Audition Preparation for Grades 7-8

We hope that this material will help you prepare for your Stivers audition(s) and provide you with some information about our arts magnets.

The Stivers Arts Magnet Program offers major concentrations of study in the areas of:

Students select one art area for their major concentration. A second magnet area is sometimes possible, depending on each student's course of study and required academic courses.

Seventh grade enrollment in each magnet concentration will be based on the current percentage that each department carries of the total magnet enrollment. The total seventh grade magnet enrollment will be approximately 150 students.

If the allotted number of students is not accepted in any department, additional students can be accepted in other magnet areas based on the number of applicants and meeting guidelines of instrumentation, voice, gender and race. The approximate number of each instrument in band and orchestra and voice types for choir is an important factor. For example we could not participate, nor offer a full range of choral literature if all the accepted audition candidates were sopranos.

The auditions will be adjudicated by the directors of each arts magnet area and professional artists and performers from the Dayton Arts community who serve as adjunct faculty members at Stivers. After all auditions are completed, scores will be tabulated and students prioritized for placement into auditioned magnet areas of concentration. Every student will be notified of their audition results by mail.

Stivers student artists will:

  • receive a grade for their art magnet classes that is as important as any other grade on their report card and are part of the cumulative grade point average.

  • have homework every night in their magnet area. Musicians must practice at home for 30 minutes every evening. Visual artists must invest 35 minutes every night on their sketchbook assignments. Other young artists will have similar homework assignments.
  • take good care of their equipment, instruments, music and supplies.
  • participate in every performance. There are evening and Saturday peformances as well as some after school rehearsals or classes in every department. All students must attend these special events which are an important part of their grade.
  • wear black and white for all concerts - white shirts, black pants or skirts, and black shoes - no colors. Special dress / costumes are required in dance and theatre.
  • pay a magnet fee of $140.00 per year for their magnet major and an additional $70.00 per year for a second magnet area. Fee waivers and some scholarships are available in cases of financial need.

Thank you for considering Stivers School for the Arts as your school of choice. We hope your audition experience is positive and rewarding.

Choose the preparation guide for your preferred Arts Magnet.