If you are a woodwind, brass or percussion player, or play a jazz band rhythm section instrument, and want to audition for any ensembles, you are in the right place! Non-music majors are HIGHLY encouraged to audition in our ensembles. Even if you have not played your instrument all summer, please audition! Many of your fellow students are in the same boat. Our instructors can hear past the rust. We would love for you to be a part of our ensembles. If you do not own an instrument, we can supply you with one, and there is no charge to use an instrument if you are participating in a university ensemble. Auditions are held in the afternoon of Sunday, August 18th in the Dixon Ministry Center. I want to see you there!
We have many non-majors who contribute significantly to our ensembles. In most cases, class conflicts can be worked around. Many of our non-music majors are in fields of study such as nursing or engineering, and they enjoy the opportunity to be able to do something outside the norm of their class routine for three hours each week. If your initial schedule has a conflict with an ensemble rehearsal time, we can work it out with the help of your advisor once you arrive to campus. Don't let that stop you from auditioning! Also - if you think, "Maybe next year...." just know next year will never happen. The time commitment is minimal: just 3 hours of rehearsal a week, and no additional meetings for fund raising or anything else like that. Come in and rehearse. Play the concerts. You'll have a great time.
Below you will find excerpts for each instrument. Any brass or woodwind players interested in Orchestra must audition through this wind and percussion audition. Seating for ALL ensembles is based upon your audition, preference order, and director consideration.
If you are interested in an instrumental ensemble, you must choose any three of the four given excerpts from the Wind Symphony excerpts.
Along with your chosen excerpts, you may be asked to do some basic sight reading.
Note: Pep Band does not require an audition. If you are interested in playing in our pep band, look for an email from me to come out sometime in September. The Pep Band is an important part of home basketball games, and I'd love to have you be a part of it! If you only want to play in Pep Ban, send me an email at the address below, and I'll make sure you get the info needed for the start of the season. Pep Band only has 5 rehearsals prior to our first game, and then we just play games from there on (no more rehearsals).