Auditions are required for all ESYO Performing Ensembles. Membership is open to youth musicians up to age 20.
ESYO offers both Classical and Jazz ensemble opportunities. We are pleased to offer both in-person recorded auditions as well as self-recorded video submission auditions. In-Person times are limited so sign up early.
• All percussion auditions must be completed live at Brown School.
• Students unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts should contact Sue Lascoe at slascoe@esyo.org to arrange alternate
accommodations.
Requirements vary by instrument and ensemble but may include:
Please carefully review instrument-specific requirements below before preparing your audition.
Auditions are evaluated based on:
All auditions are reviewed by the adjudication panel.
Placement decisions are final and will be communicated via email after the audition process is complete.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience. To only be considered for Concertino Strings: prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience. To only be considered for Concertino Strings: prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience. To only be considered for Concertino Strings: prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience. To only be considered for Concertino Strings: prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo: Prepare one solo jazz standard of your choice. Play-along track or recorded accompaniment permitted, not required.
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scale: Full range of instrument (piano with two hands)
Excerpt: Melody on provided excerpt (Daahoud). Piano and guitar may comp, if able.
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through with comping, if able
Improvised Solo on Blues: two choruses, any key, any tempo
Solo: Prepare one solo jazz standard of your choice. Play-along track or recorded accompaniment permitted, not required.
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scale: Full range of instrument (piano with two hands)
Excerpt: Melody on provided excerpt (Daahoud). Piano and guitar may comp, if able.
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through with comping, if able
Improvised Solo on Blues: two choruses, any key, any tempo
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Comping (required): Demonstrate 2 choruses of comping over a blues
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scale: Full range of instrument (piano with two hands)
Excerpt: Melody on provided excerpt (Daahoud). Piano and guitar may comp, if able.
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through with comping, if able
Improvised Solo on Blues: two choruses, any key, any tempo
Audition must be prepared on flute.
Classical Audition Requirements
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Audition must be prepared on oboe.
Classical Audition Requirements
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos:Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
NOTE: If you are auditioning for Wind orchestra only, you may perform your audition on bass clarinet. Otherwise, if you are auditioning for any other ensemble, you must perform your audition on clarinet.
Solos: Prepare a solo piecevor an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Wind Orchestra Excerpt Only. To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Scales (required): Perform a scale (one or two octave) of your choice that accurately demonstrates your range
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scales: 2 octave chromatic scale of choice, played quickly but cleanly
Excerpt: Prepare provided excerpt (Daahoud) at tempo as marked, once through
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through
Optional Improv on Blues: Two choruses, any key, any tempo. Improv solo should be 2 to 3 choruses in length of a blues form. If it’s longer form (such as 32 bar standard), then one chorus is fine.
Classical Audition Requirements
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Wind Orchestra Excerpt Only. To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Scales (required): Perform a scale (one or two octave) of your choice that accurately demonstrates your range
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scales: 2 octave chromatic scale of choice, played quickly but cleanly
Excerpt: Prepare provided excerpt (Daahoud) at tempo as marked, once through
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through
Optional Improv on Blues: Two choruses, any key, any tempo. Improv solo should be 2 to 3 choruses in length of a blues form. If it’s longer form (such as 32 bar standard), then one chorus is fine.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Wind Orchestra Excerpt Only. To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Scales (required): Perform a scale (one or two octave) of your choice that accurately demonstrates your range
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scales: 2 octave chromatic scale of choice, played quickly but cleanly
Excerpt: Prepare provided excerpt (Daahoud) at tempo as marked, once through
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through
Optional Improv on Blues: Two choruses, any key, any tempo. Improv solo should be 2 to 3 choruses in length of a blues form. If it’s longer form (such as 32 bar standard), then one chorus is fine.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Scales (required): Perform a scale (one or two octave) of your choice that accurately demonstrates your range
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scales: 2 octave chromatic scale of choice, played quickly but cleanly
Excerpt: Prepare provided excerpt (Daahoud) at tempo as marked, once through
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through
Optional Improv on Blues: Two choruses, any key, any tempo. Improv solo should be 2 to 3 choruses in length of a blues form. If it’s longer form (such as 32 bar standard), then one chorus is fine
LEAD TRUMPET – if interested, please play as marked on the excerpt
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Scales (required): Perform a scale (one or two octave) of your choice that accurately demonstrates your range
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scales: 2 octave chromatic scale of choice, played quickly but cleanly
Excerpt: Prepare provided excerpt (Daahoud) at tempo as marked, once through
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through
Optional Improv on Blues: Two choruses, any key, any tempo. Improv solo should be 2 to 3 choruses in length of a blues form. If it’s longer form (such as 32 bar standard), then one chorus is fine.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Wind Orchestra Excerpt Only. To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
Solos: Prepare a solo piece or an excerpt of a solo piece of your choice, lasting between one and three minutes.
Scales: Prepare one scale appropriate for your playing ability: scales should demonstrate your complete range on the instrument and embodied musicianship is strongly recommended. Check out a video on embodied musicianship below.
Excerpts: Prepare two excerpts that best align with your current level of skill and experience.
To only be considered for Wind Orchestra prepare the single excerpt for that ensemble.
COMING SOON
Instruments available:
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (optional): Trade 4’s: medium swing style – play 4 bars of time/4 bars solo (repeat for about 45 seconds in length)
Style Proficiency (required): Demonstrate 30 seconds of “time” in each style: Up Tempo Swing, Medium Swing, Bossa Nova, Ballad (brushes), Funk/Rock
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Two drummers/aux percussionists may be selected who will rotate.
Excerpt: Play Melody on provided excerpt (Daahoud) using full drum set (be creative with pitch/timbre)
Comp for about 60 seconds the following styles (7 separate grooves in total): slow, medium and fast swing (1/4 = 112, 126, 224), Bossa Nova, Rock/Funk, Shuffle, Ballad with brushes (1/4 = 60)
Improvise two choruses on Blues of your choice, med swing
Solo (required): Prepare TWO jazz standards of your choice in different styles that demonstrate proper articulation and phrasing (example: Up Tempo swing, slow blues, latin, ballad).
Improvisation (Optional): Improvise two choruses over a blues form, play along track. Highly encouraged but not required.
Comping (required): Demonstrate 2 choruses of comping over a blues
Keep in mind good technique and musicianship.
Scale: Full range of instrument (piano with two hands)
Excerpt: Melody on provided excerpt (Daahoud). Piano and guitar may comp, if able.
Solo: Ballad of your choice from standard repertoire, ex: ‘Round Midnight, My Foolish Heart, Skylark, Body and Soul, Darn that Dream, etc.) melody played once through with comping, if able
Improvised Solo on Blues: two choruses, any key, any tempo
