Audition Dates
Audition schedule February to March 2026: TBA
On-campus auditions
Before you arrive
- Save the date for your instrument's assigned audition day.
- Application portal
- You will receive a notification with聽your聽audition date, time, location and, if applicable, your assigned accompanist and their contact information.
- Confirm or refuse your audition date and time by clicking 鈥淐onfirm my audition.鈥澛營f you choose to refuse, the Admissions Office will聽contact you to reschedule.
Note: Your instrument only has one scheduled audition day, so you may be asked to submit a recorded audition.
- If you are travelling from outside Canada, verify travel document requirements with.
- Applicants who require accommodations in order to participate in the audition process must notify the admissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Audition%20Accomodation) (Admissions Office) in advance of their audition date.
Accompanists
- The Schulich School of Music provides:
- Classical voice applicants: an accompanist
- Jazz instrument applicants: a jazz rhythm section
- Orchestral and early music instrument applicants audition without an accompanist.
- Rehearsal
- Voice applicants: Immediately contact your accompanist to confirm audition repertoire and arrange rehearsal times (if applicable).
- 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.
Audition day
If you experience travel delays, or you are unable to attend your audition, email the聽admissions.music [at] mcgill.ca (Admissions Office) or call 514-398-4546.
Check-in
- You must check in a minimum of one hour prior to your audition at the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building lobby ().
*Check-in is mandatory for current students. - A practice room聽will be provided. During check聽in, directions to your audition location and practice room聽will be communicated.
Exceptionally, Organ applicants:聽Check聽in at your audition location. Practice time will be arranged prior to the audition date.
Where to stay
Discounted room prices are available through the 每日探花 Official Hotel Program聽to the 每日探花 community: staff, faculty, students, and visitors.
Recorded auditions
- If you cannot participate in on-campus auditions due to date conflicts or travel constraints, you must upload a video recording to the portfolio checklist item in your application portal.
- Composition applicants: You must submit both a composition portfolio and complete an audition聽(live or recorded). If you opt for a recorded audition, upload your composition samples and audition video(s) at the same time.
- Accompaniment
- Voice and jazz applicants:聽include live accompaniment. Back tracks are not permitted for video recorded auditions.
- All other applicants are聽not required to submit accompanied auditions.
- Audition video creation
- Review your repertoire requirements and ensure your selected pieces match the requirements. If no sample pieces are provided, choose material from your instrument鈥檚 standard repertoire that best showcase聽your musicianship and technical skill.
- Your recording(s) should be less than 6 months old.
- Film one long video or multiple shorter videos, meeting聽the repertoire requirements.
Note: Classical guitar applicants must record their audition program in one take. - Review your recorded material for sound quality, video clarity or any errors. Rerecord if necessary, as glitches, errors, or edits may result in your video audition not being evaluated.
- Audition video submission
- Follow the instructions in your application on how to upload your video(s) by January 15.
- Label your video(s) with your family name,聽the name of the piece and the composer 鈥斅爏eparated by underscores聽(ex.: Smith_ PianoSonata_No14_Beethoven.mp4).
- In the Application portal, upload your video(s)聽to the 鈥淧ortfolio鈥� checklist item. The option will appear after you鈥檝e selected 鈥渞ecorded audition,鈥� submitted your application, and paid the application fee. Once payment is complete, log in to access the upload section.
- Upload all videos (if applicable)聽at the same time and click 鈥渟ubmit.鈥� This will be considered your final audition, since there is no screening.
