Winter Auditions 


The winter festival includes the following ensembles: MS Concert Band, HS Chorus, and HS Jazz Band. All students will need to be registered by December 13, using the 2023 Winter Registration Form. For more information about the winter audition process, scroll down and look for each ensembles' requirements. 

All winter participation fees, which is $30 per student, will need to be mailed/handed to the treasurer no later than Saturday, January 27, 2024. All checks should be made out to "CVMFA District VI". Here is the Invoice form for Directors. 

Middle School District Honor Band (updated October 2023)

Please have all of your recommendations made by Dec. 11 and register all students  using the 2023 Winter Registration Form.

High School District Choir (updated October 2023)

Please have all of your recommendations made by Dec. 11 and register all students  using the 2023 Winter Registration Form by Dec. 13.

This year the District Choir will be recommendation based. Students need to be able to demonstrate proficiency to their teachers in all of the following skills

1.) Match Pitch

2.) Harmonize

3.) Follow a conductor

4.) Follow music notation 

5.) Here is the audition piece for State Chorus, which can be used as repertoire to guide your selection process, if you so choose. And here are the divisi instructions.

HS Jazz Band (updated October 2023)

Please submit a video audition to Steve Cady at scady@vermontacademy.org by the evening of Monday, Dec 11 that includes the student completing the audition as guided by you, the teacher.

High School Jazz Band Audition Guidelines for All Winds, Piano, Guitar, and Bass

1) Prepared Part: Students perform their part (1st part for winds/brass) from the current year’s

prepared piece from Sittin’ In With The Big Band.

2) Sight Reading: Students will sight-read an example from jazz literature. -Distribute the sight reading material during the recorded audition only. 

3) Blues Improv: Students perform a blues melody, improvisation, and scales/arpeggios using the

current year’s Blues Improv play-along and associated scale sheet.

Blues Improv Procedure for Winds and Brass:

Play the head

Play the scales/arpeggios

Improvise melodically for two choruses

Return to the head

Procedure for Piano/Guitar:

Play the head

Comp chords for one chorus

Improvise melodically for two choruses

Return to the head

Procedure for Bass:

Play the head

Walk a bass line for two choruses

Improvise melodically for one chorus

Return to the head

High School Jazz Band Audition Guidelines for Drum Set

1) Prepared Part: Students will perform the drum set part from the current year’s prepared piece from

Sittin’ In With The Big Band.

2) Sight Reading: Students will sight-read an example from jazz literature.

3) Demonstration of Styles: Students will perform stylistically appropriate time-keeping patterns and fills

in two of the following styles:

- Shuffle

- Funk-Rock

- Bossa Nova or Samba

- Jazz Waltz w/ Brushes

- Jazz Ballad w/ Brushes