Auditions for the Jazz Ensemble & Combos are held at the beginning of each academic semester and sign up sheets can be found on the doors of WV 163/171. The requirements for the general audition are as follows:

1. 1-2 minutes of a prepared jazz piece (solo/transcription/tune) (Rhythm section players will be asked to play in different styles and/or demonstrate a basic blues progression)

2. Short sight-reading (from a standard big band arrangement)

3. Improvisation over a standard Blues (NOT REQUIRED)

(RHYTHM SECTION: drumset, piano, bass and guitar amps will be provided.)

For further information, contact Dr. Crotts by email at chip.crotts@music.gatech.edu or call 404-894-3194.

The Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Orchestral Winds auditions will take place the first Tuesday of classes each semester. 

Winds will be required to play prepared piece(s), 3 chromatically adjacent major scales, and the chromatic scale for the practical range of their instrument.

Contact Professor Diden if you have questions about these requirements. You may sign up for an audition time the week before classes begin. Sign-up sheets are posted on the first floor band board in the Couch Building.

All students MUST sign up for the appropriate Concert Band, Symphonic Band or Orchestra class after auditions have been completed.

The Orchestra Strings auditions will take place during the first week of classes in the Fall Semester. Spring audition is only for non-current players and those who wish to audition for ensemble placement. Students will be placed to Georgia Tech Symphony Orchestra (T/R 11:00am -12:15pm; occasional 6:15-7:35) or Chamber Orchestra (T/H 12:30pm -1:45pm) according to audition results.

Auditions will consist of:

1. one major and one minor scale of your choice (two in total, 3 octaves)

2. prepared orchestral excerpts

Contact Professor Chaowen Ting if you have questions about these requirements. All students are encouraged to sign up for the class first and then take the audition. The audition results and seatings will be posted both on the GTSO website and the orchestra bulletin board on the first floor of the Couch Building.

Auditions take place the first week of each semester for placement in Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Orchestra and the Percussion Ensembles.

While there is no set prepared music, each student will be asked to demonstrate their proficiency on as many or a few standard instruments that they feel comfortable. (snare drum, keyboard percussion, timpani, drum set, ethnic percussion)

If a student is not assigned to their preferred ensemble, they will be eligible to participate in another ensemble based on the results of the audition.

Consideration will be taken into account for schedule conflicts.

Auditions will be held August 18th and 20th, from 8:00am - 12:00pm, in the School of Music recording studio (Couch B04). Ten minute slots will be scheduled beginning in early August. The ensemble is primarily geared towards guitarists, bassists, keyboard/piano players, drummers, and singers. However, other instrumentalists are free to audition on their instrument. The ensemble is also (potentially) open to live sound engineers and artists who play other “pop-music technology”: turntables, Ableton Live, etc.

For auditions, drumset, keyboard, microphones, guitar/bass amps, and all cables will be provided. Otherwise, bring your instrument (guitar, bass, sax, etc.), and tune your instrument before hand!

Auditioners should learn and be prepared to play/sing one of the following songs for their audition:

• Guitarists
  • Back In Black (AC/DC)
  • Californication (the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
  • Enter Sandman (Metallica)—or Master Of Puppets
  • Is This Love (Bob Marley)
  • The Sound of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel)
  • Sunday Morning (No Doubt)
  • When I Come Around (Green Day)
• Bassists
  • Californication (the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
  • Longview (Green Day)
  • Is This Love (Bob Marley)
  • Money (Pink Floyd)
  • Ramble On (Led Zeppelin)
  • Sunday Morning (No Doubt)
  • This Love (Maroon 5)
• Keyboards/Piano
  • Let It Be (the Beatles)
  • Is This Love (Bob Marley)
  • Money (Pink Floyd)
  • Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
  • Tiny Dancer (Elton John)
  • This Love (Maroon 5)
• Drummers
  • Longview (Green Day)
  • Is This Love (Bob Marley)
  • Californication (the Red Hot Chili Peppers)
  • Let It Be (the Beatles)
  • Money (Pink Floyd)
  • Superstition (Stevie Wonder)
• Vocalists
  • Any of the above
• Other instruments
  • Any example of your instrument used in “rock” or “pop” music.

Pick the song which you think best showcases your talents.