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. Please see ensemble-specific guidelines below and register your students using the 2023-24 Festival Registration Form. Here is the Invoice form for Directors.
Ensemble-Specific Guidelines
MS Chorus (updated as of Sept. 2023)
On Thursday, October 12 at 6:00 PM, MS Chorus and MS Jazz Band teachers will have a selection meeting via Zoom.
6th graders are able to participate
Teachers will recommend students.
MS Jazz Band (updated Sept. 2023)
On Thursday, October 12 at 6:00 PM, MS Chorus and MS Jazz Band teachers will have a selection meeting via Zoom.
6th graders are welcome.
Teachers will recommend students.
All instruments are now welcome.
HS A Cappella Choir (updated Sept. 2023)
Teachers will audition their students at their schools using the HS A Cappella Ballot. All ballots are due to the manager Julie Ackerman-Hovis (jackerman-hovis@wsesdvt.org) by Tuesday, October 10.
Not applicable in Fall 2023: All vocal percussionists must also audition as a singer. Singers are not required to audition for vocal percussion
When auditioning, teachers should choose the following scales for the following voices: Soprano- F major, Alto- D major, Tenor- E major, Bass- B major
If a school is unable to form a complete SATB students should audition with the recorded tracks with the missing parts only being played. Example: a soprano and bass are auditioning, use the track with just alto and tenor for the audition.
Students audition on selections from a 4 year rotation
There is no sight reading component for the A Cappella Audition
HS Concert Band (updated Sept. 2023)
See audition information and dates below (#s 3 and 4).
Please note: HS Band is by a combination of optional video auditions and director recommendation. Students who audition are considered for higher chair placement. See the piece repetition. In addition to the piece, students will play 2 major scales, the chromatic scale, and a sight-reading excerpt (to be selected in advance by the adjudicator).
1. Students wishing to play in the district high school concert band are encouraged to submit recorded auditions using the selections designated for the 2023-24 school year. This includes:
a. The appropriate solo for your instrument.
b. Two major scales selected by the judge and the chromatic scale designated on the district
scales sheet. All played from memory. Snare drummers will play rudiments in place of scales.
Timpanists will play sticking exercises.
c. Sight reading provided to teachers by the judge.
2. Auditions must be recorded by the student's teacher.
3. All recordings must be uploaded to this Google Drive Folder by Monday, October 2
4. Judges will send scores to the manager (Danielle Conerty) by Tuesday, October 10. For students not auditioning, teachers should fill out the registration form by Tuesday, October 10 and provide manager with any additional relevant information (ie: brass range, percussion experience, etc) on the last question of the form - "additional comments/questions".
Judges include:
Woodwinds -Alex Brady, Green Mountain High School alex.brady@trsu.org
Brass -Bunny Seranita, Brattleboro Union High School bsaranita@wsesdvt.org
Percussion - Rene Bernard, Leland and Gray High School Rene Bernard rbernard@windhamcentral.org
October 10 is also the deadline for teachers to send a list of students who did not audition but are being recommended for the district band. These are sent to Danielle Conerty of Hartford High School at ConertyD@hartfordschools.net