Be a part of the Crane tradition
The Crane School of Music requires prospective students who wish to major in any music degree program to complete auditions, in addition to completing an application through SUNY Potsdam’s regular College admissions process. You can complete these in any order.
2023-2024 Auditions
Registration is now open for Crane School of Music auditions!
The first registration deadlines for entry in Spring or Fall 2024 are fast approaching. Crane does not pre-screen auditions.
Audition dates
| Location | Date | Registration deadline |
|---|---|---|
| On campus (Potsdam, N.Y.) |
December 9, 2023 | November 26, 2023 |
| On campus (Potsdam, N.Y.) |
February 3, 2024 | January 21, 2024 |
| On campus (Potsdam, N.Y.) |
March 2, 2024 | February 18, 2024 |
| Off campus (Long Island) |
February 22, 2024 | February 11, 2024 |
| Off campus (New York City) |
February 23, 2024 | February 11, 2024 |
| Video Auditions | Ongoing | February 29, 2024 * |
* To be fully considered for music scholarships, video submissions must be received by February 15, 2024.
See yourself here.
We know that traveling to campus can be a significant expense for some students and their families. To help offset travel costs, we are happy to announce that we are able to provide free hotel rooms for a limited number of students auditioning on-campus. We are happy to offer off-campus auditions in Long Island and New York City again this year, as well as video auditions.
Important notes:
- All auditioning students will be considered for music scholarships.
- Crane does not pre-screen auditions. All are welcome to audition!
- If you need to cancel or change your audition date, please notify Crane as soon as possible. Late cancellations and no-shows affect other students, faculty and staff adversely.
- Following each audition day, audition results typically arrive within two to three weeks following the audition. (To be informed of your audition results, you must have completed your application to SUNY Potsdam.)
See The Crane School of Music for yourself at one of our on-campus audition days!
All prospective students and families get to tour the Crane complex, meet with current students, ask questions at our information sessions, and find out more about our programs from faculty. You also have the option to tour the full SUNY Potsdam campus after your audition. View the full auditions day schedule here.
Hotel Rooms:
We know that traveling to campus can be a significant expense for some students and their families. To help offset travel costs, we are happy to announce that we are able to provide free hotel rooms at the Clarkson Inn in Potsdam for a limited number of auditioning students, along with a meal card to use for dinner Friday evening. (The card is good at a number of Potsdam restaurants.) If this package would help you make auditioning in-person on-campus possible, please request a room when prompted during the audition registration process.
On-Campus Audition Dates
- Saturday, December 9, 2023 (last day to register: Sunday, November 26)
- Saturday, February 3, 2024 (last day to register: Sunday, January 21)
- Saturday, March 2, 2024 (last day to register: Sunday, February 18)
Directions to the Crane School of Music
While there is no registration fee for on-campus auditions, Crane will provide an accompanist for all live vocal auditions for a $30 non-refundable fee.
Can’t make it to The Crane School of Music?
Consider an off-campus audition.
There is a $50 non-refundable registration fee for off-campus auditions. Crane will provide an accompanist for all live vocal auditions for a $30 non-refundable fee.
The last day to register for all off-campus audition dates is Sunday, February 11, 2024.
Long Island - Mineola High School (Garden City, NY)
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Directions
New York City - Grand Street High School (Brooklyn, NY)
Friday, February 23, 2024
Directions
Important Notes
- Piano students can only audition in New York City (on February 23), or on campus, or by video.
- Percussion and harp students cannot audition off-campus; students auditioning on these instruments must audition on campus or by video.
Not able to make it to one of our audition sites?
The Crane School of Music provides a video audition option for students who cannot otherwise attend a live audition at one of our audition sites. Students auditioning by video should expect to also have a short virtual (Zoom) meeting with the appropriate applied studio faculty (who will reach out to set those up).
Video Submission Guidelines
- Audition videos are uploaded to Acceptd when you are completing your audition registration form on that platform.
- We prefer that you submit a separate video for each piece.
- Please include your name, the full title of the work and full name of the composer of the work in your video (either spoken before the performance, or included as text).
- Please make sure your video is of a high quality and is as close to a live performance as possible. Do not use a close microphone. Do not use any audio processing.
- Because pianists and vocalists are required to perform from memory, frame the video so it is clear the auditioning student is not reading from music.
- The video should be framed so we can see your entire body. Vocalists, for example, should be visible from head-to-toe.
- Only vocal auditions need to have piano accompaniment. If you are vocal student, and are unable to record with a live accompaniment, you can use a prerecorded piano part. You can also make a request for an Crane alumni pianist, we will will do through our alumni association; if there is an alumni volunteer in your area, we will connect you to them. As this takes time, please give us adequate time to set this up. Contact auditions@potsdam.edu with these requests.
- While you can certainly record multiple takes of your audition pieces, please only provide us with one version of each one. For each piece or movement, the recording should be continuous. Do not cut and paste different takes for any single piece/movement/song.
- We cannot accept audio-only audition recordings (CD, mp3, etc.)
Video submission deadlines
- For spring 2024 admission, the last day to submit your video links is Sunday, November 26, 2023
- For fall 2024 admission:
- The regular deadline to submit your videos links is Thursday, February 15, 2024. Students submitting video links by this date will be fully considered for music scholarships.
- The last day to register and submit your video links is Thursday, February 29, 2024.
- Following receipt of your video(s), audition results are usually mailed to students about a week after the next scheduled on-campus audition day. See the on-campus audition schedule above for those dates.
Are you interested in pursuing our Bachelor of Music degree program in musical studies with an emphasis in composition? We want to hear your work!
In addition to completing your performance audition, you must also submit a portfolio of your original works to be considered for the composition program. Submit two or three original scores of contrasting character that best highlight your creativity and potential for compositional growth.
Important Notes
- Compositions may be submitted as notation files (any notation program or PDF format) or audio files (if there is no written score).
- For notated scores, you may also submit recordings (live or MIDI), but they are not required.
- Materials should be uploaded to Acceptd when you are completing your audition registration form on that platform.
- Questions and email submissions should be directed to Dr. Jerod Sommerfeldt.