Music Creation and Technology

Audition Repertoire Main

Music Creation and Technology Main

DATES AND AUDITION OPTIONS

2027 Interview Dates: TBD

PRESCREENING AND AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

2026-02-05-Dennis-DeSantis-Teaching-Media-Lab-001_LS-WEB-2-2-2

Undergraduate

Prescreening and Audition Requirements:

There is no pre-screening required for undergraduate Music Creation and Technology.

Portfolio: Submit 3-5 works, at least two of which are your original compositions. Include a comprehensive written explanation of how this music was made, including:

What tools (hardware, software, instruments, etc.) did you use?
If you used samples, where did they come from and how have you manipulated or processed them?
If you used hardware or software synthesizers, explain how you used them.
If the music involves other people, who did what?

Please provide both an audio version and the original DAW project for each work. (Note: please ensure that your DAW projects are self-contained. Freeze or bounce any tracks that contain third-party plug-ins and be sure that all samples or media files are included in the project.)

Reconstruction/cover/remix: Upload a reconstruction, cover, or remix of an excerpt (between 30 seconds and one minute) from one of the tracks listed below:

Surgeons Girl – “Steps Right”🔗
BTS – “2.0”🔗
KMRU – “With Trees Where We Can See”🔗
PinkPantheress – “Illegal”🔗

Your version can attempt to faithfully recreate the original or creatively reinterpret it (or anything in-between).

Please provide both an audio version and the original, self-contained DAW project.

Please include a written explanation (ca. 300 words) of your technical and musical choices, as well as some thoughts on what you’re hearing in this music: What interests you? What doesn’t? What kinds of tools and techniques do you think were used to make this music?

Videos: Please submit two videos, described below:

A video of no more than three minutes, in which you show your music-making studio. Talk about the gear you’re using and how you use it. (Note that your “studio” might be anything from a professional recording space to an app on your phone.)
A video in which you perform one of the works in your portfolio or your reconstruction/cover/remix. This might be a solo or a performance as part of a group, but it’s important that we can clearly see and hear your contribution. If you don’t sing or play a traditional instrument, you can perform using MIDI controllers, DJ gear, etc., but your performance should clearly demonstrate how what you do in real-time affects what we hear.

Optional extras: If you’ve done other creative music technology projects that don’t fit into the above categories, but which make you stand out, please share them. These might include:

Music software you’ve written
Music hardware you’ve designed or prototyped
Circuit-bending projects
VJ projects
Etc

Interview: All applicants will be interviewed by the faculty via Zoom in January or February. Applicants should be prepared to discuss their background, experiences, influences as a musician and music technologist, as well as their thoughts about where music and music technology are today and where they’re going in the future. Applicants might also be asked to discuss or demonstrate elements from the materials they submitted. Before the interview, be sure that you’re able to share both the video and audio from your music-making studio to Zoom.