Performance Opportunities

The following information was from the 2021-2022 School Year. However, these performance opportunities occur annually so, please take a look as you may be interested in participating this year!

6th Grade Honors Band and Orchestra

  • Open to students in grade 6 only

  • Registration: Please register by 4:00PM on October 15th

  • Students will audition for Mrs. Garay in December (TBD)

  • If accepted, rehearsal dates at B-CC HS (Band) and Earle B. Wood MS (Orchestra) will include:

      • Every Tuesday from January 1st to February 4th from 6:45PM - 8:30PM
        ( 1/4, 1/11. 1/18/ 1/25, 2/4)

      • Snow Dates for these rehearsals will take place Thursday of the same week

  • Concert: February 8th, 7:30PM - 8:30PM

  • There will be a participation fee.

MCPS Instrumental Solo & Ensemble Festival

  • Open to students in grades 6 - 12

  • Registration: Online Submissions open November 22nd on the MMEA Website

  • There is a recommended fee $15 per submission. Payment should be completed on the MMEA Website upon video submission.

  • Dates and Times - Fall Adjudications will take place ONLINE via Video Submission

      • Ensemble Festival: Video submission window opens November 22nd and closes December 8th at 11:59PM

      • Solo Festival: Video Submission window opens November 22nd and closes December 8th at 11:59PM

  • Music:

      • Use the link below to find the music that fits your group! Let Ms. Saund know if you will need to purchase music through the school. Check the level of difficulty of your music.

      • There is no Approved Music List this year. Students are encouraged to pick music that represents themselves and their skill level.

  • Performance notes:

      • For soloists: most music will require an accompanist (someone playing piano as you play your solo). If this is the case and you need help finding an accompanist, please see Ms. Saund ASAP

      • For ensembles: there will be no conductor as your perform. Practice who will count off to start your piece, how you plan to keep tempo (using a metronome in rehearsals is excellent, but not allowed during performance). Schedule times to work with Ms. Saund!

All State Ensembles (by audition only)

MMEA All State Mock Auditions Submission Open - September 12th *ONLINE*

Maryland Junior All State Band is for band students in grades 7-9. You must audition to be accepted into the group.

Maryland Junior All State Orchestra is for string students in grades 7-9. You must audition to be accepted into the group.

Audition music for all of these groups can be found at www.mmea-maryland.org (go to the All State Handbook section of the website and find the requirements for the applicable ensemble). Talk to your teacher ASAP if you need help finding the music.

Audition times and locations for the Junior groups are TBD

Students auditioning for any of these ensembles must complete two items with their parents no later than the final date at https://www.mmea-maryland.org/all-state-nomination-payment

  • First, you must pay an $8 audition fee. From the page linked above, scroll down to the “Nomination, Confirmation, and Payment” section. Look for “Online and check payment” and follow the link on the word “payment”.

  • Your parent must also complete the Parent Confirmation form. Just below the payment link you should see the “Parent Confirmation” link. Where it asks for the school name please enter “Silver Creek Middle School.”

If you are accepted into one of these groups there is a $450 participation fee (which includes housing and meals). More information will be made available if you are accepted into one of the ensembles.

The rehearsal and performance commitments vary depending on the group. Students will be housed and fed throughout their time with each group:

Junior All State Band: Details will be shared at a Later Date.

Junior All State Orchestra: Details will be shared at a Later Date.

MCPS East County MS All-County Band (by nomination/audition only)

  • Open to students in grades 7 and 8

  • You can find the etude requirement sheet indicating which selection should be performed by clicking on "BAND". All of the wind instrument etudes are from "Rubank Advanced Vol. 1". The timpani etude is from "Basic Timpani Technique" by Thomas McMillan, and the Bells/Mallet percussion etude is from "Percussion Keyboard Technique" by Thomas McMillan.

      • All solos should be played with NO REPEATS: SECOND ENDINGS should be taken when applicable. For some etudes, only selected measures are required.

      • No scales or sight-reading will be required.

  • Information about the band and nomination/audition process:

      • The forty middle schools have been divided in half with 20 East County Middle Schools and 20 West County Middle Schools (See attached list of East and West Middle Schools).

      • All clusters are in either the East County or West County Band. No cluster is divided between East and West

      • Each middle school instrumental music teacher may nominate up to 10 students

            • 1 flute

            • 1 oboe

            • 1 bassoon

            • 1 clarinet

            • 1 low clarinet

            • 1 saxophone

            • 1 horn

            • 1 trumpet

            • 1 trombone

            • 1 baritone horn

            • 1 tuba

            • 1 percussion

      • Each middle school is guaranteed 3 - 5 students to be accepted into their respective all-county band

      • Each nominated student will perform the nomination etude via Google Classroom Video

      • The coaches, and conductor of each band will view the etude performance videos to determine which students are selected

  • Due date for nomination videos: TBD

  • If accepted, rehearsal dates at The Selected High School will include:

      • TBD

      • TBD

      • TBD

  • Concert: TBD

  • There will be a $30 participation fee.

MCPS Middle School Honors Chorus (by audition only)

  • Open to students in grades 6, 7, and 8

  • Audition requirements:

      • "The Water is Wide"

          • See below and find your part!

      • Sight reading: rhythmic and melodic (6th grade sight reading is different from 7th and 8th grade)

  • "The Water Is Wide" Music

  • Information Packet

  • Audition Dates and Locations:

      • Date & Location TBD

      • Date & Location TBD

      • Date & Location TBD

  • If accepted, rehearsal dates will include:

      • TBD

  • Other dates (including concerts) TBD

MCPS Junior Honors Band and Junior Honors Orchestra (by audition only)

MCPS Junior Honors Band is for band students in grades 7-9. You must audition to be accepted into the group.

MCPS Junior Honors Orchestra is for string students in grades 7-9. You must audition to be accepted into the group.

Audition music for the Junior Honors Band and Junior Honors Orchestra is the same as the corresponding All State group, and can be found at www.mmea-maryland.org (go to the All State Handbook section of the website and find the requirements for the applicable ensemble). Talk to your teacher ASAP if you need help finding the music.

Audition times and locations for the Junior Honors Band and the Junior Honors Orchestra are TBD You will receive an audition time block (sometime between 6:00pm and 9:00pm) 1-2 weeks before the audition date.

Students auditioning for any of these ensembles must pay a $3 audition fee. This fee is turned into your music teacher by October 4th. Checks should be made payable to Silver Creek Middle School.

If you are accepted into any of these groups there is a $50 participation fee. More information will be made available if you are accepted into one of the groups.

Students selected for these groups will be required to attend rehearsals every Tuesday evening, January 7 - February 4, 6:30pm-9:00pm. Additionally, there is a dress rehearsal on Friday, February 7, 4:00pm-9:00pm and a culminating concert at the MCPS Honors Gala on Saturday, February 8.

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Video of The United States Naval Academy Band members performing various etudes: