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.
2024-2025 Auditions
Audition registration will reopen in August 2024.
Crane does not pre-screen auditions.
Audition dates
| Location | Date | Registration deadline |
|---|---|---|
| On campus (Potsdam, N.Y.) |
Saturday, February 1, 2025 | January 19, 2025 |
| On campus (Potsdam, N.Y.) |
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | February 16, 2025 |
| Off campus (Long Island) |
Thursday, February 20, 2025 | February 9, 2025 |
| Off campus (Long Island) |
Friday, February 21, 2025 | February 9, 2025 |
| Video Auditions - Spring 2025 Admission | Ongoing | December 1, 2024 |
| Video Auditions - Fall 2025 Admission | Ongoing | February 28, 2025 * |
* Those student wishing to start at Crane in Spring 2025 will have to choose a video audition. The only exception to this will be students already enrolled at SUNY Potsdam, who will have individually scheduled in-person auditions; more details on that process will be posted soon.
** To be fully considered for music scholarships, video submissions for those entering Fall 2025 must be received by February 16, 2025.
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.
On-Campus Audition Dates
- Saturday, February 1, 2025 (last day to register: Sunday, January 19)
- Saturday, March 1, 2025 (last day to register: Sunday, February 16)
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.
Current SUNY Potsdam students wishing to start as a music major in Spring 2025 will be able to have an in-person audition in November. For more, see the note above about auditions for spring 2025 admission.
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 9, 2025..
Long Island - Mineola High School (Garden City, NY)
Thursday, February 20, 2025 and Friday, February 21, 2025
Auditions run from 9am to 4pm on February 20; 9am to 1pm on February 21.
Directions
Important Notes
- Piano, 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 2025 admission, students will have to opt for the video audition option. The last day to submit your video links is Sunday, December 1, 2024.
- For fall 2025 admission:
- The regular deadline to submit your videos links is Thursday, February 16, 2025. 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 28, 2025.
- 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.