Ensemble Auditions

FALL 2026 MSU INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE AUDITION PROCEDURE

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AUDITION REQUREMENTS to be considered for admission to:

• SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – String Music Majors: ALL excerpts (+ a 2 minute solo work)
• 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 Monday, August 31, 2026. First rehearsal will be Tuesday, September 1.
• CONCERT ORCHESTRA (NON Music Majors): Follow the link below for all information.

WIND AND PERCUSSION

The audition for ensembles for winds and percussion will be held jointly between orchestra and bands during August 27th through August 29th. There will be ensemble choice sheets 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 Fall audition will be a behind screen audition.

STRING MAJORS (Symphony Orchestra)

All string auditions will be held on Saturday, August 29th in Eichler Rehearsal Room, (room A140) at the Billman Music Pavilion, College of Music. Participants must prepare an excerpt from a solo/concerto (2 minutes maximum) from a work of choice in addition to ALL required orchestral excerpts. Participants should listen to a variety of recordings of each excerpt and make a judgment on tempo based on those recordings. String students will NOT re-audition in the Spring semester, it is very important you prepare the Fall audition very well. Seating and placement for the entire year will be made based on the Fall audition results. Students will be placed in Symphony Orchestra, Opera Pit, or M21 ensembles on a rotation system. Auditions will be behind a screen.

CONCERT ORCHESTRA (NON-Music Majors)

Follow this link to find all information about auditions, including times, excerpts, sign up form, and more.

MUSIQUE 21

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 particular cycle. In the Fall semester, Musique 21 will meet during Symphony Orchestra rehearsal time for the first cycle (T, TH 12:30-2:50, F- 1:50-2:50) and during Wind Symphony rehearsal time for the second cycle (M, W 12:30-2:50, F 12:30-1:30).

 

♦ AUDITION SCHEDULING LINKS♦ 

Fall 2026 Wind and Percussion Audition Sign-up Form

Fall 2026 String Audition Sign-up Form (Music Majors)

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

Please refer to the audition schedule guidelines via the button below. We look forward to a great semester of music making Fall 2026.

 

Fall 2026 Ensemble Audition and Rehearsal Schedules

 

Bassoon

Clarinet

Euphonium

Flute

Horn

Oboe

Percussion

Saxophone

Trombone (Bass)

Trombone (Tenor)

Trumpet

Tuba

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass

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.

For students looking to confirm an audition time, please contact Cookey Whitaker (whitak48@msu.edu) through email including your name, cell phone number, instrument (doubling instruments as well), MSU email, and your PID#.

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.

For students looking to confirm an audition time, please contact Cookey Whitaker (whitak48@msu.edu) through email including your name, cell phone number, instrument (doubling instruments as well), MSU email, and your PID#.

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:

• Alto Saxophone – Alto 1
• Alto Saxophone – Alto 2
• Tenor Saxophone 1
• Tenor Saxophone 2
• Baritone Saxophone
• 1st Trumpet (if auditioning for Lead Trumpet chair)
• 2nd Trumpet
• Trombone 1
• Trombone 2
• Bass Trombone
• Guitar
• Piano
• Bass
• Drums

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:

• Tricotism – full band
• Tricotism – no bass
• Tricotism – no drums
• Tricotism – no piano
• Concert Lead Sheet for Tricotism
• Bass Clef Lead Sheet for Tricotism
• Bb Lead Sheet for Tricotism
• Eb Lead Sheet for Tricotism

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)

For students looking to confirm an audition time, please contact Cookey Whitaker (whitak48@msu.edu) through email including your name, cell phone number, instrument (doubling instruments as well), MSU email, and your PID#.

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-Sunday, August 27-30 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.

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 sightread. Please prepare 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.

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State Singers (SATB)

Auditions for State Singers are Thursday-Sunday, August 27-30 in Room 114, Music 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. Dr. Derrick Fox, conductor.

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Mosaic (SSAA)

Auditions for Mosaic will take place on the first day of class, Monday, August 31, from 4:00 to 5:30 in Hollander Hall, Music Building, or by appointment with Dr. Bowen. Returning majors and non-majors must audition, as do new or transfer students.

Auditions: Be prepared to demonstrate your singing voice, pattern echoes, and a brief sight-reading excerpt.

Please fill out this Mosaic information form prior to your audition.

Rehearsals begin Wednesday, September 2, 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. Meredith Bowen, conductor.

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Choral Union (Community/Campus Symphonic Choir)

Do you love to sing?

Interested in singing with choirs and orchestra?

Community members and MSU students, faculty, and staff join in song through the MSU Choral Union. Led by Dr. Sandra Snow, College of Music, the Choral Union welcomes interested new members to audition/interview in our rehearsal location, University United Methodist Church, at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9 or 16, 2026.

The church is located at 1120 S Harrison Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823, and rehearsal immediately follows auditions at 7:00 p.m.

Repertoire for Fall 2026 includes:

• Two settings of the Magnificat by Gerald Finzi and Imant Raminsh

Interested singers should be prepared to sing the first verse of America, the Beautiful. Find music for America, the Beautiful here.

Contact Dr. Sandra Snow with questions or to arrange a different audition time.

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

Choral Union singers who are joining as community members (not current MSU students) should complete the information form above and register directly with the Community Music School using one of three options:

• Online: Choral Union Registration (available in August; select Adult Community Ensembles then the One Rehearsal Per Week category)
• Phone: 517-355-7661
• In-Person: CMS office, 4930 S. Hagadorn Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823

There is a discount for MSU faculty, staff and students so please ASK when you register.

MUS 124: Choral Union; W, 7:00-9:00 p.m.; University United Methodist Church; 100 members; mostly adults of the greater Lansing community and campus students/faculty/staff; brief audition/interview required. Major choral-orchestral works; one or two performances on-campus each semester; Dr. Sandra Snow, 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. Michael Huey-Jones, conductor.

Viridis (SSAA)

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

Singing Spartans (TTBB)

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