Fall 2009 Auditions

General Information

This page contains detailed information on auditions to some of the ensembles and organizations available. If you do not see a course listed here that you would like to audition for, check our current course listing.

Warm-Up & Practice Space

Warm-up and practice space will be available for all students during the audition period. After audition week, practice space will be available only for those who are members of performing groups or who are registered for lessons.

Wind Instruments

Depending on availability, wind instruments may be loaned from the University. Students who will need to use these intruments for auditions should contact Michael Idzior at 434-982-5347 or before the beginning of auditions.

Instrument Lockers

Instrument lockers are available to members of curricular instrumental ensembles during the academic year. Locker rental will take place following the first rehearsal of the semester.

Course Registration

Course registration will be done through a Permissions List in the Student Information System or a course action form depending upon instructor.

Audition Excerpts

Audition excerpts are now protected in a password secured folder. When you first click a link to an excerpt you will be asked to enter a username and password. You must submit your email on the Audition Excertps Login Request form and you will be emailed the login information.

Right-Click on the name of your instrument for one of the categories below and select "Save Target As..." to download a .pdf of your instrument's excerpt. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these files. Excerpts are for audition purposes only.

African Music & Dance Ensemble

Directed by Michelle Kisliuk ()

MUEN 3690
Meets: TR 5:15-7:15 pm
Room: OCH 107

Auditions: Tuesday August 25, 107 OCH, 5:15-7:00

No experience necessary. Sign up for audition via the waitlist for MUEN 3690. Come to class the first day for the informal audition, ready to learn some rhythms, dance steps, and songs in small groups. After audition day the instructor will invite those admitted to register via the waitlist. You are invited to add something about your background or nature of your interest in the course on the waitlist.

Chamber Music and String Ensemble

Directed by Adam Carter () and Mimi Tung ()
Auditions will take place on Monday, August 31st, beginning at 7:00pm in Room B12 of Old Cabell Hall. String players interested in playing in a chamber group should contact Adam Carter. Be prepared to play a short (5-8 min.) piece which best displays your abilities

MUEN 3630, Instructor Permission Required
Section 16 (David Colwell): Meeting time and location TBA
Section 17 (Ayn Balija): Meeting time and location TBA
Section 18 (David Sariti): Meeting time and location TBA
Section 20 (Adam Carter): Meeting time and location TBA

Chamber Singers

Directed by Michael Slon ()

MUEN 3651

Chamber Singers is a select subset of the University Singers, offered for an additional credit hour.
Those interested in auditioning for Chamber Singers should sign up for a University Singers audition.

Early Music Ensembles

Directed by Paul Walker ()

MUEN 3670, Section 1 - Baroque Orchestra
Meets: R 7:00-9:00pm
Room: OCH 113

MUEN 3670, Section 2 - Vocal Ensemble
Meets: R 3:30-5:20pm
Room: OCH 113

MUEN 3670, Section 3 - Renaissance Consorts
Meets: R 5:30-6:50pm
Room: OCH 113

Auditions: Please contact Paul Walker to schedule individual auditions.

The purpose of the various ensembles is to explore the music of Medieval and early modern Europe using the instruments and vocal techniques of those eras. The department owns an extensive collection of period instruments, including Baroque strings, Baroque woodwinds (oboes, bassoon, flutes, and recorders), early brass instruments (cornetts and sackbuts), viole da gamba, Renaissance recorders, and harpsichords. Instruments are loaned to students for their use free of charge.

Jazz Chamber Ensembles

Directed by Pete Spaar (), Mike Rosensky (), Jeff Decker ()

Section 7 (Spaar) F 12:30-2:00pm, OCH B018
Section 12 (Spaar) R 5:30-7:00pm, OCH B018
Section 21 (Rosensky) Tu 5:30-7:00pm, OCH B018
Section 22 (Decker): F 2:00- 3:30pm, OCH B018

Auditions: Take place with the Jazz Ensemble on Thursday, August 27th, 7:30-9:30pm in room B018 Old Cabell Hall (open audition)

The Jazz Chamber Ensembles range in size from four to eight players per group and vary in skill levels from beginner to advanced. Each group has its own faculty advisor and meets once a week. Auditions are held concurrently with the Jazz Ensemble auditions so anyone interested in participating in the J.C.E. program should attend these auditions regardless of his or her interest in the Jazz Ensemble. Any questions may be addressed to the program director, Peter Spaar ().

Jazz Ensemble

Directed by John D'earth ()

MUEN 3600
Meets: TR 7:30-9:30pm
Room: OCH B018

Auditions: Thursday, August 27th, 7:30-9:30pm in room B018 Old Cabell Hall (open audition)

The Jazz Ensemble audition involves reading, improvising (if that's your thing) and playing some scales, etc. Former Jazz Ensemble members should sign up for an audition.

Sign-ups for Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Chamber Ensembles Auditions will be posted during registration. The first class meeting of the Jazz Ensemble will be an open audition for anyone interested in playing jazz at UVA. From that we will fashion small groups and the Jazz Ensemble. Students may be asked to return for a second audition. The purpose of the audition is threefold: 1. to create bands, 2. to introduce interested parties to the jazz community at school and in town, and 3. to have some fun.

The Jazz Ensemble uses an expanded big-band format to play everything from traditional jazz of all eras, to contemporary music, to original compositions from within the band. We give three concerts a year in Old Cabell Hall and do a few other gigs as they come up. Each year the Jazz Ensemble hosts an internationally acclaimed Guest Artist. In the past we've featured Pat Metheny, Dave Liebman, Valery Ponamarov, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Art Baron, Bob Moses, John Abercrombie, Mike Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, Rex Richardson, Bob Mintzer, Conrad Herwig and others.

 

Klezmer Ensemble

Directed by Joel Rubin
In this ensemble, we will begin by focusing on the klezmer traditions of New York and Philadelphia from ca. 1910-1950 as well as the klezmer and hasidic traditions of 18th-19th century Eastern Europe. Depending on the makeup of the group, we may explore various other genres of Jewish musical traditions, including Yiddish song (folk song, Yiddish theater, vaudeville).

The following instruments are sought: violin, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion (drum set, xylophone), piano, and accordion, although others will also be considered.

Instructor permission by audition during first class period, (Monday, August 31st) or prior to that by appointment with instructor.
Meets: M 7:00-10:00pm, OCH B018
Please contact Dr. Rubin with any questions:

Marching Band

Directed by Bill Pease ()

Auditions: Email
Website: virginia.edu/marchingband/

Private Lessons in Music Performance

Individual lessons with performance faculty.

All MUPF courses
Meets: individually, by arrangement with instructor

To register for private lessons, you must have your instructor's approval. Some instructors may require you to audition prior to accepting you for private study. Contact your instructor as soon as possible so that you can make any arrangements necessary.

more information on lesson registration...

Symphony Orchestra

Executive director Janet Kaltenbach ()

MUEN 361
Meets: W 7:30-10:00pm
String Sectionals: See Course Offering Directory
Wind/Percussion: See Course Offering Directory
Room: OCH Auditorium

Auditions: Auditions will run August 24 - September 1. Sign-up sheets and additional information will be posted in the Old Cabell Hall lobby at 10am on Saturday August 22nd. Please contact Janet Kaltenbach with any questions.

Auditions Include:
1) A brief prepared selection of your choice and
2) Audition excerpts for most instruments (see below for links to audition excerpts)

more details below schedule

Instrument	Date	Time	Place
Strings
Violin	Wednesday, Aug. 26	6:00-10:00 pm	Auditorium
	Thursday, Aug. 27	7:30-9:30 pm	107
Viola	Monday, Aug. 24	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Cello	Monday, Aug. 24	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Bass	Monday, Aug. 24	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Woodwinds
Bassoon	Monday, Aug. 24	6:15-7:00 pm	107
Flute	Monday, Aug. 24	1:30-3:30 pm	107
Clarinet	Monday, Aug. 24	5:15-6:15 pm	107
Oboe	Monday, Aug. 24	3:45-4:45 pm	107
Brass
Trumpet	Tuesday, Sep. 1	2:00-3:00 pm	107
Trombone	Wednesday, Aug. 26	3:00-5:00 pm	107
Horn	Wednesday, Aug. 26	3:00-5:00 pm	107
Percussion
Percussion	Wednesday, Aug. 26	8:00-10:00 pm	B18

* Additional audition times may be arranged in case of overflow or unavoidable conflicts.

Results will be posted Saturday, August 22 at 10:00am.

Excerpts and Instructions

Click here to register for a user name and password to download the audition excerpts.
Explanation on why you need to register in order to see the audition excerpts, click here.

Violin

1. A prepared piece of approximately 5 minutes that displays a variety of left- and right-hand techniques
2. Excerpts from the following pieces: (.pdf, 135KB)
   • Mendelssohn, Symphony #4;
   • Elgar, Enigma Variations

Viola

1. A brief prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces: (.pdf, 209KB)
   
   • Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 (“New World”) - Largo
   • Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”) Movements 1 & 4
     

Cello

1. Prepare a brief (3-5 minutes) solo piece or excerpt from a solo piece.
   
2. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 296KB)
   • Elgar, Enigma Variations;
   • Mendelssohn, Italian Symphony
   Recordings of the excerpts are available from the UVA music library and it is highly recommended that you take some time to listen to the works while preparing the excerpts.

Bass

1. A short prepared piece (a movement of a sonata, for example, or an advanced level etude)
2. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 144KB):
   • Mendelssohn, Italian Symphony, mvt. 4 (half note = 80 m.m.)
   • Dvorak, New World Symphony, mvt. 1 (quarter note = 120 m.m.)

Bassoon

1. A brief prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 338KB)
   • Chromatic scale – 3 octaves
   • Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 (“New World”) - Movements 1 & 3
   • Mendelssohn – Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”)
   • Debussy – La Mer
   • Britten – Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Flute

1. A brief prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces: (.pdf, 1.8MB)
   • Bernstein – Overture to Candide
   • Hindemith – Symphonic Metamorphoses
   • Piston – Incredible Flutist
   • Brahms – Symphony No. 4 – Movement 4

Clarinet

1. Prepared solo of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 468KB):
   • Strauss, Death and Transfiguration (play between brackets)
   • Rossini, The Barber of Seville, Overture (in b flat)
   • Beethoven, Symphony No. 8 (play between brackets)

Oboe

1. A brief prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces:
   • English Horn Solo, Dvorak (.pdf, 127KB)
   • Mozart, Mozart Pt.2 (.pdf, 237KB)
   • Beethoven, Symphony No. 3

Trumpet

1. A brief prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 2.8MB):
   • Bizet – Carmen Suite No. 1 – Prelude to Act 1 (.pdf, 2.8MB)
   • Stravinsky – Petrouska – Third Part (.pdf, 2.8MB)
   • Moussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition - Promenade (.pdf, 2.8MB)

Trombone

1. Prepared selection of your choice
2. Excerpts from the following pieces:
   • Rochut #19 (play to bracket) (.pdf, 101KB)
     • Tenor trombone – play as written
     • Bass trombone – play down an octave
   • Hungarian March (.pdf, 100KB)
   • Tuba Mirum from Mozart’s Requiem (.pdf, 100KB)
   • Mahler Symphony No. 3 (.pdf, 100KB)

Horn

1. 3 two-octave scales
2. A brief prepared selection of your choice
3. Excerpts from the following pieces (.pdf, 288KB):
   • 3rd Horn in C (Dvorak Symphony No. 9)
   • 2nd Horn in E (Dvorak Symphony No. 9)
   • 1st Horn in F (Debussy La Mer)
   • 3rd Horn in F (Debussy La Mer)

Percussion

1. At least one solo piece on either Snare drum, Xylophone, or Marimba.
2. Excerpts from at least one of the followings:
   • Cymbals: La Mer - No.3 (.pdf, 160KB) - one bar before rehearsal #43 to one bar after rehearsal #51; ten bars after #57 to nine bars before #60
   • Glockenspiel: La Mer - No. 2 (.pdf, 234KB) - all
   • Xylophone: Britten pg1, pg2 - both pages

 

University Singers

Directed by Michael Slon ()

MUEN 3650

Auditions: Monday, August 24 - Saturday, August 29

Sign-up sheets will be posted in the Old Cabell Hall lobby.
No prepared piece is required.

The University Singers is the University of Virginia's premier choral ensemble. Recent highlights have included performances of Orff's Carmina Burana, the 50th Anniversary Gala and world premiere of a Stephen Paulus piece, a concert tour of the Midwest, and a workshop with Bobby McFerrin. University Singers is offered for 2 credits.

Wind Ensemble

Directed by Bill Pease ()

MUEN 362
Meets: M 7:00 - 9:00pm
Room: OCH 101

Auditions: Monday, August 24 - Friday, August 28

Students interested in auditioning for the University Wind Ensemble may do so between Monday, August 24th and Friday, August 28th. Auditions are at the Cavalier Band Office, by appointment only. Students should prepare a five-minute piece showing their technical as well as musical abilities, and be prepared to sight-read as well. There will be no scales. To schedule an appointment, or to ask any questions e-mail .

Affiliated Group Auditions

Virginia Glee Club

Come audition for the Virginia Glee Club, UVa's oldest musical organization and premiere all-male chorus.
Auditions Information: Thursday, August 27 and Friday, August 28 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Sign-up sheets will be outside B012 in Old Cabell Hall and at the Student Activities Fair, and auditions will meet in the Old Cabell Hall lobby. No prepared song is required.
For more information, please contact

Virginia Women's Chorus

Auditions Information: Friday, August 28th 2-6pm, Sat. 29th and Sunday the 30th from 2-5. PlaceTBA. Sign-ups outside B12 Old Cabell Hall or E-mail Kelly at or Jenni at .
Women interested in auditioning can contact Jenni Bechard at for more information.