Piano performance students study with Stephanie Cheng or Steven Mayer, award-winning artist-teachers who enjoy international reputations as performers and pedagogues. Students enrolled in piano pedagogy will study with Emily Book McGree, a distinguished pianist, educator, clinician and teacher trainer.

We foster a vibrant collaborative music setting, including participation in duets, small chamber groups, and large ensembles. Students enjoy state-of-the-art facilities in the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, and Lamont holds the distinction of an All-Steinway School with 85 acoustic pianos from the Steinway Piano Company.

Auditions

Applicants may choose to either audition in person in Denver OR submit a recorded video audition and complete a Zoom interview. 

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/interview dates and the full steps for how to apply.

Live Audition

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.

Recorded Video Audition & Zoom Interview

Applicants unable to travel to Denver for a live audition may submit an unedited video audition via the Lamont application AND will complete a live Zoom interview. 

The 10-minute interview will consist of a Q&A only. You will not be asked to perform.

Audition Repertoire Requirements

Undergraduate (BM and BA)

Twenty minutes of memorized repertoire to include three or four pieces, each from a different period:

  • Baroque (e.g., two-part invention by Bach)
  • Classical (e.g., Mozart, Haydn, Schubert*, Beethoven* Sonata – one movement)
  • Romantic (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Schumann, Chopin, Brahms)
  • Twentieth Century (e.g., Debussy, Ravel, Schönberg, Bartok, Hindemith)

Undergraduate (Minor)

  • Ten minutes of repertoire consisting of two or more classical-genre pieces or movements
  • All major scales, four octaves
  • Memorization is not required

 

  • Additional information regarding works by Schubert and Beethoven

    Beethoven and Schubert straddled the Classical and Romantic periods. Therefore, it is acceptable to choose pieces by these composers to count for either period, depending on when the piece was written. For example, Schubert's Sonatas are considered Classical, while Beethoven's Diabelli Variations and Bagatelles would count as Romantic pieces. 

    Please do not select pieces by the same composer to cover both periods. For example, if you select an early work by Schubert for your Classical piece, do not also select a Schubert work for your Romantic piece.

Graduate (MM and certificate in performance)

Applicants should prepare a solo recital program of at least 45 minutes of repertoire. Prelude & Fugue and sonata should be complete; concertos are not accepted. Music should be memorized and selections should include:

  • A major work from the Baroque period (e.g., Bach, Scarlatti, Rameau, etc.)
  • A major work from the Classical period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Haydn, Mozart, etc.)
  • A major work from the Romantic period (e.g., Beethoven*, Schubert*, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, Schumann, etc.)
  • A major work from the 20th century (e.g., Bartok, Hindemith, Schönberg, Copland, Barber, etc.)

Pedagogy (MM)

In addition to the graduate audition requirements above, applicants must submit/complete the following:

  • A research paper related to music education/pedagogy (as per undergraduate work),
  • A 20-minute video of teaching
  • An interview with the piano pedagogy faculty

Pedagogy (Certificate)

  • Twenty-five minutes of music consisting of two or more contrasting works or movements from any time period or combination of time periods. Repertoire selections are allowed from the same time period as long as the pieces demonstrate contrasting styles and are by different composers. 
  • Playing from memory is not required
  • A 500-word writing sample related to music education/pedagogy
  • A 20-minute video of teaching
  • An interview with the piano pedagogy faculty


Review requirements for Artist Diploma

Faculty

 
Stephanie Shih-Yu Cheng

Stephanie Cheng

Teaching Associate Professor

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Steven Mayer with piano in background

Steven A. Mayer

Professor

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Emily Book McGree

Emily Book McGree

Adjunct Faculty

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CTA pattern (books, scales, etc)

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