The method of modulated ultrasonic radiation pressure, previously used to drive the capillary modes of drops and bubbles, is used to excite the capillary modes of a cylindrical oil bridge in a Plateau tank. Specific modes may be selected by adjusting the modulation frequency and the location or orientation of the bridge in the ultrasonic field. Mode frequencies were measured as a function of the slenderness for the lowest two axisymmetric modes and two nonaxisymmetric modes. The frequencies of the lowest modes agree with an approximate theory which neglects viscous corrections where the interfacial tension is a fitted parameter. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.