Keyboard Auditions

Live and Recorded Auditions

Three contrasting pieces of your own choice are to be played from memory. 

Live Auditions

Please prepare a varied recital programme of 60 minutes (to be played from memory), from which the audition panel will choose extracts.

A repertoire list of the works played in the last two years is required. Please bring a printed repertoire list to your audition.

Recorded Auditions

Submit video recording(s) demonstrating a varied recital programme of 60 minutes. 

A repertoire list of works played in the last two years should be uploaded alongside your audition video(s). Details about how to upload your recording(s) and repertoire list will follow after the application deadline.

Audition – first stage

Audition requirements are the same as those for the MMus/MPerf programmes, but the expected standard of performance at Advanced Artist Diploma level is higher.

Advanced Artist Diploma panel – second stage

The second stage review is a cross-disciplinary panel of senior musical staff. If you are successful in the first stage, the panel will review your artistic CV and video recorded performances (made within the last year).

CV

All candidates must upload their artistic CV in the ‘supporting information’ section of the application form. 

Video recorded performances

If you are attending the first stage audition in person you should upload a list of links to your video recorded performances (on a freely available streaming service such as YouTube) on a Word/pdf document in the ‘supporting information’ section of the application form.

If you submit a recorded first stage audition, we will use the first stage audition recordings already provided for this purpose.  

Context and Development Plan – third stage

If you are successful at the first two stages, you will be required to submit a ‘Context and Development Plan’ (CDP) as a condition of your offer. Details about the CDP are found below, and you will be reminded of this requirement if you are successful at audition. 

Audition requirements for the Advanced Certificate are the same as those for the MMus/MPerf - Advanced Instrumental Studies programme, detailed above. 

Live auditions

The audition includes both vocal and instrumental work with soloists engaged by the Guildhall School. Soloists will be provided for candidates who apply for a London audition by the application deadline. 

If you are auditioning at one of our overseas venues, or if you are making a late application, please bring your own soloists. Candidates who are unable to bring their own vocal and / or instrumental partners to the audition should contact the Senior Professor of Collaborative Piano, Dr Bretton Brown, to discuss options.

For entry in September 2027, candidates should prepare the following:

• A short solo piece of your own choice
• Set works. Please prepare one piece from the instrumental repertoire list and two songs from the vocal repertoire list below – one from list A and one from List B (i.e. three pieces in total). Please ensure you prepare the vocal repertoire in the correct key, as detailed below.

INSTRUMENTAL

 (please prepare one of the two movements below):

• Beethoven: Violin Sonata no. 1 in D major, Op. 12 no. 1 first movement (Allegro con brio); OR
• Beethoven: Violin Sonata no. 4 in A minor, Op. 23, first movement (Presto)

VOCAL 

(please prepare one song from List A and one song from List B)

List A

• Debussy: 'Il pleure dans mon cœur' (Ariettes oubliées) - (original key); OR
• Debussy: 'Green' (Ariettes oubliées) - (original key)

List B

• R. Strauss: 'Das Rosenband' - in A major; OR
• G. Mahler: 'Rheinlegendchen' (Des Knaben Wunderhorn) - in A major

Candidates should also expect:

• Sight-reading
• A short interview 

For further details about the course, please contact the Senior Professor of Collaborative Piano, Dr Bretton Brown.

Recorded Auditions

Pianists should record the set repertoire listed above with vocal and instrumental partners. Solo recordings of collaborative works cannot be accepted. If you are unable to prepare the set repertoire with your soloists, please email the Senior Professor of Collaborative Piano, Bretton Brown, with any questions.  

Pre-recorded auditions should be accompanied by a list of collaborative repertoire already studied. 

Details about how to upload your recording(s) and repertoire list will follow after the application deadline. The deadline to upload your audition video(s) is Friday 23 October 2026.

Candidates whose playing meets the required standard will be required to attend a remote video-calling audition at a later date, during which sight-reading will be screen-shared. 

Audition – first stage (in-person auditions)

Please prepare a varied recital programme of 60 minutes, from which the audition panel will choose extracts. This will generally be collaborative repertoire but some solo (no more than 30 minutes) is also acceptable.

Candidates should also expect:

• Sight-reading
• A short interview 

A repertoire list of the works played in the last two years is required. Please bring a printed repertoire list to your audition.

If you are unable to bring your own vocal and / or instrumental partners to this audition, please contact the Senior Professor of Collaborative Piano, Dr Bretton Brown, to discuss possible options.

Audition – first stage (recorded auditions)

Please submit a varied recital programme of 60 minutes. This will generally be collaborative repertoire but some solo (no more than 30 minutes) is also acceptable.  

A repertoire list of works played in the last two years should be uploaded alongside your audition video(s). 

Details about how to upload your recording(s) and repertoire list will follow after the application deadline. The deadline to upload your audition video(s) is Friday 23 October 2026.

Candidates whose playing meets the required standard will be required to attend a remote video-calling audition at a later date, during which sight-reading will be screen-shared. 

Advanced Artist Diploma panel – second stage

The second stage review is a cross-disciplinary panel of senior musical staff. They will review your artistic CV and video recorded performances (made within the last year).

CV

All candidates must upload their artistic CV in the ‘supporting information’ section of the application form. 

Video recordings

If you are attending the first stage audition in person you should upload a list of links to your video recorded performances (on a freely available streaming service such as YouTube) on a Word/pdf document in the ‘supporting information’ section of the application form.

If you submit a recorded first stage audition, we will use the first stage audition recordings already provided for this purpose.  

Context and Development Plan – third stage

If you are successful at the first two stages, you will be required to submit a ‘Context and Development Plan’ (CDP) as a condition of your offer. Details about the CDP are found below, and you will be reminded of this requirement if you are successful at audition. 

Audition requirements for the Advanced Certificate are the same as those for the MMus/MPerf programme.