Audition Guide
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Audition Guide Contents: Overview 2 Our Ensembles 3 Student Progression 4 Musical Skills Required: Strings 5 Winds/Brass 7 Percussion 8 Jazz 9 Audition Guidelines 10 Audition Tips 12 MYS Auditions OVERVIEW All new and returning MYS students* must play an audition for the MYS Conducting Staff to determine their group assignment. Based on this audition, the student will be placed in the most advanced ensemble the conductors feel will be a good fit; where students are challenged musically but can succeed and have fun. This document includes an overview of all MYS ensembles and the musical skills expected for each. Students and their families are expected to become familiar with this information as they prepare for their MYS audition. Important notes to keep in mind: • Group assignments are valid for the entire school year. • Students may play in a second MYS ensemble at no extra cost. Many wind/brass/percussion students choose to play with an Orchestra in the morning and with a Band in the afternoon. • The average MYS student plays with the same ensemble for 2 years before moving on to the next. • Typically, students grow their individual and ensemble skills during year 1, and become leaders in year 2, while continuing their musical advancement. *except students who are pre-registered for Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band or Jazz Ensemble 2 Our Ensembles Ensembles and their conductors are arranged below by level and type, with most advanced at the top: LEVEL Full Orchestras Bands Strings Jazz Percussion Advanced Symphony Orch. MYSfits Jazz MYSticks Perc Ensemble Symphonic Band Concert Orch. Vivaldi Strings Intermediate Percussion Studio Sinfonietta Jazz Band Concert Band Baroque Strings Interlude Orch. Entry Level Overture Strings 1 year minimum playing experience required Beginning Beginning Str. No previous playing experience required 3 Student Progression Below is the typical progression across our ensembles as students advance their technical and ensemble skills: Strings Beginning Overture Interlude Baroque Sinfonietta Vivaldi Concert Symphony MYSfits Strings Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Orchestra Strings Beginning Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Wind/Brass/Percussion Extra Percussion Training (in addition to ensembles listed on the left) Interlude Concert Sinfonietta Concert Symphonic Symphony Orchestra Band Orchestra Orchestra Band Orchestra Percussion MYSticks Perc. Studio Ensemble Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Entry Level Interm. Advanced Harp Jazz Jazz Ensemble Interlude Sinfonietta Concert Symphony Jazz Orchestra Orchestra Orchestra Orchestra Band Big Band Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Entry Level Interm. Advanced 4 Musical Skills Required Strings LEVEL Beginning Overture Interlude Baroque Sinfonietta Vivaldi Concert Symphony MYSfits Strings Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Orchestra Strings Beginning Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Overture Strings: Interlude Orchestra: Baroque Strings: Sinfonietta Orchestra: • At least one year of playing • Developing vibrato for all string • Most or all of major and minor • Most or all of major and experience players; slurred & staccato (melodic and harmonic) scales melodic scales in at least two • Able to read music notation bowing styles in at least two octaves. octaves. • Facility throughout first position • Violins & violas: facility in third • Good vibrato and tone • Fully developed vibrato; slurred, • Know several major scales in at position production spiccato & staccato bowing least 1 octave (2 octaves • Cellos: Knowledge of extensions • Off-the-string bowing (spiccato) styles. preferred) & 4th position • Violins & violas: facility up to • Violins & violas: facility up to • Knowledge of flats and sharps: • Level equivalent to Suzuki Books 5th position 5th position low 1st finger, low/high 2nd, 3 - 4 • Cellos: Knowledge of extensions • Cellos: Knowledge of extensions 3rd or 4th finger • Private Lessons recommended & 5th position & 5th position • Level equivalent to Suzuki books • Level equivalent to Suzuki Books • Level equivalent to Suzuki Books 1-3 4 - 5 5-6 • Private Lessons recommended • Private Lessons recommended • Private lessons recommended cont. next page 5 Musical Skills Required Strings (cont.) LEVEL Beginning Overture Interlude Baroque Sinfonietta Vivaldi Concert Symphony MYSfits Strings Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Strings Orchestra Orchestra Strings Beginning Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Vivaldi Strings: Concert Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra: MYSfits • Know most major and minor • All major and minor scales in at • All major and minor scales in at • Members of MYSfits are scales in at least three octaves least 3 octaves with contrasting least 3 octaves with contrasting selected based on Symphony with contrasting articulations, articulations, including spiccato articulations, including spiccato Orchestra seating auditions including spiccato • Facility in all positions and • Facility in all positions and • Fully developed vibrato, slurred bowing techniques bowing techniques & staccato bowing styles. • Fully developed vibrato • Versatility in vibrato and bow • Violins & violas: facility up to • Cellists must be able to read strokes 7th position and play fluently in tenor and • Violists must be able to fluently • Cellos: Knowledge of extensions treble clef read and play in treble clef. & beyond 5th position • Violists should have facility in • Cellists must be able to fluently • Level equivalent to Suzuki books treble clef read and play in tenor AND 6-7 • Level equivalent to Suzuki Books treble clefs. • Private Lessons required 7-8; early concerto repertoire • Highly advanced/professional (e.g. for violins: Viotti, Accolay, solo repertoire Mendelssohn) • Private Lessons required • Private Lessons requried 6 Musical Skills Required Winds/Brass Interlude Concert Sinfonietta Concert Symphonic Symphony Orchestra Band Orchestra Orchestra Band Orchestra Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Interlude Orchestra / Concert Band Sinfonietta Orchestra: Concert Orchestra: Symphonic Band / Symphony Orch. • Know chromatic scales and • Know chromatic scales and • Know chromatic scales and • Know chromatic scales and all major and minor scales up to 3 major and minor scales up to 3 major and minor scales up to 4 major and minor scales in at sharps and flats in two octaves sharps and flats in two octaves sharps and flats in two octaves least two octaves • Comfortable reading in all • Comfortable reading in all with contrasting articulations • Strong sight-reading skills, meters including duple and meters including duple and • Comfortable reading in all intonation, rhythm and triple triple meters including duple and musicality. • Private lessons recommended • Bassoonists must be able to triple • Bassoonists & trombonists must read and play in tenor clef • Bassoonists must be able to be able to read and play in • Clarinetists should have basic read and play fluently in tenor tenor clef. transposition skills clef • French horn, trumpet & clarinet • Trumpet and horn players • Clarinetists should have strong players must have excellent should have basic transposition transposition skills transposing skills. skills • Trumpet and horn players • Flute players may be asked to • Private Lessons highly should have strong play piccolo. recommended transposition skills • Clarinet players should have • Must be taking private lessons access to an A Clarinet, and may be asked to play bass clarinet and E-flat clarinet. • Oboe players may be asked to play English Horn. • Private lessons required 7 Musical Skills Required Percussion (additional training) Interlude Concert Sinfonietta Concert Symphonic Symphony Orchestra Band Orchestra Orchestra Band Orchestra Percussion MYSticks Perc. Studio Ensemble Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Entry Level Interm. Advanced Entry Level Intermediate Advanced Notes: • At least one year of playing • Know major and minor scales • Know all major and minor scales All MYS percussion students take experience (on xylophone) up to 3 sharps (on xylophone) part in Percussion Studio class with • Have basic music-reading and and flats • Know legato and staccato Mr. Michael Roberts. This class playing skills • Know basic timpani stroke and timpani stroke, pp—ff—pp happens during regular rehearsal • Private lessons recommended timpani roll timpani roll times on select weeks. • Know closed “concert” snare • Snare Drum Rudiments: drum roll • Double Stroke Roll MYSticks Perc. Ensemble is made up • Learning/developing mallet • Orchestral (multiple of Symphony Orchestra skills bounce) Roll percussionists and guests from • Must be taking private lessons • 9 Stroke Roll other MYS ensembles as needed. • Flam Tap • Flamacue • Double Paradiddle • Experience in mallet instruments • Must be taking private lessons 8 Musical Skills Required Jazz Jazz Jazz Ensemble Jazz Band Big Band Entry Level Interm. Advanced Entry Level / Intermediate Advanced: Jazz Ensemble Advanced: Big Band Drummers • Know at least five major scales • All major and dominant scales, • All major and dominant scales, Must be able to demonstrate: Able to play a two-octave and a two-octave chromatic and a two-octave chromatic 1. Swing beat: medium and fast chromatic scale scale. scale. tempo • Sight-reading skills • Strong sight-reading skills • Strong instrumental skills 2. Bossa Nova or latin beat • Able to play a transcription of a • Improvisation skills required • Strong sight-reading skills jazz solo • Advanced improvisation skills • Sight-reading