Fall Auditions
The fall festival includes the following ensembles: MS Chorus, MS Jazz Band, HS A Capella Choir, and HS Concert Band. The audition process for the middle school students will be different than that of high school students. The middle school students auditions will be held at their own schools. For high school students, they will need to be registered using the 2021 Fall Registration Form. For more information about the fall audition process, scroll down and look for each ensembles' requirements.
All fall audition fees, which is $5 per student, will need to be mailed to the treasurer no later than Monday, October 4, 2021 for high school students. Late registrations/payments will incur a $25 fine. All checks should be made to "CVMFA District VI".
Fall Audition Location (HS Band Only)
The 2021 fall auditions will be held at Brattleboro Union High School. Soon after filling out the registration form, the audition host will coordinate all of the audition times and will send them out.
Ensemble-Specific Guidelines
MS Chorus
6th graders are welcome to audition.
Teachers will audition their students at their schools using the MS Chorus Audition Ballot
When auditioning, teachers should choose the following scales for the following voices: Soprano- F major, Alto- D major, and Baritone- within a minor third of F major
Students audition on selections from a two-year rotation.
MS Jazz Band
6th graders are welcome to audition.
Teachers will audition their students at their schools using the MS Jazz Band Audition Ballot
All instruments are now welcome to audition.
Students should be able to play the following scales: Concert Eb (memorized) and the Bb Blues Scale (improvisation is encouraged, but not required)
Drummers must demonstrate Rock and Latin beats in addition to the prepared piece.
HS A Cappella Choir
HS Concert Band
All students should be familiar with the following meters: 2/4 3/4 4/4 5/4 3/8 6/8
WIND PLAYERS Auditions are comprised of the following:
Prepared piece
Major scales- see HS Scales Sheet
Up to and including 3 sharps and 3 flats (not concert pitch)
Memorized
Tongued (articulated)
Chromatic scale
play one continuous slur in eighth note triplets in regards to the range of the instrument
Sight Reading
Short selection from exercise including key, meter, dynamics, articulation, and rhythms
Student will be provided ample time to look through the piece before attempting sight reading
PERCUSSIONIST Auditions are comprised of the following:
Specialty instrument performance: Snare Drum, Timpani, or Mallets
Prepared piece
Technique specific to that instrument (click here for examples of rudiments)
Snare Drum: flam, ruff, paradiddle, 5 and 9 stroke rolls, long roll (closed)
Timpani: long roll with/without accented entrance, long roll showing range of dynamics, tuning to stated pitch from give pitch, tuning to give pitch from undetermined starting pitch. (tone matching)
Sight Reading
Mallet players perform all wind scales in two octaves- see HS Scales Sheet
Auxiliary percussion instruments- see HS Scales Sheet
Given that players of each specialty instrument can earn acceptable scores, the top scoring player of each will be the first selected for the ensembles. The remainder of the positions will be filled by the highest scoring players regardless of specialty instrument.