High School Band Audition Excerpts

2023-24

Participation Eligibility Requirements
There are two requirements for a student to be eligible to audition for the SWKMEA High School Band:

1. The student's director must be a member of KMEA, will register each audition online, and send the Audition Invoice with appropriate payment to the SWKMEA Executive Director. These must be completed by the deadline established by SWKMEA.
2. The student must be deemed an eligible freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior in good standing in their high school.

Music Requirements for the Recorded Audition

1. Chromatic Scale: Play the chromatic scale slurred up (connected) and tongued down (separated). Quarter Note MM= 60. (All instruments except percussion.) Play the rhythm as indicated on the scale sheet on the state audition material. If students are not able to play the full written range, reduce it to the range the student can play with a good tone. Scales are posted on the state excerpt material available on the KMEA website linked above (corrections will be posted until August 15, 2023)
2. Unison Etude: Perform the entire etude at the prescribed tempo indication. (Percussionist: Mallets Only)
3. District Excerpt Selection: Perform the selected excerpt from the State Audition Material. The state material is available on the KMEA website linked above (corrections will be posted until August 15, 2023)

Piccolo
Excerpt #1 - Divertimento for Band (Vincent Persichetti), "Song" - Perform full Excerpt

Flute
Excerpt #3 - Courtly Airs and Dances (Ron Nelson), "Saltarello" - Perform full Excerpt

Oboe
Excerpt #1 - Lincolnshire Posy (Percy Grainger), "Horkstow Grange" - Perform full Excerpt

Bassoon
Excerpt #2 - The Firebird (Igor Stravinsky), "Berceuse"

B-Flat Soprano Clarinet
Excerpt #2 - This Cruel Moon (John Mackey) - Perform full Excerpt

B-flat Bass Clarinet; also E-flat and B-flat Contra Bass Clarinet
Excerpt #2 - Colonial Song (Percy Grainger) - Perform full Excerpt

Alto Saxophone
Excerpt #1 - Colonial Song (Percy Grainger) - Perform full Excerpt

Tenor Saxophone
Excerpt #2 - Overture to "Candide" (Leonard Bernstein) - Perform full Excerpt

Baritone Saxophone
Excerpt #2 - Lincolnshire Posy (Percy Grainger), "Horkstow Grange" - Perform full Excerpt

B-flat Cornet and Trumpet
Excerpt #4 - Second Suite (Gustav Holst), "Song Without Words" - Perform full Excerpt

French Horn
Excerpt #2 - Festival Variations (Claude T. Smith) - Perform full Excerpt

Trombone
Excerpt #1 - Hammersmith (Gustav Holst), "Prelude" - Perform full Excerpt

Euphonium (BC and TC)
Excerpt #1 - Chester (William Schumann) - Perform full Excerpt

Tuba
Excerpt #1 - First Suite in Eb (Gustav Holst), "Chaconne" - Perform full Excerpt

Percussionists may audition in one or more areas, but a separate form and payment must be submitted for each audition area. Percussionists are encouraged to audition on more than one instrument, but not required to.

Timpani
26 Etudes, The Solo Timpanist, Vic Firth, published by Carl Fischer (04402). Play Etude II - Beginning to measure 38 (stop at the multi-measure rest). Quarter Note = 120.

Mallets
Masterpieces for Marimba, arr. Thomas McMillan, published by Belwin/Warner Bros. (PROBK 1202). Play "Sonata" by Handel (page 10 and 11): Start on the 8th note pick up to Letter D, play to the end, no repeat. Quarter Note = 108. Roll quarter note value and longer notes.

Snare Drum
Portraits in Rhythm, 50 Studies for Snare Drum, Anthony Cirone, published by Belwin Mills (HAB 101). Play all of Etude #6 on page 8. Play Beginning to the end of line 9.