All students will be assessed based on their performance of:

More detailed information of guidelines/general audition can be found on our Audition Information page.

*Conductors will determine orchestra placement and seating for the mutual benefit of the musicians and the orchestras.

Please click on the PLUS (+) below to see the requirements.

Grades in School:
Strings ONLY: 4 – 6th Grade

Minimum Solo Level (MMEA grade level or ASTADC):
Difficulty grade level 4 and higher
(Students should select a solo that best showcases their playing level- including ability to shift and vibrato)

Musicians are required to learn the entire solo and will be asked to play a 3-5 minute excerpt from their solo. Solos must be played without piano accompaniment. Memorization of solos and excerpts is not required.

Musicians will sight-read parts which are comparable in difficulty to the orchestra repertoire

Download the Orchestral Excerpts Here.
*Some excerpts may be multiple pages.

Students auditioning for more than one orchestra between Future Stars, Preparatory Strings, and Chamber Strings, should only prepare the excerpts of the higher level orchestra.

  • Musicians must be able to play all the scales listed for your instruments
  • Musicians must play tonic scale and arpeggio from memory.
  • Adjudicators may ask musicians to play the scales: Faster, slower, staccato, and/or legato
  • Scales should be performed slurring two eighth notes per bow, followed by arpeggio in the same note pattern at the same tempo.
  • All scales/arpeggios are to be played ascending and descending.

Violin:
Major scales: ONE three-octave scales of their choice
Melodic minor scales: ONE three-octave scales of their choice

Viola:
Major scales: ONE three-octave scales of their choice
Melodic minor scales: 2 octaves / A G

Cello:
Major scales: ONE three-octave scales of their choice
Melodic minor scales: ONE three-octave scales of their choice

Bass:
Major scales: 1 octave / C G A D F Bb
Melodic minor scales: 1 octave / E G