Prospective Students
The Challey School of Music provides a comprehensive, rigorous, and innovative academic program consistent with the mission of NDSU. The school serves the pursuit of high-quality teaching, artistic performance, dedicated service, and professional and scholarly excellence through experiences of lasting value.
The Challey School of Music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Opportunities to Learn More About Music at NDSU:
- Register for Discover NDSU: Music Day
- October 16 and 17, 2025
- Geared toward high school juniors and seniors
- Shadow music students at NDSU
- Observe classes and lessons
- Learn about performance and scholarship opportunities
- FREE registration
- October 16 and 17, 2025
- Attend Festivals and Clinics hosted by the NDSU Challey School of Music
- Visit our Events Calendar to see all of our upcoming performances and recitals
Undergraduate Students
Admission Checklist
Students must complete an audition for acceptance into the Challey School of Music before their first semester of enrollment as a music major.
Step 1: Apply for admission to NDSU.
Step 2: Schedule a campus visit to meet with the Challey School of Music faculty.
Step 3: Audition for scholarships and admission into the Challey School of Music .
You must audition for admission into the Challey School of Music prior to the start of your first semester of music-major classes. Contact Dr. Cassie Keogh (ndsu.music@ndsu.edu) or the applied teacher of your instrument to schedule an audition.
Admission into any music degree is not automatic. Students who major in music have generally had considerable performance experience with instrumental and/or vocal ensembles and/or as soloists. Entering students must be able to understand music notation, and in most cases must read music with some fluency. Admission is based on demonstrated accomplishment in basic musicianship, notation familiarity, work ethic, performance ability, and performance potential. Students may have to complete prerequisite work or courses either prior to or after admission to a degree program.
Instrumental Entrance Auditions:
Please refer to specific repertoire guidelines (listed by each instrument) recommended for students seeking admission to the NDSU undergraduate music majors:
- Please refer to specific guidelines listed by each instrument:
- The audition panel may only hear 2-5 minutes of selected repertoire, but please prepare individual selections in their entirety ((i.e.) complete study/movement) unless specifically requested by the instructor of your discipline.
- Piano accompaniment is optional: you are responsible for finding a pianist if you choose to play with accompaniment.
- Please provide your own sheet music.
- Your entrance audition may also qualify you for music-major scholarships, subject to availability of funding. It is recommended that you audition before March 1 for scholarship consideration.
Piano Entrance Auditions:
The following audition program is recommended for pianists seeking admission to the NDSU undergraduate piano programs.
- At least two contrasting works. It is recommended but not required that one work be a movement from a Classical sonata (Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn, or Schubert)
If you have audition repertoire questions you may contact Dr. Tyler Wottrich at tyler.wottrich@ndsu.edu.
Voice Entrance Auditions:
- Two pieces, both memorized, are required for the voice audition. One piece in a foreign language is encouraged but not required. In selecting your audition songs, try to include contrasting material that will demonstrate your range, your musicality, and your abilities. A pianist will be provided at your audition.
If you have audition repertoire questions you may contact the voice faculty at voice.faculty@ad.ndus.edu.
Composition Entrance Auditions:
- Students must perform an Instrumental, Vocal, or Piano audition as listed on this page.
- Students must submit a portfolio of original composition work for evaluation by the composition faculty.
Students wishing to pursue composition as a major at NDSU have a two-part audition process:
The Composition Portfolio
The portfolio should consist of:
- Demonstration of the student’s ability to write music. Music should be properly notated in a standard notation program (e.g., Sibelius, Finale, Dorico, Musescore, Noteflight, Notion, etc) or neatly hand-copied.
- For incoming freshmen: ideally one or two works or works-in-progress.
Incoming students who do not have a portfolio available can enter the Challey School of Music as a general Music major and take composition lessons as they are developing their portfolio. - For upper-division transfer students: two or three completed works.
- For incoming freshmen: ideally one or two works or works-in-progress.
- a brief document describing the student’s past work with composing, a list of past performances of compositions, and career goals while studying composition at NDSU.
The portfolio may be submitted in hard copy by mail to Kyle Vanderburg, PO Box 6050, Dept. 2540, Fargo, ND 58108, or by PDF to kyle.vanderburg@ndsu.edu.
Step 4: Apply for Challey School of Music scholarships.
Please contact Dr. Cassie Keogh (ndsu.music@ndsu.edu) for additional information.
Graduate Students
Graduate Application
After reviewing these web pages and communicating with the faculty members associated with your graduate degree program, we encourage you to complete the following:
- Notify the Director of Graduate Study, Dr. Charlette Moe, of your intention to apply.
- Secure three recommendations from those familiar with your experiences as a musician.
- Secure official copies of all transcripts.
- Find a sample of your academic writing style, either from a paper or project.
- Complete your online application at the NDSU Graduate School.
For applicants in performance and conducting, an on-campus visit and audition are required. Following acceptance into the program, applicants will complete a diagnostic exam, which will be used by advisors to plan appropriate coursework.