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Tanglewood Music Center

Piano Program Application Instructions

  • Applications for the Piano Program are now open!

    Apply Now

Timeline

  • Applications Due: Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern
  • Decisions Sent: March 2025

Requirements

  • Age: Applicants to the Tanglewood Music Center must be at least 18 years old as of June 20, 2025.
  • Residency: Applicants must be available for the entire duration of the 2025 TMC residency from June 20 – August 19.
  • Application Fee: $75 - Applicants experiencing any hardship that they feel renders them unable to pay the application fee may fill out this form to receive an application fee waiver.
  • Audition: Applicants must upload a video audition, submitted along with their application.

Application

As part of completing the online application, applicants will be required to submit:

  • A current resume
  • One letter of recommendation - You will be asked to provide contact information for your referee on your application. Upon completion of your application, they will be prompted to upload the recommendation. Recommendations should be in PDF format.
  • A fully detailed and complete repertoire list (NOT a generalized or representative one), including repertoire with voice(s), repertoire with instrument(s), as well as solo repertoire and concertos, (indicating with an asterisk those works performed in public) is required. Selections within each section must be alphabetized by the surname of the composer.

Audition

The applicant’s video audition (requirements for filming below) must feature at least THREE of the following FOUR options. Please take care to represent contrasting styles.

  • A solo piano work of the candidate’s choice, demonstrating musical and technical ability.
  • A chamber work of at least 10 minutes duration in which the candidate performs with a minimum of two players.
  • A vocal work or song(s) with one or more vocalists and piano of at least 10 minutes duration. If possible, selections representing contrasting styles are encouraged.
  • An idiomatically modern work from the last 100 years, preferably demonstrating rhythmic, tonal, notational, or technical contemporary fluency.

Video Requirements

All video recordings must meet the following criteria:

  • Recordings must contain all audition repertoire.
  • While each selection may be a separate video, each individual video must be played in one continuous, unedited segment.
  • Video must be from a single video camera, using the same shot for the entire video.
  • Your full body must be in the shot.
  • Any indication that there has been editing or that recording equipment was paused/stopped between excerpts will result in the disqualification of the applicant.

Some advice for getting the best video possible: 

  • We strongly recommend you view your recording in its entirety before submitting it.
  • Record in a quiet space with no background noise present. If you are at home, make sure you are away from noisy appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners.
  • Ensure your microphone is not too close to you.
  • Note that the sole purpose of the video is to ensure that you are the one playing your audition, and that it is in one continuous segment. If you must choose between amazing audio and amazing video, choose amazing audio.