is a key partner of Guildhall, and we can often get artists who perform there to do a masterclass or project with us, and we often do performances at Barbican events.

Ieva Vaitiekunaite
BMus Electronic Music

Whether it is in sit-in rehearsals, side-by-side projects or chamber orchestra sessions, the LSO players offer invaluable guidance and provide a glimpse of the exceptional standards we aspire towards.

Rees Webster
MPerf Oboe (Orchestral Artistry)

I was excited to cover a role in the UK premiere of Andrew Norman's 'A Trip to the Moon' in the Barbican, have a solo recital at LSO St Luke's and also to sing on the stage of Wigmore Hall.

Mirjam Mesak
MPerf Vocal Studies

I knew about the fantastic tutoring and resources, but the friendly and stimulating environment clinched it for me.

Eden Lonsdale
BMus Composition

I had the opportunity to play percussion with the Guildhall Studio Orchestra which gave me the chance to learn from, and play alongside, amazing senior players, as well as to perform with the incredible Liane Carroll.

Dave Adsett
BMus Jazz Drums

Guildhall is an institution that knows it has to be connected to the outside world - that's the key thing. It's not a bubble. It has roots in the city and in the world.

Jonathan Ferrucci
Artist Diploma Piano

One minute you could be playing in the Guildhall Studio Orchestra with jazz musicians, the next you could be playing in the opera pit, then the next minute you'll b e with actors doing the musical and then playing a symphony in the orchestra.

Millie Ashton
BMus Violin

The departmental philosophy of returning opera back to something that is essentially produced as part of a company is a really great thing.

Klara Kofen (writer)
MA Opera Making and Writing

The quality of teaching is amazingly high. With the guidance and help that I've been given, I feel my work has got dramatically better over a short space of time.

Lucy Armstrong (composer)
MA Opera Making and Writing

I set up a piano trio when I arrived, and we have weekly coaching with members of the Endellion Quartet and the faculty. It has been very rewarding.

Leo Popplewell
MMus Cello

It seemed like this was a place to go and experience a complete world of art and performance and see what happened - a place that really encouraged you to make things that you want to make.

Vittorio Angelone
BMus Percussion

Home > Music > Principal study > Historical Performance > Auditions

Historical Performance Auditions

Sight-reading may be required at all undergraduate and postgraduate auditions. Continuo instruments (harpsichord, organ, harp, lute, theorbo, etc) may also be tested on their ability to realize a simple figured or unfigured bass.

Undergraduate requirements

All undergraduate candidates may audition on modern instruments as long as they demonstrate sufficient awareness of historically informed performance.

Baroque Violin

Candidates must present one piece from Francesco Geminiani's The Art of Playing on the Violin selected from 'Compositiones', 2-12.

Candidates must also present two further pieces, each drawn from different groups from the following:

Group 1
A complete sonata by Marini, Castello, Fontana or Uccellini or the first 2 movements of a sonata from Corelli's Op. 5, numbers 1-6.

Group 2
Two movements from a sonata or suite by Rebel, F. Couperin, Leclair, Francoeur or Senaillé.

Group 3
A complete sonata by Schmelzer, Biber, Walther or Georg Muffat, or two movements from a suite by Westhoff, or two movements from a sonata by Handel.

Baroque Cello

Candidates must present a Ricercar by D Gabrielli or by G B Degl' Antonii
and
two contrasting movements from a sonata by Vivaldi or by Geminiani
and
two contrasting movements from a sonata by Jean-Baptiste Barrière or by Jean-Baptiste Masse

 

Bass

Candidates must present the first movement of a J.S. Bach orchestral suite
and
Two own choice pieces
Candidates may offer one piece on a complimentary instrument (Viennese tuning, viola da gamba, violone or harpsichord)

Viola da Gamba

Audition requirements for undergraduate in viol, auditioning on viol:

Candidates must present one English piece, either a set of divisions on a ground or an unaccompanied viol piece, e.g. a piece for lyra viol.
and
Two contrasting movements of a baroque sonata or suite for viol and basso continuo or obbligato keyboard.
and
One piece of candidate's choice.

Audition requirements for an undergraduate in viol, auditioning on cello:
Candidates must present two movements of a solo suite by J.S. Bach
and
The first movement of a baroque or classical concerto
and
One piece of candidate's choice.

Audition requirements for an undergraduate in viol, auditioning on double bass:
Candidates must present two contrasting movements from a baroque sonata
and
The first movement of a classical concerto
and
One piece of candidate's choice.

Early Harp

Audition requirements on modern harp:

Candidates must present:
One Baroque transcription
and
One Renaissance transcription
and
One other contrasting work

Figured bass on a keyboard instrument will be tested.

Audition requirements on early harp:

Three pieces in contrasting styles
or
Two pieces on the early harp and one on another instrument eg piano, organ, harpsichord, modern harp

Figured bass on baroque harp or another keyboard instrument will be tested.

Renaissance Lute

Candidates must present:

Their own choice of three contrasting pieces
Sight-reading in both French and Italian tablature will be provided.

Harpsichord

Candidates must present:

Three works from the 17th and 18th centuries, including one by JS Bach. Each of the following forms must be represented:
Free work - toccata, prelude etc
Fugal piece
Dance form

One piece performed on fortepiano may substitute one of the above
Sight-reading and a basso continuo exercises will be provided.

Recorder

Candidates must present:

One of the following two pieces:
Italian Air from Suite in A minor by Telemann (Hinrichsen/Peters)
or
Movts 1 & 2 from sonata in C by Barsanti (Hinrichsen/Peters)
and
One of the following two studies:
Study for finger control no.3 by Bruggen (Peters)
or
No. 16 from 36 studies by Bousquet
and
One of the following pieces:
Sonatina by Berkley
Last movement of Recorder Concerto by Sammartini
Meditation by Hirose

Bassoon

Candidates must present any bassoon sonata by Boismortier or Galliard.

Other wind instruments

Audition requirements will be sent upon request.

Natural Horn

Candidates must present:
Saint-Saens Romance in F
or
Cherubini Sonata No 1 in F
or
Mozart Concerto K495 (second movement only)

and

Haydn Concerto No 1 first movement 
or
Haydn Concerto No 2 first movement

and

Orchestral Repertoire
Ravel Pavane
Beethoven 8th Symphony (first and second horn parts third movement)
Weber Oberon Overture
Mendelssohn Nocturne from A Midsummer Night's Dream

Other brass instruments

Audition requirements will be sent upon request.

 

 

Postgraduate requirements

Your audition panel will be listening for a sense of appropriate variety in your performance. This is perhaps best illustrated by choosing repertoire that includes a range of styles. If you are focusing on baroque music, for example, try to include works by early and late composers of different nationalities (e.g., Hotteterre; Locatelli; CPE Bach). 

Singers

Be prepared to sing three or four items from a varied selection of six works, which should include: a sixteenth-century song; an opera aria from the first half of the eighteenth century; an extended recitative or monody. At least one item to be in English and one in Italian.

Violin, Viola and Cello

At least two movements from an unaccompanied work by JS Bach; plus a piece of your own choice. 

Viols

Three contrasting pieces of your choice, to include contrasting national styles.

Lute

Three contrasting pieces appropriate to your instrument(s). Candidates should be familiar with French and Italian tabulature, and expect to undertake figured-bass tests at sight. Candidates submitting a recording must include examples of their continuo playing.

Harpsichord

Three or four pieces to include French and Italian styles. Your programme should include works in contrapuntal and variation form. You should expect to undertake figured-bass tests at sight. Candidates submitting a recording must include examples of their continuo playing. 

Fortepiano

A complete sonata by Haydn; Mozart; Beethoven or Clementi; a nocturne by John Field plus a piece of your own choice.

Woodwind (except Bassoon) and Brass

Three contrasting pieces appropriate to your instrument, which may include contemporary repertoire if you wish.

Bassoon

Fasch Sonata in C major, Telemann Sonata in f minor, and Bach Orchestral Suite No.1 (BWV 1066).