Admission to Shenandoah Conservatory is highly competitive.
Not only must students be academically admissible, they must also complete and pass the mandatory audition/portfolio review and interview process. Audition dates are limited and may fill and close well in advance of the audition date.
All audition confirmation materials will be sent to the applicant via e-mail.
Undergraduate Applicant Materials
- Complete the Undergraduate Application for Admission
- Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance applicants must complete a prescreening audition. You will be contacted with your prescreening results within three weeks of your submission. You may not schedule an on campus audition until you have been contacted with your prescreening results.
- Submit official high school transcripts from each institution attended
- Submit official SAT or ACT test scores
- Register for an Audition via Shenandoah Conservatory LIVE Decision Desk.
Non-vocal performance and non-musical theatre applicants are encouraged to submit application materials and register for the audition/portfolio review concurrently. No audition will be scheduled without submission of the Shenandoah University Application for Admission and the audition will not be confirmed until all application materials have been received.
Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance applicants must complete a prescreening audition before being invited to audition.
Shenandoah Conservatory accepts auditions in three formats:
Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance applicants must first submit a recorded video prescreening audition.
Submit your prescreening through the Shenandoah University Recorded/Prescreening Decision Desk Drop Box.
No tapes, DVDs, YouTube videos, or submissions through other websites will be accepted. Prescreening audition selections must follow the Undergraduate Conservatory Audition Guidelines.
Applicants who successfully pass the recorded prescreening audition will be invited to campus to complete a live audition with the Shenandoah Conservatory faculty in December, January, or February, or to submit a recorded audition.
Live audition dates are hosted on the Shenandoah University campus.
Audition season at Shenandoah University is always an exciting time! The Conservatory is bustling with enthusiasm and energy not only from our faculty and students, but also from the many visitors.
Your audition day will include:
- Meeting with faculty within your major area of interest to discuss curriculum specifics, performance opportunities, and any other questions you may have.
- Admissions information covering topics such as the application process, GPA and SAT/ACT requirements, AP, IB and dual enrollment credits and more.
- Financial Aid information covering scholarships, grants and FAFSA information.
- Student guided tours of the entire campus.
Register for an On-campus Audition.
Undergraduate Audition Dates
Music Programs
- December 2, 2017
- January 20, 2018
- January 27, 2018
- February 17, 2018
Theatre Programs
- January 27, 2018
- February 10, 2018
- February 24, 2018
New York City Regional Theatre Auditions
- January 20, 2018
- January 21, 2018
Dance Programs
- October 20, 2017
- January 26, 2018
- February 17, 2018
All applicants must follow the Shenandoah Conservatory Undergraduate Audition Guidelines as they prepare for their audition.
Applicants will be emailed an audition confirmation once all of the application materials have been received. The confirmation will include arrival time and schedule for the day. Audition times are not assigned until the day of the audition.
Registrations for auditions must be received at least two weeks prior to the audition date. Again, the audition registration will not be confirmed until all admissions materials have been received.
Applicants who live more than 250 miles from the Shenandoah University campus have the option to submit a recorded audition.
Before submitting a recorded audition, please contact Holly Johnson—Senior Coordinator for Admissions Events at 540-665-4577 or hstandar@su.edu for specific recorded audition required materials.
It is strongly recommended that applicants verify the distance requirement with their admissions counselor prior to submitting a recorded audition.
Submit a video recording electronically through the Shenandoah University Recorded/Prescreening Decision Desk Drop Box.
Videos must be prepared following the Shenandoah Conservatory Undergraduate Audition Guidelines and may be produced with home recording equipment; studio-quality recording is not necessary. We will NOT accept any other type of recorded audition.
Admission Decisions
Admission decisions are sent to students in early March for students who have applied for the fall semester. Review of applications and subsequent admission status notification continues until all programs are full.
Fall Semester/Spring Semester Applications
Shenandoah Conservatory accepts applications and admits students to all conservatory programs in the fall (August) semester. Shenandoah accepts applications for some programs for the spring (January) semester depending on availability. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions to determine if their program of interest has openings for the spring semester.
Not sure what to major in?
Find a major that fits your instrument, and learn more about your instrument’s faculty.
Questions?
If you have questions about our admission or audition process, we invite you to call or email us so we can help you navigate the process and prepare as best possible for your audition. You can contact the Office of Admissions at 540-665-4581 or e-mail admit@su.edu.
View the 2017 Conservatory brochure