*Screening is not required for Fall 2025 admission.  Applicants who choose the on-campus audition will be granted an audition.
You can either attend an on-campus audition or submit a recorded audition.
On-campus auditions
Before you arrive:
- Save the date for your instrument's assigned audition day.
- You will receive notification through your application portal. It will include details such as individual audition date, time, location and if applicable, your assigned accompanist and contact information.
- Respond to you audition notification.
- If you are coming from outside Canada, check with for travel document requirements.
- Applicants with disabilities who require accommodations in order to participate in the audition process must notify the admissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Graduate%20Â鶹AV) (Â鶹AV Office) in advance of their audition date.
Accompanists:
- The Schulich School of Music will provide an accompanist for applicants to classical voice and a jazz rhythm section for applicants on a jazz instrument. Rehearsal costs are the responsibility of the applicant and vary depending on the accompanist (for voice applicants only). Rehearsal with a jazz rhythm section is not available.
- All orchestral/early music instruments will audition without an accompanist.
- Voice applicants only: Contact your accompanist as soon as you can to confirm your audition repertoire and arrange rehearsal times (if applicable).
On audition day:
If you are experiencing travel delays on the day of your audition or you are unable to attend your audition, please email our admissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Graduate%20Â鶹AV) (Â鶹AV office)
Check-in:
- A minimum of one hour prior to your audition, you must check-in at the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building lobby ().
*Check-in is also mandatory for current students. - Practice rooms will be available to you on your audition day. During check-in, directions to your audition location and practice rooms will be provided. Details will be available at the check-in desk.
- Applicants in Organ will check-in at their audition location. Practice time will be arranged in advance of the audition.
Where to stay:
Book a hotel in Montreal:
Special accommodations have been arranged with several downtown hotels. All hotels are within walking distance of the Schulich School of Music.
Special room prices are available to the Â鶹AV community: staff, students, visitors, etc.
If you are making reservations by phone, be sure to mention Â鶹AV.
Events & Montreal:
Consult our Events Calendar for Schulich School of Music concerts and related events.
See the website for happenings in the Greater Montreal area.
Recorded auditions
If you cannot participate in on-campus auditions due to date conflicts or travel constraints, you must upload a video recording to your application portfolio. Please upload all pieces, you cannot go back into your portfolio and add pieces after the initial upload. This will be considered as your final audition.
- Review your repertoire requirements. If we have not provided sample pieces, choose your own material from your instrument’s traditional repertoire. Select material that highlights your musicianship and technical proficiency.
- For voice and jazz applicants, please include live accompaniment. Back tracks are not acceptable for video recorded auditions. NOTE: all other instruments are not required to submit accompanied material.
- All applicants, except for those in classical guitar, can submit separate single-take videos for each piece; classical guitar applicants must record their entire audition program in a single video.
- Please review your recorded material for sound quality, video clarity or any errors. Rerecord if necessary. Your recordings should be less than 6 months old.
- Please label your video(s) with your family name followed by the name of piece and composer (for example: Smith_ PianoSonata_No14_Beethoven.mp4). Please do not use Non-Alphanumeric Characters" (e.g. !@#$%^&*?/|) or spaces in the file name (use an underscore "_" instead).
- Follow the instructions in your application on how to upload your video(s) by February 1, 2025.
- For all recorded auditions: material must be uploaded to your application portfolio. This will appear in your application portfolio once you have applied and selected recorded audition. Please upload all your material into your portfolio, you cannot go back and add or edit later.
- If you are a composition applicant and you are submitting a recorded audition, please upload your composition samples and audition at the same time (due by February 1)
