Guidelines Notebook

MS Band - Audition Guidelines

Page  4-B-2
Updated: Jun. 19, 2012


  1. Auditions will be by CD with one audition per CD. You may stop the CD between sections of the audition.

  2. On each CD, place the student's NAME, SCHOOL, GRADE, and INSTRUMENT on an EASILY REMOVABLE LABEL. [We recommend the use of masking tape.] Upon receipt, the label will be removed and the CDs will be numbered.

  3. DO NOT say the student's name or school on the tape. This is a blind audition.

  4. Please fill out the roster form completely. This is the only way the Chairman can get the correct information to each school and student.

  5. Please print or type information on the labels.

  6. Audition material for wind instruments is taken from the Intermediate Rubank Method Book. Audition material for percussion instruments is taken from Audition Etudes by Garwood Whaley. These materials are selected on a three-year cycle. They can be found on the website.

  7. A chromatic scale will also be played in addition to the etude. This should be played over the student's range on their instrument. The scale must be slurred up and tongued down on wind instruments at a minimum of mm=90. This also includes mallet percussion.

  8. Snare drum percussionists will play a ten-second multiple bounce buzz roll in addition to the etude. Please record the roll first and the etude second.

  9. Timpani percussionists will record tuning the timpani followed by a ten-second single stroke roll on D as notated in the etude(s) in addition to the etude. Please record the tuning process and roll first and the etude second.

  10. Bell lyre, orchestra bells, xylophone, and the marimba are acceptable for mallet auditions. Mallet percussionists will play the same chromatic scale as listed above for wind instruments in addition to the etude. Please record the scale first followed by the etude.

  11. Each percussion instrument audition must be on a separate tape.

  12. If a percussion student is auditioning on more than one instrument, enter their name on the roster form once per instrument.

  13. Directors, please listen to the CDs before submitting them. In the past, background noise or incorrect recording has ruined a recording for a student. If your CDs are not mailed to the Chair by the due date, you must hand deliver the CDs on the day of the listening before the time set by the Chair. You still must send in a roster even if you hand deliver the CDs. Band directors submitting their student roster after the "roster deadline date" will be required to pay double the registration fee for each of their students selected. The minimum amount for this late penalty will be $50.00.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND - AUDITION MATERIALS
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