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Music Application and Audition Information

Hit the right note when applying to study music at Ara

To be selected for the Bachelor of Music, you need to submit an application and attend an audition.

 

Application

To apply, first submit an Admission and Enrollment form. If your application is successful, you’ll be invited to attend an audition in Christchurch.

Download the Domestic Admission and Enrolment form.
Download the International Admission and Enrolment form.

 

Audition

All applicants are required to attend an audition, to assess your suitability for the programme. The audition is slightly different for each pathway.

Performance pathway (choose one)

Jazz

  • 12-bar blues - play/sing the melody and improvise. You’ll need to provide your own backing – either recorded or with accompanying musicians. Piano, drums and amps will be provided.
  • Jazz standard - performed in a jazz style with the melody and one or two choruses of improvisation over the form of the tune. Bassists should show the ability to play a walking line. Guitarists and pianists need to comp the chord changes over a chorus.

Pop/rock

  • 12-bar blues – same as above
  • Pop/rock tune - Perform a pop or rock tune of your choice that demonstrates your technique and performance skills.

Classical/band instruments/classical voice

  • Prepare two contrasting pieces that best show your performance standard (max 3 minutes each). They can be accompanied or unaccompanied, but you’ll need to supply your own accompanist if required.
  • You’ll also be asked to sight-read a short piece.

Music creation / music production pathway

Portfolio
Submit a portfolio of your musical work. You should supply three or four pieces that demonstrate your style and technique. Your pieces can be in notated (written) form or audio recordings. If you're applying for Music Production, your pieces can be audio recordings, but Digital Audio Workstation files (e.g. Logic Pro X, Pro Tools etc) are preferred.

All pathways

Theory and aural test
As part of your audition, you’ll be given a short aural test which includes singing back a melody, identifying intervals, identifying major and minor chords and clapping back a rhythm. You’ll also need to complete a music theory test to establish your current knowledge of key signatures, note names, rhythmic notation and chord names.

 

Audition dates

22-24 September 2025, JZ Block, Ara City campus

1-3 December 2025, JZ Block, Ara City campus

Practical:

Jazz

12-bar blues

This requires you to play/sing the melody and improvise. You’ll need to provide your own backing – either recorded or with accompanying musicians. Piano, drums and amps will be provided.

AND

Jazz Standard

Performed in a jazz style with the melody and one or two choruses of improvisation over the form of the tune. Bassists should show the ability to play a walking line. Guitarists and pianists need to comp the chord changes over a chorus.

Pop/rock

12-bar blues

This requires you to play/sing the melody and improvise. You’ll need to provide your own backing – either recorded or with accompanying musicians. Piano, drums and amps will be provided.

AND

Pop/rock tune

This requires you to perform a pop or rock tune of your choice that demonstrates your technique and performance skills.

Classical / band instruments / classical voice

You should prepare two contrasting pieces that best show your performance standard, not more than three minutes each. They can be accompanied or unaccompanied, but you’ll need to supply your own accompanist if required. You’ll also be asked to sight-read a short piece.

If you’re applying for the music creation pathway, you’ll need to provide a portfolio of your work and discuss it with our tutors. You should supply three or four pieces that demonstrate your style and technique. Your pieces can be in notated (written) form or audio recordings.

If you’re applying as a producer, you should supply a portfolio of your recorded work and discuss it with our tutors. You should supply three or four pieces that demonstrate your style and technique. Your pieces can be audio recordings, but Digital Audio Workstation files (e.g. Logic Pro X, Pro Tools etc) are preferred.

All applicants will be given a short aural test which includes singing back a melody, identifying intervals, identifying major and minor chords and clapping back a rhythm. You’ll also need

to complete a music theory test to establish your current knowledge of key signatures, note names, rhythmic notation and chord names.