7th and 8th Grade Band and Orchestra students (and 6th grade students from area Middle Schools with 6th Grade) in Douglas County Schools are eligible to audition for a respective band or orchestra DCSD Middle School Honor Ensemble.
The Honor Group also requires that the submitting director recommend all of their students auditioning, asserting that the auditioning student has the discipline and maturity to participate in a high level musical event. Teachers will do the audition recordings only.
Students must currently participate in a band or orchestra at a DCSD neighborhood or charter school.
There is a $30.00 participation fee per student if a student is accepted in a DCSD Middle School Honor Ensemble.
If accepted, students must agree to attend all 3 pre-rehearsals/sectionals on Tuesday December 2, 2025 from 5:30pm-7:30pm at TBD Middle School (TBD), Thursday January 8, 2026 from 5:30pm-8pm at Mesa Middle School (TBD), and Friday January 16, 2026 from 5:30pm-7:30pm at Chaparral High School (Parker), as well as attend the 1 dress rehearsal and concerts on Saturday January 17, 2026 at Chaparral High School.
Participation fees, transportation to scheduled rehearsals and events, mallets/sticks, and student instruments (with the exception of large percussion instruments) are all the responsibility of the auditioning school and/or the individual student. The ensemble organization will have a collection of small percussion equipment, mallets, sticks etc. for student use as well.
Students with their Teachers must complete an audition recording in which they will perform the required song excerpts, required scales, all at the specifically marked tempos. Other methods of audition preparation are highly encouraged. Completed recordings will then be labeled and submitted by the students instructor.
Teachers will NOT be speaking or playing anything on a student's audition recording, but TEACHERS will be assisting students with the recording.
***If you are interested in viewing the Audition Rubric that we will use to evaluate Strings/Winds Auditions and Percussion Auditions, please click below to view the Rubric and Evaluation Form for your instrument.***