Supplementary Materials for Admission

Yale College does not conduct musical auditions for applicants. Music faculty members will review selected audio recordings or scores from advanced musicians, whether or not they wish to major in music as undergraduates. You may consider submitting a recording of your playing, or a musical score, as part of your application to Yale College if it demonstrates a high level of musical ability. In deciding whether or not to do this, please bear in mind that it is Yale music professors who review selected audio recordings and scores, not admissions officers. You should consider submitting work only if your playing or composing is a strong and important part of your application and demonstrates a high level of artistry for a high school musician.

If you wish to submit audio recordings as a supplement to your application, you must do so online through the Common Application SlideRoom program by the appropriate application deadline (November 1 for Single-Choice Early Action candidates; January 1 for Regular Decision candidates; March 1 for transfer candidates).  To submit recordings or scores, please check the appropriate box in Section VI of the Yale Supplement to the Common Application, titled “Supplementary Materials.” Please do not contact faculty directly to request personal auditions.  You should submit a supplement through the Common Application.

Here are some additional guidelines:

  • Submissions from instrumentalists and vocalists should consist of two or three pieces of contrasting styles (e.g. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern) that demonstrate abilities in the areas of tone, technique, and interpretation. Singers should submit at least one piece in a foreign language. Do not present selections from method books. Whole pieces or movements (as opposed to excerpts) are preferred.
  • While there is no absolute time limit for your recordings, most students find that ten minutes of their best playing is sufficient to demonstrate their level of ability.
  • Submissions from composers should contain scores and matching recordings.  Musical scores must be in .pdf file format.
  • Submissions of recordings and scores of popular music or jazz at a high level are welcome.
  • Although your recording need not be of professional quality it should be sufficiently clear of distracting interference to enable the evaluator to arrive at a judgment. Live recordings from recitals or performances are fine so long as the quality is high enough to discern the applicant’s musical abilities. Scores must be neat and legible.
  • When uploading individual files onto the supplementary materials website, please indicate the title and composer of each submission, including movements, in the space provided. (For example, “Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, Scherzo. Frederic Chopin.”).
  • To submit recordings or scores, please check the appropriate box in Section VI of the Yale Supplement to the Common Application, titled “Supplementary Materials.”
  • To submit recordings or scores, please respond ‘yes’ to the question on submitting an arts supplement in the Yale Questions part of the Common Application, and follow the Portfolio Instructions.

For general information on application supplements, see the Yale College Admissions supplements page.