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INFORMATION FOR 2022-23 ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS

The online sign-up period will begin on Monday, August 1 at 9AM and will close on Wednesday, August 17 at 9AM.

To view the audition requirements for each ensemble, please expand the categories below.

  • 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.

    • Choir, Chorus, Madrigal Singers, and the Treble Chorale have two specific uniforms: A specific black dress that is ordered through the school (worn with black hose or leggings and black closed toe shoes, and a single strand of pearls) and a black traditional tuxedo with white tuxedo shirt, black bow tie, and black socks. Students may choose which of these two uniforms they prefer to wear.

 

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

Please sign-up for an audition time and coordinate with your accompanist. Accompanist not required for non-voice primaries.

If you are preparing a solo for audition (expected for anyone in voice lessons or who would like to be considered for advanced ensembles), please choose a composition that shows off the best qualities of your voice. Opera arias are not usually recommended other than those included in 26 Italian Songs and Arias (some of you have 24 Italian Songs and Arias).  We will limit solos to 3 minutes.  Therefore, if your selection is longer, you might choose the best place to begin.

We look forward to hearing you!

If you need a pianist for your choral audition, please view the list of available pianists here.

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

The excerpts can be viewed and downloaded using the links below:

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

This 15-minute live interview will consist of:

  •  Short solo song (a cappella)
  •  Two Prepared excerpts (see downloadable PDFs)
  •  A short piece to sightread
  •  One-octave chromatic scale (ascending and descending)

For more information, see "Jazz Vocal Ensemble" under the School of Music Ensembles page (or contact Dr. White directly at jwhite@ithaca.edu)

Complete the audition card here. A link to sign-up for your time will be provided upon completing the card.

2022-23 instrumental jazz ensemble auditions will be live, in person. The live auditions will be held on Sunday, August 21 from noon-6PM. To be fair to all, auditions will be done “blind”, behind a screen, so that the ensemble directors will not know who is playing. Be sure not to speak to the directors to maintain anonymity. If you have any questions after reading the instructions below, contact jazz director Mike Titlebaum at mtitlebaum@ithaca.edu. 

ALL NECESSARY DOWNLOADS FOR THE AUDITIONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ja9u09feiq6cj7k/AADGPrBhtfcaWEacJKYpPIKxa?dl=0

For drummers: Download the PDF “Drum Set Audition Piece - Too Many Things.PDF”. In addition to playing this piece at the audition, you will be asked to demonstrate several other styles for a few bars from the following list (probably trading 4s with an imaginary soloist, and using brushes on at least one):

  • Slow, medium and fast swing
  • Samba
  • Bossa
  • 3/4 Swing
  • An asymmetrical meter, such as 5/4 or 7/4

For everyone auditioning other than drummers: The audition piece is “Blue Dolphin Street.” You’ll audition along with the play-along recording. You might notice that the chord progression to “Blue Dolphin Street” closely resembles the standard “Green Dolphin Street.” To help prepare the tune and learn the style, you can study and practice along with the MP3 called “AUDIO - Blue Dolphin Street - demo with Mike playing head.mp3”.

For all wind/brass players: Download the sheet music PDF transposed for your instrument (PDFs of several transpositions are available), and the play-along called “AUDIO - Blue Dolphin Street - for auditions of melodic instruments.mp3.” When you audition, you’ll play four choruses along with the mp3: One chorus of the written melody, two choruses of improvised solo, and one final chorus of the written melody. If you do not yet improvise, you can stop after the first chorus of melody. 

Additional note for saxophone/woodwind doublers: If you play flute or clarinet, download the transposed versions for those instruments. During the audition, you’ll re-start the play-along for each instrument you play. There is no need to improvise solos on more than one instrument.

For guitarists/pianists/vibes players: Download the sheet music PDF “Blue Dolphin Street - Sheet music for guitar piano vibes and flute.pdf” and the play-along called

For more information, see our website.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions on how to sign-up for your ensemble audition?

Please contact Kitty Whalen in the Music Office (JJWCM 3322)

607-274-3538