
Auditions
Auditions
Auditions for entry into a musical ensemble within the School of Music vary according to a variety of factors that can change on a semester by semester basis. Read below to find out the latest information on the musical ensembles you are interested in joining.
Vocal placement is contingent upon one’s individual vocal Fach, a method of classifying singers according to the range, weight, and timbre of their voice.
All students are encouraged to attend ‘Choir Kickoff Evening,’ on Monday, August 17. More information one each of the ensembles will be provided at that time.
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.)
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.
21S Orchestra Strings Auditions
Submission Deadline: January 13, 2021 at 11:59pm
The information below is ONLY for 21S ensemble orchestra strings audition under safety, health and social distancing rules.
Spring 2021 orchestra is offered as (strings only) chamber groups. Audition for the Spring 2021 semester will be held through Video Submission.
Online participation form is now open, and all students must fill out the form and submit your video materials by Wednesday January 13, 2021 at 11:59pm.
Audition results will be emailed to you by the end of Sunday January 17, 2021. The number of admitted students will be based on the audition results AND the number of students each classroom can accommodate as approved by GT.
The first class meeting is on Wednesday January 20, 2021. More information will be sent to you with the audition results.
Student can choose to audition for either:
- MUSI 3611 – CO (M/W 9:30-10:45am) – remote class
- MUSI 3611 – SO (M/W 11:00-12:15pm) – hybrid class
For the hybrid section, you will be expected to attend 3-4 in-person rehearsals throughout the semester. Please read the 21S Orchestra FAQ before you contact Professor Chaowen Ting if you have questions about these requirements. Scroll down for audition materials and rules.
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.
Vocal placement is contingent upon one’s individual vocal Fach, a method of classifying singers according to the range, weight, and timbre of their voice.
All students are encouraged to attend ‘Choir Kickoff Evening,’ on Monday, August 17. More information one each of the ensembles will be provided at that time.
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.
Vocal placement in Chamber Choir is based upon an audition and issue of ‘Permit to Register.’ The audition includes sight-singing, tonal memory, and vocalizing.
To request an audition or learn more about this choir, please contact the Chamber Choir officers.
Vocal placement is contingent upon one’s individual vocal Fach, a method of classifying singers according to the range, weight, and timbre of their voice.
All students are encouraged to attend ‘Choir Kickoff Evening,’ on Monday, August 17. More information one each of the ensembles will be provided at that time.
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.)
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 information below is ONLY for 21S ensemble orchestra strings audition under safety, health and social distancing rules.
Spring 2021 orchestra is offered as (strings only) chamber groups. Audition for the Spring 2021 semester will be held through Video Submission. Online participation form will be open on January 7, 2021, and all students must fill out the form and submit your video materials by Wednesday January 13, 2021 at 11:59pm. Audition results will be emailed to you by the end of Sunday January 17, 2021. The number of admitted students will be based on the audition results AND the number of students each classroom can accommodate as approved by GT. The first class meeting is on Wednesday January 20, 2021. More information will be sent to you with the audition results.
Student can choose to audition for either:
- MUSI 3611 – CO (M/W 9:30-10:45am) – remote class
- MUSI 3611 – SO (M/W 11:00-12:15) – hybrid class
For the hybrid section, you will be expected to attend 3-4 in-person rehearsals throughout the semester. Please read the 21S Orchestra FAQ before you contact Professor Chaowen Ting if you have questions about these requirements. Scroll down for audition materials and rules.
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.
Vocal placement is contingent upon one’s individual vocal Fach, a method of classifying singers according to the range, weight, and timbre of their voice.
All students are encouraged to attend ‘Choir Kickoff Evening,’ on Monday, August 17. More information one each of the ensembles will be provided at that time.
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.
The information below is ONLY for 21S ensemble orchestra strings audition under safety, health and social distancing rules.
Spring 2021 orchestra is offered as (strings only) chamber groups. Audition for the Spring 2021 semester will be held through Video Submission.
Online participation form is now open, and all students must fill out the form and submit your video materials by Wednesday January 13, 2021 at 11:59pm.
Audition results will be emailed to you by the end of Sunday January 17, 2021. The number of admitted students will be based on the audition results AND the number of students each classroom can accommodate as approved by GT.
The first class meeting is on Wednesday January 20, 2021. More information will be sent to you with the audition results.
Student can choose to audition for either:
- MUSI 3611 – CO (M/W 9:30-10:45am) – remote class
- MUSI 3611 – SO (M/W 11:00-12:15) – hybrid class
For the hybrid section, you will be expected to attend 3-4 in-person rehearsals throughout the semester. Please read the 21S Orchestra FAQ before you contact Professor Chaowen Ting if you have questions about these requirements. Scroll down for audition materials and rules.
Audition Materials
- You only need to play the sections between the brackets.
- You are free to choose any three excerpts out of provided ones that best represent your level and ability, if you did not participate in orchestra during Fall 2020.
- You only need to choose one excerpt out of provided ones if you have participated in orchestra during Fall 2020.
- Excerpt(s) outside of approved sections will NOT be admitted.
Orchestra Strings Audition Materials
Video Requirements
You should submit ONE/THREE separate videos of prepared excerpt(s).
- Videos should be unedited and without cut.
- You can upload the videos to any platform of your choice (YouTube, vimeo, google drive, etc.) with no password restriction. You can list your videos as unlisted if you do not want them public. Any video inaccessible for the jury will results in eliminating the student from the audition process.
- Video must show the full person at all times at an angle that clearly and fully demonstrates the position of the instrument and bow.
- Picture must remain stationary without panning, fade-in/out, close-up techniques, or use of multiple cameras.
- At the beginning of your video, please state clearly:
- Your name, major, and year
- The number, title and composer of the excerpt that you will be playing
Sheet music and audition materials for Winds and Concert ensembles can be found at this link.