# Why a repertoire list for DMA applicants? Incoming DMA Candidates must possess, at minimum, **an elite level of skill** across the primary "classical percussion" mediums: Snare Drum, Keyboard, and Timpani. Other skills (world percussion, drum set, etc.) are crucial and welcome, but the UNLV DMA program is geared toward **Collegiate Percussion Pedagogy** — you are credentialing yourself to be a percussion professor at the university level. Regardless of preference or ideology, college percussion pedagogy has settled over the last 80 years on these "big three." You must demonstrate knowledge and performance across them at the highest level **to be a competitive candidate for university percussion searches.** Our DMA program does not remediate. It challenges and refines, to an exceptional degree, your understanding of the technical and artistic knowledge behind your instruments. Alongside rigorous coursework in Pedagogy, History, Journalism, Theory, and your culminating Document, your playing *must already* be of the highest order. The following list illustrates the level of playing expected upon *entering* our program. > [!Info]- Repertoire Selection: discuss with our coordinator > We strongly recommend, when reaching out to us to audition, that you actually *discuss* with our coordinator what, from this collection, you might want to prepare. > > We are aware these works are *significant* and extremely difficult. > > We have no interest in absolutely perfect renditions. Rather, we aim to have a dialogue with you regarding repertoire selection, discussing what's feasible based on your current situation, and then seeing your performance after we've established the context. > > This gives us a much more realistic and individualized read on how and why you selected what to play, *and* an idea of how quickly you prepared it to the degree that you present for us. > > Our philosophy with your preparation is: show us **promise over perfection.** > > Even elite musicians will fall short, but **how** they fall short is perhaps the most valuable metric for *any* audition. > > >[!tip]- A healthy perspective: > > This approach should, in reality, reduce any stress or anxiety surrounding your audition for us. Hopefully it is clear that we're **not** making our determinations solely off of *one* in-person performance, but rather the totality of your selection, preparation, and presentation. ## DMA Audition Repertoire List Work with our Coordinator to select **one** work from each instrumental list to prepare. ### Snare - *Douze Études pour Caisse-Claire*, Jacques Delécluse — any single étude - *Test-Claire*, Jacques Delécluse - *Prím*, Áskell Másson - *Konzertstück for Snare Drum and Orchestra*, Áskell Másson — excerpt, with or without piano reduction - *Århus Etude No. 9*, Bent Lylloff - *Nine French-American Rudimental Solos*, Joe Tompkins — any single solo - *The Noble Snare*, Stuart Saunders Smith (ed.) — any solo from vols. 3–4 - *Asventuras*, Alexej Gerassimez - *Bad Touch*, Casey Cangelosi (snare + audio) - *Tantrum* — Kevin Bobo ### Keyboard *Select ONE from all of keyboard, not each section* — you may select more if you'd like. **Two-mallet** - J.S. Bach — any movement, Sonatas & Partitas for Violin or Cello Suites - George Hamilton Green — any published xylophone solo/rag - Orchestral xylophone excerpt set — e.g., Gershwin _Porgy and Bess_, Kodály _Háry János_ - *White Knuckle Stroll,* Casey Cangelosi - *Caleidescopio,* Gene Koshinski - *Running With Scissors,* Gene Koshinski **Four-mallet marimba** - *Marimba d'Amore*, Keiko Abe - *Velocities*, Joseph Schwantner - *Dances of Earth and Fire*, Peter Klatzow - *See Ya Thursday*, Steven Mackey - *Marimba Spiritual*, Minoru Miki - *Caritas*, Michael Burritt - *Concerto for Marimba and Strings*, Emmanuel Séjourné — excerpt, mvt. of applicant's choice - *Ultimatum I,* Nebojsa Zivkovic - *Two Fountains,* Kevin Bobo — either Fountain - *Banafrit,* Jon Anderson - *Alone,* Keiko Abe **Six-mallet** - *Itsuki Fantasy for Six Mallets*, Keiko Abe - Any 6-mallet work by Dean Gronemeier **Vibraphone** - *Omar*, Franco Donatoni - *Links*, Stuart Saunders Smith — any single link - *Tales for Vibraphone, Vol. 1*, Max Seide Leth — any work - A jazz transcription of your choosing (approved by Coordinator) ### Timpani - *Eight Pieces for Four Timpani*, Elliott Carter — any single piece - *Concerto for Timpani and Orchestra*, William Kraft — excerpt - *Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra*, Philip Glass — excerpt/cadenza - *Variations for Solo Kettledrums*, Jan Williams - *Canticle*, Stanley Leonard - *The Final Precipice*, Jeffrey Peyton - *Bushido: The Way of the Warrior*, John Willmarth - *Rhythm Gradation*, Toshi Ichiyanagi - *Steal the Thunder*, Jean Piché (timpani + electronics) - Orchestral excerpt set — e.g., Beethoven Sym. 9, Brahms Sym. 1, Hindemith _Symphonic Metamorphosis_, Stravinsky _Rite of Spring_