District 7 Band & Orchestra Auditions
CalendarOctober 1 - Registration Opens
November 15 - Registration Closes December 5 - Auditions (Eastern York High School) Director Registration available on the MEMBERS SITE. Audition Materials2026 Audition Etude & Excerpt List
published 5/4/26; edited 5/7/26 to clarify trumpet audition material comes from Volume 1 edited 5/19/26 to clarify mallet exercises for Snare Track come from the "old" or Cirone edition of the Goldenberg book (NOT the new edition) String Audition Excerpts will be posted after Labor Day Timpani Etude #1 Additional Forms/Procedures Early Dismissal Form The percussion procedures document is in the process of being updated to align with the new posted repertoire. In the meantime, you can contact the Audition Chair ([email protected]) with questions. Extension Instrument Information (Contrabass Clarinet, Piccolo, & E flat Clarinet) Extension Instrument Audition Procedure ScalesClick HERE to see an overview of the scale matrix.
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Updates & Notes on Audition MaterialsTrumpet
The audition material comes from Volume 1. The list was updated on 5/7/26 to reflect this. Percussion - Snare Track The mallet exercises come from either the older edition or Cirone edition (published by Alfred) of the Goldenberg book, NOT the new edition of this book. The Cirone edition is readily available. Please check the publisher info carefully. Percussion NEW FOR 2026 - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY All percussion students wishing to audition for District Band must select a track for their audition process. Every student, regardless of track, will still be expected and required to play a snare drum excerpt, mallet except (on a marimba), and a timpani etude. There is no longer an auxiliary percussion requirement as part of the audition. When signing up a student, please ensure that they are aware of this new process and secure the audition materials specific to their chosen track. Look at ALL required materials as some years will require students to learn two short etudes in lieu of one longer piece. Per District 7 bylaws, no student may audition on more than one concert band instrument and that still applies to the tracked percussion audition as well. The new Timpani Etudes are available FOR FREE as a download on this page. Selection for district ensembles will be pulled equally from both tracks to fill the ensembles. Thank you again for taking the time to read this new process. As always, if you are unsure or still have questions, please reach out. Eb Soprano and Contrabass Clarinets All students interested in Eb Soprano Clarinet must first audition on Bb Soprano Clarinet, and all students interested in Contra Clarinet must first audition on Bb Bass Clarinet. Please see the "Extension Instrument" audition procedures posted below. NOTE - Because Eb Soprano and Contra Clarinets may be "dead end" chairs (i.e. they may not be needed at District or Region Band) from year to year, this process allows more pathways for students to make All-State Band. |
Audition Instructions
1. The only official repertoire list is the one posted on this website. It is your responsibility to make sure you have the correct edition and publisher. Students must use the officially announced edition of the solo. The official repertoire list is published in May for the auditions the following December.
2. Audition scales are to be performed in eighth notes at a minimum tempo of quarter note = 120 mm. If the scales are not performed according to the stated eighth note rhythmic pattern, a scoring deduction will be made.
Woodwind & Brass scales can be asked either SLURRED or TONGUED.
WIND SCALES NO LONGER NEED TO BE MEMORIZED.
String scales are to be played as written (slurred four-to-a-bow).
STRING SCALES MUST BE PLAYED FROM MEMORY.
The SCALE SCORING GUIDE will be used.
3. Click the links below for Scoring Breakdowns. SOLO and SCALE scoring guides are utilized.
Brass/Woodwind/String Solo Scoring Rubric (PDF)
Total Percussion Scoring Rubric (PDF) - will be updated shortly (5/5/26)
Scale Scoring Rubric (PDF)
Percussion Audition Procedure (PDF) - will be updated shortly (5/5/26)
4. All timpanists will try out on the timpani provided by District 7. No one may bring their own timpani.
5. Students are allowed a brief "warm up" in the audition room.
6. All auditions will be "blind" auditions. Judges will not be permitted to face the student during the audition process. Students are not permitted to speak while in the audition room with the judges to maintain anonymity.
7. Students will not be permitted to practice in the hallway when auditions are in progress.
8. Audition results will be distributed to the Band and Orchestra directors. Students will be informed of their audition placement via their directors. Students who are selected to participate in a festival will receive their festival music and information packet from their school director.
9. Passages marked "cadenza" may not be selected for district audition passages. If you have questions, please contact the band and orchestra repertoire chair and/or band and orchestra audition chair.
2. Audition scales are to be performed in eighth notes at a minimum tempo of quarter note = 120 mm. If the scales are not performed according to the stated eighth note rhythmic pattern, a scoring deduction will be made.
Woodwind & Brass scales can be asked either SLURRED or TONGUED.
WIND SCALES NO LONGER NEED TO BE MEMORIZED.
String scales are to be played as written (slurred four-to-a-bow).
STRING SCALES MUST BE PLAYED FROM MEMORY.
The SCALE SCORING GUIDE will be used.
3. Click the links below for Scoring Breakdowns. SOLO and SCALE scoring guides are utilized.
Brass/Woodwind/String Solo Scoring Rubric (PDF)
Total Percussion Scoring Rubric (PDF) - will be updated shortly (5/5/26)
Scale Scoring Rubric (PDF)
Percussion Audition Procedure (PDF) - will be updated shortly (5/5/26)
4. All timpanists will try out on the timpani provided by District 7. No one may bring their own timpani.
5. Students are allowed a brief "warm up" in the audition room.
6. All auditions will be "blind" auditions. Judges will not be permitted to face the student during the audition process. Students are not permitted to speak while in the audition room with the judges to maintain anonymity.
7. Students will not be permitted to practice in the hallway when auditions are in progress.
8. Audition results will be distributed to the Band and Orchestra directors. Students will be informed of their audition placement via their directors. Students who are selected to participate in a festival will receive their festival music and information packet from their school director.
9. Passages marked "cadenza" may not be selected for district audition passages. If you have questions, please contact the band and orchestra repertoire chair and/or band and orchestra audition chair.
District Band and Orchestra Audition Eligibility
A. Students are eligible to audition and participate in District 7 Band who are presently in grades 7-12. District 7 Orchestra is open to string players grade 9-12 and Wind/Brass/Percussion players in grades 10-12.
B. Only students in grades 10-12 are eligible for Region and All-State festivals.
C. Students must be in ‘good standing’ in their school’s band or orchestra to be eligible for the respective festival. Exceptions may be granted only if the school does not have provisions for said ensemble participation.
D. Students must be able to attend the entire Festival from registration through the final concert. Exceptions may be made for illness, providing the student missed no more that four (4) hours of rehearsal time. Exceptions will be handled according to PMEA guidelines.
E. Students should not apply to audition for a District Festival if, for any reason, including religious activity, they plan to miss a part of the festival. A student must participate in the complete festival program commencing with registration and concluding with the final concert, except in the case of illness that must be verified in writing by a physician within 5 days of the festival. Students must rehearse and perform all musical compositions selected for the concert.
F. Students must earn membership in a District 7 Festival through a “selective” audition.
G. Participation by Private, Parochial, Charter, Cyber and Cyber-Charter School Students (Updated 2023): Private, Parochial, Charter, Cyber and Cyber-Charter School students must participate in their own school musical ensembles, or community-based equivalent, in order to be eligible to participate in any PMEA or NAfME festival (band for band, orchestra for orchestra, and chorus for chorus) and must be sponsored by the appropriate PMEA member director in their school. The private, parochial, charter, cyber or cyber-charter school of attendance must be recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as an official school entity. Cyber and Cyber-Charter students would participate in PMEA events within the PMEA district where they live. A sponsoring PMEA member-director must be musically qualified and must serve in an audition capacity as assigned. A public school may not sponsor a private or charter school student under any circumstances.
B. Only students in grades 10-12 are eligible for Region and All-State festivals.
C. Students must be in ‘good standing’ in their school’s band or orchestra to be eligible for the respective festival. Exceptions may be granted only if the school does not have provisions for said ensemble participation.
D. Students must be able to attend the entire Festival from registration through the final concert. Exceptions may be made for illness, providing the student missed no more that four (4) hours of rehearsal time. Exceptions will be handled according to PMEA guidelines.
E. Students should not apply to audition for a District Festival if, for any reason, including religious activity, they plan to miss a part of the festival. A student must participate in the complete festival program commencing with registration and concluding with the final concert, except in the case of illness that must be verified in writing by a physician within 5 days of the festival. Students must rehearse and perform all musical compositions selected for the concert.
F. Students must earn membership in a District 7 Festival through a “selective” audition.
G. Participation by Private, Parochial, Charter, Cyber and Cyber-Charter School Students (Updated 2023): Private, Parochial, Charter, Cyber and Cyber-Charter School students must participate in their own school musical ensembles, or community-based equivalent, in order to be eligible to participate in any PMEA or NAfME festival (band for band, orchestra for orchestra, and chorus for chorus) and must be sponsored by the appropriate PMEA member director in their school. The private, parochial, charter, cyber or cyber-charter school of attendance must be recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education as an official school entity. Cyber and Cyber-Charter students would participate in PMEA events within the PMEA district where they live. A sponsoring PMEA member-director must be musically qualified and must serve in an audition capacity as assigned. A public school may not sponsor a private or charter school student under any circumstances.