Portfolio/Audition Requirements

Students enter the school with a declared program; you must complete all Admissions Requirements as well as the program-specific portfolio and audition requirements to be considered for admission.

• Composition & Experimental Sound Practices BFA and MFA
• Experimental Pop BFA
• Instrumental Arts BFA and MFA
• Jazz BFA and MFA
• Music Technology (MTIID) BFA and MFA
• Perfomer-Composer BFA and MFA
• Performer-Composer DMA
• VoiceArts BFA and MFA
• World Music BFA and MFAs

General Portfolio Guidelines

To be considered for admission to CalArts’ School of Music, you must submit a portfolio containing examples of your artistic work. The faculty are interested in seeing and hearing portfolio materials that offer a sense of who you are as an artist. Don’t ask what we want to see—show who you are. Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Audition Guidelines

Applicants applying to the Instrumental Arts, VoiceArts, or Performer-Composer BFA and MFA programs are required to participate in an in-person interview and audition OR a virtual interview. The audition is a chance for our faculty to get to know you and to ask and answer questions. You may present materials from your portfolio at the audition.

Audition Schedule