How to Join

Who Can Audition?

Any students who will be in grades 9-12 during the 2024-2025 school year may audition. This means current eighth graders CAN audition!

Audition Criteria

Auditions will be completed electronically by submitting a video recording of the required materials. Audition recordings must be completed by 11:59 PM on Friday, May 24, 2024.

How Do I Submit a Recorded Audition?

Suggestions for Submitting a Video Recorded Audition

• Using your cell phone or tablet, record the audition in as large a room as possible (like your high school band room) rather than in your bedroom at home.
• Make sure that your camera will show your entire upper body and face. Be careful that your music stand does not block the camera.
• Be careful not to place the camera/microphone to close to your instrument.
• Before you play, state your name and instrument on the video recording.
• Watch the recording before you send it to be sure everything has recorded correctly.
• Ask your band director or private lesson teacher to help you prepare and record your audition.

What Should I Play?

Woodwind/Brass players: A solo (accompanied or unaccompanied) or musical excerpts with contrasting styles that demonstrate your best level of technical and expressive performance skills. It is acceptable to play multiple excerpts from one solo/etude or multiple solos/etudes. The solo/excerpts must not exceed 6 minutes in duration. Excerpts of recently prepared or performed solo and ensemble music are perfect for this type of audition.

Percussion: Solos or musical excerpts that show proficiency on snare drum, a keyboard instrument and timpani if possible. The audition should not exceed 10 minutes in duration.

All students Scale Requirement: Please include the following scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, C, G and Chromatic scales. The chromatic scale is the entire range of the instrument with which you are comfortable. The format for all the scales is to play in an eighth note or triplet pattern at a tempo that is comfortable for you to perform well. Memorization is not required but will demonstrate a higher level of proficiency.

When Will I Find Out if I Made SYWS?

Students will be notified by e-mail of audition results no later than Friday, June 21, 2024.

2024-2025 Fees and Tuition (non-refundable)

• Application fee - $50 (must be paid online, see information below) Students will not be sent the audition submission link until the application fee is received.
• Families with multiple children auditioning need only submit one application fee.
• Annual tuition for SYWS is $300. Payment is due before the first rehearsal in September.
• Members of the 2023-2024 MSBOA Middle or High School All-State Bands or High School Orchestra are eligible for a $100 discount off the tuition fee.

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