A Study on the Brass Instruments Audition Pieces at Major Universities in Seoul

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency of brass audition pieces for the admission of the music colleges over the past five years, from 2020 to 2024, and to explore the educational implications for students. Methods To this end, we analyze the frequency of brass audition pieces at universities such as Kyung Hee University, Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University, Korea National University of Arts, and Hanyang University, which are universities that designate audition pieces. Results First, the repertoire for brass instrument audition is very limited. Second, the audition pieces do not include enough etudes that can identify the student's basic performance qualities. Third, there are almost no examples of sight-reading exercises for evaluating transposition ability. Fourth, the prevalence of free-choice piece selection in university admissions restricts the enhancement of students' musical abilities for preparation. Conclusions The presentation of audition pieces for selection of college brass instrument majors must include various elements. This is because a limited repertoire of audition pieces may limit students' opportunities for diverse musical experiences, and may lead to a tendency to practice only the pieces absolutely necessary to be accepted to a target university with good grades. Therefore, a wide range of works from various genres, eras, and composers should be included in the test, and certain criteria for admission should be established, such as an etude test and a limited selection of free-choice pieces to maintain certain audition standards.