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Department of Music Admissions

Learn more about our on-campus recruitment events, campus tours and our application process.

Curious about studying music at UNC Charlotte? Fill out our interest form so we can send you information on your specific interests. 

Ready to join our creative community and apply to study music? The UNC Charlotte Department of Music requires an audition as well as an accepted application to the University. See audition details, below.

Fill out our interest form!

Auditions for the Department of Music

Admission to degree programs in the Department of Music requires an entrance audition and is contingent upon acceptance into the University. However, acceptance into the University is not required prior to your music audition. We will be holding in-person auditions for music majors and select minors throughout the year. Please note, we are not accepting auditions for minors in voice at this time.

In-Person Audition Dates (2026)
  • Saturday, January 24, 2026 – Cancelled due to forecasted inclement weather.
  • Saturday, February 21, 2026 (scholarship consideration deadline; no voice, trombone, or euphonium auditions)
  • Saturday, March 21, 2026 (no trumpet auditions)
  • Saturday, April 18, 2026

In the event of inclement weather, please check the UNC Charlotte homepage. If campus is closed, auditions will be postponed until the next audition date. If campus is open, then auditions will proceed as planned.  Consider your specific situation and if you do not feel safe driving to campus, reschedule your audition either by completing a new Request for Audition Form or emailing Dr. Jennifer Whitaker.

Audition Repertoire

Audition Repertoire: The repertoire required for auditions differs based on what type of music degree, either the Bachelor of Arts in Music (B.A.) or Bachelor of Music (B.M.), a student is seeking. Please review our Undergraduate Programs to determine what degree best fits your career goals prior to reserving your audition.

Students auditioning for the B.A. in Music with a concentration in Applied Music or the Minor in Music Performance should prepare one short piece of the student’s choosing following the Audition Repertoire for Bachelor of Arts Degree or Music Performance Minor Guidelines. 

Students auditioning for concentrations within the B.M. degree who have fewer than four semesters of college-level lessons should follow the B.M. Lower Division Repertoire Guidelines (Freshman/Sophomore Level). Students auditioning for concentrations within the B.M. degree who have four or more semesters of college-level lessons should follow the B.M. Upper Division Repertoire Guidelines (Junior/Senior Level). 

Collaborative Pianist

A pianist will be provided for prospective voice students who request an accompanist when making their in-person audition reservation. The student must provide the pianist with a legible piano accompaniment score in the appropriate key either before or at their audition time. Contact Dr. Claudio Olivera, Departmental Collaborative Pianist, for questions regarding piano accompaniment.

Recorded Auditions

A live audition is preferable, but prospective students may request to audition via video recording. Students submitting a video will follow the same procedure as scheduling an audition, but will include a link to a video that meets the Audition Repertoire Guidelines provided above. Complete the relevant process outlined above in Requesting Your Audition. Contact the Associate Chair, Dr. Jennifer Whitaker, with any questions.

Request Your Audition

Click the appropriate block below for instructions.

Future Niners: First-year and transfer students
  • Step 1: Complete an admissions application to UNC Charlotte and create your Future 49er account. We suggest applicants submit their university application by November 1 which is the submission deadline to receive a decision by January 30th.
  • Step 2: Review the Audition Repertoire Requirements (see below) for the degree, instrument area, and level you intend to pursue to prepare for your audition including information for prospective voice students who are requesting an accompanist.
  • Step 3: Using your Future 49er login credentials, request your audition (this includes video auditions) at least one week prior to the audition date for in-person auditions. It is very important that you select an audition time for your instrument area (i.e., brass, percussion, piano/organ, strings, vocal, woodwinds) from the options listed. Video submissions are accepted on a rolling basis with cut–off dates for entrance approximately 3 weeks prior to the beginning of each semester. If you would like to request an alternate audition date or if there are no available times for your instrument area on the date you would like to audition please email the Associate Chair, Dr. Jennifer Whitaker.  Additional information (e.g., campus map, parking instructions, driving directions) and reminder emails will be sent via email.
  • Step 4: Complete your audition. You will receive your results through your Future 49er portal within 10 business days. 
Current Niners: Current Charlotte students (non-music majors) who wish to apply to a degree program in the Department of Music.
  • Step 1: Review the Audition Repertoire Requirements (see below) for the degree and instrument area you intend to pursue to prepare for your audition including information for prospective voice students who are requesting an accompanist.
  • Step 2: Request your audition (this includes video auditions) at least one week prior to the audition date for in-person auditions. It is very important that you select an audition time for your instrument area (i.e., brass, percussion, piano/organ, strings, vocal, woodwinds) from the options listed. Video submissions are accepted on a rolling basis with cutoff dates for entrance approximately 3 weeks prior to the beginning of each semester. If you would like to request an alternate audition date or if there are no available times for your instrument area on the date you would like to audition please email the Associate Chair, Dr. Jennifer Whitaker.
  • Step 3: Complete your audition. You will receive your results via your Niner email account within 10 business days. 

A new university application is not required.

Music Major for a Day

The best way to discover what makes the college music experience at UNC Charlotte so special is to experience it for yourself! Join us to meet with professors, tour our facilities, observe a rehearsal, check out a college music class, meet current music students, and even schedule a free lesson with one of our outstanding faculty members!

If you want to visit us, please email Associate Chair Dr. Jennifer Whitaker at jwhitaker@charlotte.edu to schedule a tour.

Register for Music Major Day

Register for a Campus Visit

Plan your visit and register for a campus tour with our office of undergraduate admissions! Your tour experience will highlight Charlotte’s robust 49er community, high-quality academics and connection to the largest city in North Carolina. Tours include an overview of our application process and admissions requirements and a guided walking tour of campus.

Visit Campus

Transfer Students

UNC Charlotte enrolls more transfer students than any other school in North Carolina. The Department of Music is especially excited about helping you transition into our community, including facilitating the transfer of as many general education and music courses as possible from your previous institutions. All transfer students who wish to major in music must first apply to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Once you have applied to the university, you must schedule an audition. Students with four or more semesters of college-level lessons should follow these Repertoire Guidelines.

Transfer Students with A.F.A. Degrees in Music

Transfer students with Associate in Fine Arts degrees in Music who pursue the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree will be able to complete all coursework within two years at UNC Charlotte. Transfer students with A.F.A. degrees in Music who pursue either of the Music Education concentrations within the Bachelor of Music degree will take three years. The Music Performance concentrations may take two, two-and-a-half, or three years, depending on the results of each individual student’s entrance audition, which will indicate how much Advanced Applied Study will be necessary to successfully complete the Junior and Senior Recitals.

The UNC Charlotte Department of Music provides Baccalaureate Degree Plans to identify NC community college courses that lead to associate degree completion, admission into the music major and baccalaureate completion in music. 

Transfer Students without A.F.A. Degrees in Music

Transfer students without Associate in Fine Arts degrees in Music should visit the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information about the transferability of general education courses. The transferability of music courses may depend on the results of Placement Examinations that are administered during orientation.