Dartmouth's Admissions Office welcomes vocal and instrumental recordings and performance videos from first-year applicants who wish to demonstrate extraordinary talent in the performing arts. Please consult the information provided on the Undergraduate Admissions website to submit a Music portfolio with your application. Portfolios must be submitted electronically through the Application Portal; do not send your materials to the Department of Music.

For more information, review these instructions and this walkthrough video. Recordings are reviewed by music department faculty.

Requirements

Flexible rigor is the guiding philosophy behind our newly redesigned Major, Modified Major, and Minor in Music, each of which functions on an open course count model. This framework centers student agency, maximizes curricular flexibility, and offers pathways as vibrant and varied as the students we serve.

Both MUS 1 (Beginning Music Theory) and MUS 21.01 (Creative Music Theory I) are intended as welcoming and stimulating introductions to music theory at Dartmouth. MUS 21.01 is recommended for students with some prior knowledge of music theory fundamentals (e.g., staff notation and simple scales and chords), while MUS 1 assumes no prior knowledge whatsoever of music theory or notation. There is no placement test or prerequisite for either class. Instead, every student may determine for themselves which course is most suitable.

Auditions for Hop Ensembles are held just before the beginning of the fall term, with winter and spring term auditions scheduled only by arrangement with the ensemble director. Audition requirements differ for each ensemble; please see the ensemble's dedicated webpage for audition information. Questions can be sent to the ensemble directors.