Prospective Students

This information pertains to prospective students who hope to major in music at UW-River Falls and would first enroll at UWRF during the 2026-2027 academic year. Prospective music majors must complete the following to qualify for acceptance into the Music and Stage and Screen Arts Department at UWRF:

• Admission to UWRF: All prospective students must apply and be accepted into the UW-River Falls. Please direct any questions regarding admission to the Admissions Office.
• Music Major Entrance Expo: In addition, all prospective music majors must complete a Music Major Entrance Expo with the department.

Please note that students who plan to major in a degree path other than music do not need to complete a Music Major Entrance Expo.

All prospective music majors will have the opportunity to showcase their musical strengths and visit with music faculty about their goals (and more) as part of their Music Major Entrance Expo. Entrance Expos will consist of four components, including: (a) Music Showcase, (b) Interview, (c) Music Theory Placement and (d) References. Each of these components is described below.

Music Showcase - All prospective music majors will be asked to share their musical talents with music faculty as part of their Entrance Expo. Recognizing that prospective music majors have a wide variety of musical interests and experiences, students may showcase their talents in a variety of ways, including:

• Performance - perform music (or submit YouTube video recordings of performances), including standard solo literature, etudes, show tunes, personal compositions, improvisation, etc.
• Leadership - share videos related to leadership experiences (e.g., conducting, coaching, teaching, etc.)
• Composition - share musical compositions and arrangements via audio recordings, playback on related software, musical scores, etc.
• Digital Media - share multimedia presentations, digital creations, etc.
• Other - other music-related options, as applicable

Interview - All prospective music majors will have the opportunity to visit with music faculty about their career goals as part of their Entrance Expo. Please plan to share your hopes and dreams for your time at UWRF (and beyond), elaborate on your Music Showcase components (see above), and ask any questions that you have regarding UW-River Falls, music opportunities at UWRF, or the degree path you hope to pursue (e.g., music education, music business, etc.). 

Music Skills Placement – All prospective music majors will be asked to complete the Music Skills Placement as part of their Entrance Expo, which will allow us to guide students into the appropriate Musicianship and Aural Skills classes during their first year of study. During this assessment, students will have an opportunity to tell us about their past music experiences and demonstrate their understanding of music fundamentals and aural skills. 

References - As part of the Entrance Expo registration process, prospective students will be asked to supply names and contact information (email and phone) for two references who can speak on their behalf (e.g., band teacher, private lesson instructor, camp director, etc.). Be sure to ask permission and obtain contact information (email & phone) before starting the registration process.

2025-2026 Entrance Expo Dates

Music Major Entrance Expos will be held on the following dates and will include options for in-person or online (Zoom) experiences. Please keep this in mind when signing up for an Entrance Expo. 

• Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025
• Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
• Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026
• Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
• Saturday, March 28, 2026 (entrance only)

IMPORTANT NOTE - Still hoping to do an Entrance Expo to enroll at UWRF for fall 2025? Contact Paul Budde at paul.budde@uwrf.edu to schedule a date/time.

To schedule a Music Major Entrance Expo at UW-River Falls, please sign up via Google Forms.

Individual schedules and links (Zoom invitation, Music Skills Placement, etc) will be emailed approximately one week prior to each scheduled Entrance Expo date. If you have not heard from us in accordance with the timeline indicated above, please contact us at music@uwrf.edu or 715-425-3183.

IMPORTANT NOTE - Still hoping to do an Entrance Expo to enroll at UWRF for fall 2025? Contact Paul Budde at paul.budde@uwrf.edu to schedule a date/time.

All prospective music majors who successfully complete their Music Major Entrance Expo on or before March 15 will be considered for music scholarships. Applicants who complete their Music Major Entrance Expo after March 15 are not eligible for scholarship consideration.

Notifications regarding (a) admittance and (b) scholarship awards will be communicated via email, using these approximate timelines:

• Entrance to the Music Program: Letters of Entrance into the music program will be sent via email approximately two weeks after each Entrance Meeting date.
• Music Scholarships: Notifications for music scholarships will be sent via email on approximately April 1.

If you have not heard from us in accordance with the timelines indicated above, please contact us at music@uwrf.edu or 715-425-3183.

Prospective music majors who choose to showcase performance as part of their Entrance Expo are encouraged to share two contrasting selections (e.g., various genres, styles, tempo markings, etc.). Keep in mind that we welcome music performances from all traditions and genres. As you consider your options, please keep the following in mind:

• Repertoire - Be sure to select music that will highlight your strengths as a musician.
• Memorization - Memorization is not a requirement for auditions at UWRF. You are welcome to use music for all performance components of the Entrance Expo.
• Piano Accompaniment - Although not required, vocalists are encouraged to perform with accompaniment when applicable - and all students are welcome to do so.

Students who choose to create and share a YouTube video should follow the steps listed below:

• Step 1 - Create your audition video and save to your computer
• Step 2 - Sign in to YouTube.
• Step 3 - Select “Create a video and more” in the upper right corner (look for an icon of a video recorder), then click “Upload video.” Note: if you do not already have an account, you will be prompted to create one when you select “Upload video.” Follow the prompts, then proceed to the next steps below.
• Step 4 - Click “Select file” and locate the file you’d like to upload OR drag the file into the popup window.
• Step 5 - Follow the prompts and ensure your video is uploaded as “Unlisted.”
• Step 6 - Once your video is uploaded, copy the URL (web address) - you’ll be asked to share the URL in the Google Form.