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I am currently a senior in high school. In a few months I will be audition for a number of university music programs. For most of them I will be auditioning for historical performance, as I have a great passion for early music/desire to play the harpsichord.

Many of these schools want 2 or three works for audition:
- a work by J.S. Bach
- a work by one of the French clavecinistes (Couperin, Rameau, D'Anglebert, Duphly, etc)
- another work of the candidate's choice.

What skill level do most North American universities expect for their new student auditions? I currently plan to play Bach's 4th Invention in d minor and Couperin's Mysterious Barricades, both at a pretty fast tempo.

Your question is a perfectly good one and the more information you have the better. So why not contact the schools at which you're planning to audition and ask them questions about what they expect from incoming students? Ask if when they ask for Bach are they thinking of a short piece like an invention? Or something longer? What sorts of repertoire have other students played at auditions? The thing is ONLY the schools to which you're applying or students who previously auditioned at the schools to which you're applying can give you the correct answers. All other answers without that essential context, well intentioned as they might be, are guesses.

Your successful auditioning won't be judged on the basis of the level of difficulty or length of what you play, but on the technical and musical quality of your performance. If you can perform that Invention just 50% as well as e.g. Glenn Gould, you'll get in for sure.

"50% as well" would require for the likes of us, the most musically meticulous practising we could possibly engage in.

Most North American universities would regard the 4th Bach Invention as a fairly easy work, as it's often played very well by middle school aged students.

Typically, a Bach work for audition purposes would be something more substantial, like a movement of the Italian Concerto, the E minor toccata, or a few movements of the Bb Partita.

I think the Couperin would be fine, as it's one of his major works.

That being said, North American schools vary widely in what might be considered acceptable repertoire. The 4th invention may be sufficient for a smaller school, but for a larger school or conservatory, you would be competing against other applicants playing far more difficult repertoire with a great deal of musicality.

Where you might be able to distinguish yourself is in a familiarity with historical performance style and practice. For example, not as many applicants would be able to improvise and ornament their selections, realize a figured bass, or have the kind of sophisticated articulation expected on harpsichord/fortepiano. If you have access to a teacher who's an historical performance specialist, it would be very helpful.

If you're auditioning for a B.A. liberal arts program, I wouldn't have a problem with that. If it's a conservatory-level B.M. you might want to play something a little more substantial by Bach, seeing how central he is to historical music performance.. at least a Prelude & Fugue from the WTC (other than the C major from Book I).

What is the third work?

First of all, all of the schools require a Bach work & a Couperin work. Many require a Scarlatti sonata which I have yet to begin working on. If I have the option I will also want to play a work by one of the English virginalists like W. Byrd.

If you have a passion for early keyboard music, why have you learned so little of it? You may not want to narrow your focus right out of high school.