• All music majors are required to participate in at least one major ensemble every semester. Specific ensemble requirements vary by degree. (See the course catalog.)
    • For guitar majors: please be sure to check your degree requirements to see which ensemble you should be participating in.
  • First year students are strongly discouraged from performing in more than one ensemble during a given semester.
  • CONCERT ATTIRE: Students performing in School of Music, Theatre, and Dance ensembles are expected to wear appropriate attire as specified by the conductor of the ensemble.

Audition Instructions

Expand the sections below to find out how to audition

Vocal auditions for all vocal majors will be held in the Husa Gallery from August 20 through August 23. 

Students are required to prepare and perform an art song for the audition. In addition to the prepared piece, the audition will include vocal exercises, sight-reading, and pitch-memory assessments. Each audition is expected to last approximately five to seven minutes.

Students can sign up at the following https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548AEA723A6F8C07-64715082-ithaca

If you have any questions, please contact Professor Wooten or Professor Linfors.

Instrumental Ensemble Audition Steps:

Step 1: Complete the audition form: https://ithacaedu.formstack.com/forms/ensaudf26

If you have not filled out the previously sent out form, please contact Dr. Cook (dcook1@ithaca.edu).

Step 2: Auditions will occur Thursday, August 20 and Friday, August 21. MTD has sent Housing a list of returning students to allow for early move in on Wednesday, August 19. New students are allowed to miss a portion of your new student orientation programming to take these auditions. We will email later in the summer with the specific instrumental schedule.

Step 3: Audition times will be assigned to you within the block of time reserved for your instrument. Students do not select their own audition time. You will receive this a few days before the audition itself.

Step 4: Report to your audition location before your scheduled time and confirm your name with your “alias” (Letter A, Letter B, etc.). Do not speak once in the audition space. The auditions will be ‘blind.’ The adjudicators scoring your audition and placing individuals in ensembles will be the applied teachers and ensemble conductors. Your identity will not be known. Although you will be behind a screen, we recommend professional attire. The audition process itself is an educational endeavor in addition to being an ensemble placement, and the goal is to mimic future opportunities you might have in a similar format.

excerpts:

Schedule

Thursday, August 20

  • IRR:
    • Horn: 9:00 AM-10:30 AM
    • Trumpet: 10:45 AM-1:15 PM
    • Oboe: 5:15 PM-6:15 PM
  • Beeler:
    • Saxophone: 9:00 AM-12:30 PM
    • Bassoon: 5:15 PM-6:45 PM
  • Nabenhauer
    • Violin: 9:00 AM-1:45 PM
    • Double Bass: 5:00 PM-6:45 PM
  • Presser
    • Flute Prelims: 9:00 AM-11:15 AM
    • Clarinet Prelims: 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
       

Friday, August 21

  • IRR
    • Percussion: 2:30 PM-4:30 PM, 6:30-8:00
  • Beeler:
    • Trombone: 2:30 PM-5:00 PM
  • Nabenhauer:
    • Viola: 9:00 AM-10:30 AM
    • Cello: 12:30 PM-2:30 PM
  • Presser:
    • Tuba/Euphonium: 9:00 AM-10:30 AM
    • Clarinet Callbacks: 12:00 PM-2:00 PM
    • Flute Callbacks: 4:45 PM - 6:15 PM

Information about the Jazz Vocal Ensemble audition process can be found at the link below, once it has been updated.

https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-music-theatre-and-dance/student-resources/music-students/music-ensembles/vocal-jazz 

In a nutshell:

  • You must successfully audition to join the group and register for the course;
  • You must sing the assigned prepared excerpts;
  • You must sing the “one hour sightreading prep” excerpt to be picked up one hour before your audition;
  • You must sing one-octave chromatic and whole-tone scales ascending and descending;
  • You must sing a short solo piece (does not have to be jazz); you can ignore this requirement IF you’ve been a member of JVE previously.

Refer to the Vocal Jazz Ensemble webpage for more detailed directions.

If you have any questions, please contact Professor White at jwhite@ithaca.edu. 
 

Materials for Jazz Auditions can be found at the link below:

https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-music-theatre-and-dance/student-resources/music-students/music-ensembles/instrumental-jazz/jazz-ensembles-sign-and-audition-info

Auditions are on Thursday, August 20. The deadline to sign up is midnight August 10.

If you have any questions, contact jazz director Mike Titlebaum at mtitlebaum@ithaca.edu.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions on how to sign-up for your ensemble audition? Please reach out to our conductors:

Band: Professor Cook and Professor Rochford

Orchestra: Professor Kwok

Choral: Professor Wooten and Professor Linfors

Instrumental Jazz: Professor Titlebaum

Vocal Jazz: Professor White