7th & 8th Instrumental Audition Materials and Resources

Instrumental Audition Material

The instrumental auditions includes 3 parts:

• Scale

• Sight Reading

• Prepared Piece

Scale

Students will perform 3 scales:

• concert Bb major

• concert Eb major

• chromatic starting on concert Bb (except horns start on their C)

Scales with be played:

• one octave, do to do, in the mid-range of the instrument (when there's a choice)

• up and down

• from memory

• in quarter notes

• tempo: quarter note = 60 (no slower, but faster is OK)

• with appropriate alternate fingerings

The format of scale (repeat top note or not, half notes on the tonic, etc.) is not specified and will not effect scoring

Sight Reading 

Students will sight read a short piece given to them by the judge. Each instrumental judge brings his/her own sight reading music, so all students on a given instrument get the same sight reading piece.

Sight reading will:

• • use whole, half, quarter, eighth, and dotted quarter notes

  • be in the key of Concert Bb, Eb, or F

  • be in 4/4 time

  • be 8 measures long

  • use up to two dynamic markings as well as possibly a few slurs, staccatos, and accents

  • include a tempo marking.

  • possibly include rolls (percussion)

Prepared Piece

The prepared pieces change on a two-year rotating basis. Please note that timpani and snare have their own designated prepared piece, where mallets should perform the bells part of the piece that all other students audition with (see below). Percussion students will play their auditions on instruments provided by the hosting school.  Auditions for 2024–25 will be on Rotation B