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Ensemble Auditions

The MSU College of Music Ensemble Audition instructions collected here provide essential information for students about auditioning for various music ensembles. Instructions detail procedures, schedules, excerpts, and contact information for bands, orchestras, Musique 21, jazz, and choral ensembles. If, after reviewing the information below, you have questions, contact the appropriate faculty member.

 

Winds, Strings, and Percussion

Audition Process and Schedule - Spring 2025

SPRING 2025 MSU WIND AND PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE AUDITION PROCEDURE

READ CAREFULLY

AUDITION REQUREMENTS to be considered for admission to:

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA- ALL excerpts
WIND SYMPHONY: ALL excerpts
SYMPHONY BAND: ALL excerpts
CONCERT BAND: ALL excerpts
CAMPUS BAND: NO AUDITION required for admittance. Please attend the first meeting of the band on January 14, 2025 in order to receive all required information. BRING INSTRUMENTS – WE WILL PLAY
CONCERT ORCHESTRA: TBA

Audition and Rehearsal schedules here

The audition for ensembles for winds and percussion will be held jointly between orchestra and bands. There will be ensemble choices available when registering for the audition. Based on the audition results we will try to accommodate ensemble choices although final placement will be determined by the conductors and studio faculty. The Spring audition will be a behind screen audition.

Musique 21 is an assigned ensemble.  If you make the SO/WS pool you may be assigned to play Musique 21 for one concert during the semester.  This will take the place of the orchestra or wind symphony rotation for that concert cycle.  Musique 21 will meet during the MW 12:30-2:50 or TTH 12:30-2:50 rehearsal slot depending on who is conducting.

 

♦ AUDITION SCHEDULING – FOR ALL ENSEMBLES

Please go to the following google doc, provide the necessary information, and select an audition time:

Audition Sign Up

 

You must use an MSU email account. If for some reason you cannot audition during your instrument’s designated time slot, you must call the ensemble office to make other arrangements: 517-355-7654.

Jazz Studies - Fall 2024

Fall 2024 - For students looking to confirm an audition time, please contact Cookey Whitaker (whitak48@msu.edu) through email including your name, instrument, MSU email, and your PID#.

All auditions (instrumentalists and vocalists) will be in person, “behind-the-screen,” and scheduled as follows:

Friday, August 23, 2024
09:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Murray Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

01:30 p.m. – 05:00 p.m., Eichler Rehearsal Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

 

Saturday, August 24, 2024

09:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Murray Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

01:30 p.m. – 05:00 p.m., Murray Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

 

Sunday, August 25, 2024

09:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Murray Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

01:30 p.m. – 07:00 p.m., Murray Hall, Billman Music Pavilion

 

  1. You may use the Jazz Combo Rooms as a warm-up area or reserve a room in the Music or Music Practice buildings.
  2. Please arrive ahead of your audition time so you are prepared to perform at your scheduled time.
  3. Prior to entering Murray Hall on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Eichler Rehearsal Hall on Friday afternoon, please ensure that you have your music and all necessary equipment to perform the audition.
  4. Since this is a behind-the-screen audition process, please communicate only with the following Room Monitors listed below for the day of your audition. Additional instructions will be given by an audition panel member if and when needed.
    1. Cookey Whitaker: Friday August 23 and Saturday August 24, 2024
    2. Tim Blackmon: Sunday August 25, 2024
  5. At your audition time, please do not respond verbally so that you remain anonymous. In the event you have a question, leave the space, ask the monitor your question, and the monitor will communicate with the panel.
  6. Upon completion of all auditions, the faculty will confer and make ensemble assignments for the Fall/Spring 2024-25 terms.

All students who auditioned will be informed of their ensemble(s) placement on Monday, August 26, 2024, during the Jazz Studies Area Annual Convocation at 9:30 p.m.

VOCALISTS REQUIREMENTS

Note: Vocalists must provide own accompanist (piano, guitar or backing track)

Part I: Sing Honeysuckle Rose (in the students’ appropriate key)

  • Sing melody once
  • Improvise on second chorus over the form
  • Sing melody from bridge out

Part II: Sing Travelin’ Blues

  • Sing one chorus of the melody
  • Improvise one chorus
  • Sing melody out

Part III: Perform a selection of your choosing

  • Sing any selection you wish that displays your best musicianship
  • You may use a backing track or perform unaccompanied

Vocal auditions will be held for Jazz applied vocal lessons and/or ensembles.

The following audition instructions and materials are for instrumentalists, including guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, piano trombone, bass trombone, and trumpet.

Part I: Perform excerpt, “Evidence,” Composed by Thelonious Monk/Arranged by John Clayton

  • All Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, Bass and Drums: play from measure 161 through the end of measure 230
  • Piano and Guitar: play from measure 145 through the end of measure 230
  • Perform unaccompanied
  • Reference recording

“Evidence” excerpts:


Part II: Perform “Tricotism,” Composed by Lucky Thompson & Oscar Pettiford (in Db concert) with provided backing track

Four (4) choruses total:

  • All instruments play the melody in
  • All instruments improvise for 1 chorus
    • All rhythm section instruments walk/comp for an additional chorus
    • All horns improvise for an additional chorus
  • All instruments play the melody out

“Tricotism” backing tracks/excerpts:


Part III: Perform a selection of your choosing

  • Play any selection you wish that displays your best musicianship
  • You may use a backing track or perform unaccompanied
  • Saxophonists may play an additional saxophone (Alto, Tenor, Bari)

Choral Ensembles

Audition Process and Schedule - Fall 2024

You’ve found the choral ensemble page! There is a choir for you to sing in, regardless of your major. Please find information below for our auditioned and non-auditioned ensembles. If you sang in high school and need a choir family, here are pertinent details.

Unsure where to sing? We can help!

Guide me to the right choir!

Questions: email Dr. Sandra Snow, director of choral programs.

University Chorale (SATB)

Auditions for University Chorale are Thursday-Saturday, August 22-25 in Room 211, Music Practice Building. All returning students, new transfer students who are undergraduate vocal music majors, and new master’s students in vocal performance must audition in this timeframe. Other music majors with a large ensemble requirement must also do these auditions.

Go here to sign up for an audition time.

Please fill out this University Chorale information form prior to your audition.

In preparation for your audition, be prepared to vocalize and learn this excerpt. As you prepare the excerpt, please demonstrate your best musicianship in addition to vocal accuracy.

MUS 127: MTWTh, 1:50-2:40 p.m.; Hollander Hall, Music Building; 32 members; highly selective; excellent vocalism and musicianship; graduates and upper-level undergraduates. Participation is expected both fall and spring terms unless student teaching or until large ensemble degree requirements are met. Historical and contemporary choral repertoire. Performances on and off campus each semester. Dr. Sandra Snow, conductor.

State Singers (SATB)

Auditions for State Singers are Thursday-Sunday, August 22-25 in Room 210, Music Practice Building. Freshman vocal music majors and all non-music majors interested in an auditioned mixed ensemble must do this audition.

Go here to sign up for an audition time.

Please fill out this State Singers information form prior to your audition.

No prepared excerpt or solo is required for this audition. The audition will include vocalization, range-testing, pitch memory, and a short sight-reading example.

MUS 126: MTWTh, 12:40-1:30; Hollander Hall, Music Building; 50+ members; selective; primarily undergraduate music majors and non-majors. Historical and contemporary choral repertoire; two performances on-campus each semester. Drs. Derrick Fox and Jonathan Reed, conductors.

Mosaic (SSAA)

Auditions for Mosaic will take place on the first day of class, Monday, August 26 from 4:00-5:30 in Hollander Hall, Music Building. Those who audition for University Chorale or State Singers need not audition but need to fill out the Google form below to indicate intent to participate in advance of the first rehearsal. Returning non-majors must audition as well as new or transfer students.

Please fill out this Mosaic information form prior to your audition or if you are a returning music major.

Returning non-majors/new students/transfers:
In preparation for your audition, please learn this unison song. Be prepared to demonstrate your ability to learn the song and demonstrate your singing voice. You will also be asked to vocalize and sight-read.

Rehearsals begin Wednesday, August 28, 4:10-5:30 p.m. in Hollander Hall, Music Building.

Singers in Mosaic who are vocal music majors MUST also sing in either Chorale or State Singers, as assigned. Vocal majors singing in Chorale or State Singers are not required to enroll in Mosaic for credit as a second ensemble.

MUS 125:003: Mosaic; MW, 4:10-5:30 p.m., Hollander Hall, Music Building; 24-32 members; selective. Choral repertoire for soprano/alto voices, with a focus on contemporary treble choral literature. On-campus performances each semester, possible off-campus performances. Dr. Sandra Snow, conductor.

Choral Union (Community/Campus Symphonic Choir)

Come to audition/interview in Room 147, Communication Arts Building at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4. Rehearsal immediately follows auditions at 7:00 p.m. Be prepared to vocalize and sing the first verse of America, the Beautiful. Contact Dr. Jonathan Reed with questions or to arrange a different audition day.

Find music for America, the Beautiful here.

2024 Fall major works: Gloria by Poulenc, Messiah Choruses by Handel
2025 Spring major works: Belshazzar’s Feast by Walton, Schicksalslied by Brahms

Please complete this Choral Union information form prior to your audition.

MUS 124: Choral Union; W, 7:00-9:00 p.m.; Comm Arts & Sciences Bldg., Rm #147; 100 members; mostly adults of the greater Lansing community and campus faculty/staff; brief audition/interview required. Major choral-orchestral works; one or two performances on-campus each semester; Dr. Jonathan Reed, conductor.

No audition required! Vocal placements (what part you sing) will take place during the first class.

These ensembles are open to all students in any degree program. Rehearsals and performances of a broad range of choral repertoire each semester. Bring a friend!

Campus Choir (SATB)

MUS 123-001: T/Th 3:00-3:50 p.m., Large Rehearsal Room, Billman Music Pavilion. Dr. Stuart Hill, conductor.

Viridis (SSAA)

MUS 125-001: T/TH 4:10-5:30 p.m., Eichler Hall, Billman Music Pavilion. Mariana Romero-Serra, conductor.

Singing Spartans (TTBB)

MUS 125-002: M/W 4:10-5:30 p.m., Eichler Hall, Billman Music Pavilion. Dr. Jonathan Reed, conductor.