Band Audition Requirements for 2021-2022 Admissions

All applicants must thoroughly read and follow the 4 step application/audition process on the Admissions homepage.

DIRECTOR
David Hammond

BAND WEBSITE
Click Here

ONLINE APPLICATION
November 2, 2020 – January 1, 2021 at 9:00 am

PREAUDITION MEETING
Thursday, January 7, 2021
6:00 pm
Concert Hall

PREVIEW DATES
DSA does not have a shadow program. Instead, we have 5 Preview Mornings. Preview is from 7:40 am – 9:30 am. It is for both parents and students. Everyone will spend the first half of the time in one large group hearing from the DSA principal. After the large group session, students and parents will receive a tour of the school from a DSA parent who is in the same major you’re interested in auditioning for.

To sign up for a Preview Morning, click HERE

AUDITION DATES
Your specific audition time will be given to you at the preaudition meeting. Audition dates are:

TBA

ACCOMMODATIONS
If your student needs accommodations for the audition, as written in a 504 or IEP, please provide a copy of the 504 or IEP to Assistant Principal Aspen Burkett ONE WEEK before your student’s audition date.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS from LAST YEAR.  These will be updated during the fall of 2020

It is very important that you have an audition time and date when you leave the Bands Mandatory Meeting. All instruments of like kind (brass, woodwinds, percussion) will audition on the same day. The following information is intended as a guide for audition evaluation. Audition adjudicators will use a scale to rate a student in various areas of the audition process.

Band Instruments at DSA
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet (Bass Clarinet)
Bassoon
Saxophone (Alto, Tenor, Baritone)
French Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Baritone (Euphonium)
Tuba
All Percussion

A 5-point scale is used throughout the audition process:
5 = Outstanding
4 = Excellent
3 = Good (Average for age)
2 = Below Average
1 = Poor

Promptness
Please arrive to the school 30 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time. Check in at the instrumental music registration table when you get here. There will be a parent there to help you. After checking in you will be shown to a practice room to warm up.

Interview
In the interview, we evaluate the student’s ability to respond to questions, the student’s desire to be in the program and their general enthusiasm for music study. We look for attentiveness, alertness and positive behavior as well as the ability to articulate feelings.

Theory
The theory part of the interview is basic and is intended only to see if there has been any theory training in lessons or elsewhere.

Beat
Students may be asked to clap to a piece of music to see the basic ability to distinguish and follow pulse consistently.

Scales
Evaluation of scales is based on tone, note accuracy, facility and range.
Required: 2 Major scales, 2 Minor and 1 Chromatic

Prepared Piece
The prepared piece is evaluated based on these specific areas:

1. Note/rhythmic accuracy
2. Intonation
3. Articulation
4. Interpretation
5. Beauty of tone
6. Musical spirit
7. The prepared piece must be classical in style. This indicates knowledge of musical style and work with a teacher.

Sight Reading
The sight-reading piece is probably the most important evaluative piece of the audition other than the prepared piece. Sight reading is evaluated on these specific areas: note/rhythmic accuracy, intonation, articulation, interpretation, beauty of tone and musical spirit.

Percussionists
Percussionists must perform the audition on snare and a mallet instrument (ie. bells, marimba, vibes). All percussionists are responsible for the scale requirement outlined above. Be prepared to play at least the 4 basic snare rudiments (ie. paradiddle, flam, single and double stroke rolls) in slow – fast – slow style.

Please bring the following items to the audition:

Essay
One page maximum. We are looking for desire to attend the school and a passion for music. We evaluate writing skills, appropriate terminology, evidence of training and enthusiasm.

Resume
We are looking for evidence of music training, lesson and teacher history, performance history, and awards in music or other evidence of scholastic achievement. Also, include evidence of musical projects or musical endeavors. Evidence of any artistic training helps.

Portfolio
We look for evidence and proof of above listed resume items. Also we look for evidence of any other art form the student may be interested in. We try to get an idea of the student’s personality and sense of academic and artistic drive through the portfolio.

All parents of students auditioning are reminded that acceptance to the school is not solely based on the audition performance. Other factors such as grade level population, large group instrumentation requirements may be considered.