Band Auditions, Grades 7-8
Stivers School for the Arts invites you to our Spring audition date for the 2010-2011 school year on Saturday, April 17, 2010. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Students may audition in two magnet concentrations.
The following guidelines will prepare you for the audition for the Band Magnet.
Stivers offer four levels of band performance. Membership in each group is determined on the basis of ability and achievement.
All groups meet daily for 45 minutes of instruction. Once a week the groups divide into like-instrument small groups for sectional rehearsal.
Audition Requirements
Band Candidates will play the required selection for their instrument. The music does not need to be memorized.
Incoming student should be able to play major scales (as many as possible), play the required music selection and pass a diagnostic sight-reading test.
The audition will be evaluated on a scale of five points with five points being the highest and one point being the lowest in the following areas:
- tone quality
- articulation
- technique
- phrasing
- rhythmic precision
- dynamics
- intonation
- interpretation
- sight-reading
Musical interpretation is very important. Every student is evaluated on his/her ability to musically interpret ideas and statements. Speed is not the greatest consideration.
Traditionally large numbers of students have auditioned on flute, clarinet, saxophone and drums. Because of these large numbers the competition for positions in the bands is much higher for these instruments. Percussion students are advised to study mallet percussion or another melodic band instrument. Acceptance of percussion students (drummers) is subject to the instrumentation requirements of each band and will be limited.
Evaluation
- Pitch recognition: The evaluator will play 3 pitches on the piano and have the student repeat the pitch. The audition candidate will be rated on the overall pitch recognition.
- Scales: Student selected scale and teacher selected scale
- Music performance
- Watkins-Farnum: The student will be started at a level slightly easier than the prepared piece. Evaluators will use only two or three examples, unless there is a need for more.
Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale
The Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale is the only objective, standardized method of testing performance, achievement and progress for musical instruments.
The test is used to test sight reading ability for placement in Band tryouts, and/or intermittent testing to determine progress.
This objective instrument was developed by Dr. John G. Watkins and Dr. Stephen E. Farnum.
Sheet Music
Performance music is available for download below. Sheet music is presented online in Adobe PDF format.
