The percussion studio at Lamont is full of dedicated musicians who work hard and love what they do, all the while preparing for professional careers in music. Percussion students study with Michel Van Wirt, Director of Percussion Studies at Lamont and also section percussionist of the Colorado Symphony. Professor Van Wirt has performed with the Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Colorado Music Festival, and was a New World Symphony Fellow.
Auditions
Applicants may choose to either audition in person in Denver OR submit a recorded video audition.
Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. You may indicate your preference for a live or virtual audition on the Lamont application.
Click here to view the current year’s audition dates and the full steps for how to apply.
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In-Person Audition Requirements
All auditions are approximately 15 minutes in length. The applicant will choose one of their prepared works to perform. The faculty will choose the second of the prepared works and possibly an additional work as well.
Undergraduate (BM and BA)
- Snare Drum:
- Perform a concert solo from the Peters, Cirone or Delécluse books
- Perform a rudimentary solo from the Wilcoxon or Pratt books
- Demonstrate basic technical knowledge of rudiments and rolls
- Sight reading
- Mallets
- Perform a two-mallet solo from the standard literature, which may include the Bach Cello Suites, Violin Partitas or Sonatas
- Perform a four-mallet solo
- All major scales
- Sight reading
- Timpani
- Perform an etude from either the Goodman Timpani Method or the Friese-Lepak Timpani Method
- Recognize basic intervals
- Demonstrate a good sense of pitch
Undergraduate (Minor)
- Demonstrate major and minor scales on a mallet instrument
- Demonstrate the standard rudiments for snare drum
- Perform a piece of your choice for snare drum
- Perform a piece of your choice for mallets using either two or four mallets
Graduate (MM and Certificate in Performance)
- Snare Drum
- Perform a concert solo from either the Peters Advanced Etudes or Delécluse books
- Perform a rudimentary solo from the Pratt book
- Perform a concert roll pp-ff-pp
- Perform three standard excerpts from the orchestral literature
- Sight reading
- Mallets
- Perform a two-mallet solo from the standard literature, which may include the Bach Violin Partitas or Sonatas plus a two-mallet solo of your choice
- Perform a four-mallet solo
- Perform three xylophone or bell excerpts from the standard orchestral literature
- Sight reading
- Timpani
- Perform an etude from the Delécluse book
- Perform a roll pp-ff-pp
- Perform three timpani excerpts from the standard orchestral literature
Review Requirements for Artist Diploma
Review Requirements for Certificate in Orchestral Studies - Snare Drum:
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Video Audition Requirements
Applicants unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit a video audition via the Lamont application. Repertoire may be recorded separately in multiple takes; editing within each take is prohibited.
Undergraduate (BM and BA)
- Snare Drum:
- Perform a concert solo from the Peters, Cirone or Delécluse books
- Perform a rudimentary solo from the Wilcoxon or Pratt books
- Mallets
- Perform a two-mallet solo from the standard literature, which may include the Bach Cello Suites, Violin Partitas or Sonatas
- Perform a four-mallet solo
- All major scales
- Timpani
- Perform an etude from either the Goodman Timpani Method or the Friese-Lepak Timpani Method
Undergraduate (Minor)
- Perform a piece of your choice for snare drum
- Perform a piece of your choice for mallets using either two or four mallets
Graduate (MM and Certificate in Performance)
- Snare Drum
- Perform a concert solo from either the Peters Advanced Etudes or Delécluse books
- Perform a rudimentary solo from the Pratt book
- Perform a concert roll pp-ff-pp
- Perform three standard excerpts from the orchestral literature
- Mallets
- Perform a two-mallet solo from the standard literature, which may include the Bach Violin Partitas or Sonatas plus a two-mallet solo of your choice
- Perform a four-mallet solo
- Perform three xylophone or bell excerpts from the standard orchestral literature
- Timpani
- Perform an etude from the Delécluse book
- Perform a roll pp-ff-pp
- Perform three timpani excerpts from the standard orchestral literature
Review Requirements for Artist Diploma
Review Requirements for Certificate in Orchestral Studies - Snare Drum:
Faculty
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The Lamont Percussion Ensemble Performs four times per year, including a concert dedicated to ragtime xylophone!
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Members of the Lamont Percussion Ensemble in performance.
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Lamont percussion students regularly perform in Gates Concert Hall with the Lamont Symphony Orchestra, Lamont Wind Ensemble, Lamont Percussion Ensemble, and more.
