CHAMPLAIN VALLEY DISTRICT III MUSIC FESTIVAL
Burlington, Champlain Valley Union, Colchester, Essex,
Gailer School, Lake Champlain Waldorf, Rice Memorial, South Burlington, Vermont Commons, Winooski

INSTRUMENTAL AUDITIONS INFORMATION

FOR 2007 - 2008 SCHOOL YEAR

Our Philosophy

To offer our students a mid-step audition between the middle school format and the All State format.  To encourage more students to participate.  To be equitable in the placement of students in the festival ensembles.

General Aspects

• Students wishing to participate in the District III Music Festival Wind Ensemble or Concert Band need to audition.  No student will be accepted into either group unless they have auditioned (even if that means the groups have an instrumentation imbalance).
• Adjudicators for the auditions will come from the membership of the district.  Should there be a need for more adjudicators than members, other local music teachers will be asked to volunteer for this event.
• Auditions will take place in an early evening format (5 PM on) during the mid-week of the earliest appropriate week in the school year (as determined by the membership during the previous winter meeting).
• Auditions will last a maximum of 10 minutes (except for Flute/Piccolo combinations scheduled for 15 minutes)
• Auditions will be scored on the District Adjudication Form, based on the All State audition rubric appropriate for each instrument (140 points total - 80 for the solo, 30 for scales / rudiments / technique, 30 for sightreading).
• The highest rated students will be placed in the District Wind Ensemble (numbering approximately 40). The District Concert Band will be selected from the auditioning students not selected for the Wind Ensemble and can number up to 75 or 80. An effort will be made to place all students who audition based on their ratings, but there may be a cut-off for acceptance for some instruments.

Specifics - Winds

• Performance - A selected piece from the Rubank Concert and Contest Series.
  • Like instruments audition on the same selection.
  • A four-year rotating list is established and used.
• Major Scales - The student will be asked to perform two scales from memory in single eighth - sixteenth pattern (as with the All State requirement) at a minimum MM=88 (quarter note).  (See below for specifics).
• Chromatic Scale - The student is asked to perform a two octave chromatic scale, memorized in slurred triple eighth notes at a minimum MM=88 (quarter note).  (See below for specifics).
• Piccolo auditions will be held in conjunction with a student's Flute audition, done in the same room at the same time. Those auditioning on Piccolo will only be asked to perform the solo and not redo their scales or sightreading.

Specifics - Non-Melodic Percussion

• Performance - A selected piece from the indicated book.
  • A four-year rotating list is established and used.
• Rudiments - The student will be asked to perform three rudiments from memory, open to close to open.  (See below for specifics).
• Secondary Percussion Excerpts - The student will be asked to perform a short excerpt on two other percussion instruments.  (See below for specifics).

Specifics - Melodic Percussion

• Performance - A selected piece from an appropriate method book.
• Scales (Mallets) - The student will be asked to perform two major scales from memory at single eighth - sixteenth pattern (as with the All State requirement) at a minimum MM=88 (quarter note).  The student will also be asked to play a two octave chromatic scale starting on F, memorized at triple eighth notes at a minimum MM=88 (quarter note).  (See below for specifics).
• Tuning (Timpani) - The student will be given three pitches and will be asked to first tune the appropriate drum to the note given and then retune the drum to another appropriate pitch (not given).
• Secondary Percussion Excerpts - The student will be asked to perform a short excerpt on two other percussion instruments.  (See below for specifics).

Scales (all two octaves unless otherwise specified)
 

CONCERT PITCH INSTRUMENTS

Gb	Db	Ab	Eb	Bb	F	C	G	D	A
Chromatic starting on F			NOTE: One octave only for brass on Db, Eb, Bb, C, D & A