Orchestras, Wind Bands and Music Theatre and Opera auditions

Join the community and participate in exciting performances.

ASU’s ensembles provide opportunities to participate in exciting performances and join a community of passionate musicians and dynamic conductors.

The 2022–23 audition excerpts and schedule are now available for the ASU Symphony Orchestra/Chamber Orchestra, MTO (Music Theatre and Opera), ASU Philharmonia, ASU Wind Ensemble and ASU Wind Symphony. For sign-up information, view the “Sign-ups, procedures and results” section below.

An audition is not required for the Maroon and Gold Band. Chair placement music is available on the excerpts link.

Audition dates and locations

Instrument	Day	Time	Location
Clarinet	Thursday, August 18	8 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Gammage 301
Violin	Thursday, August 18	8:30 am. – 12 p.m. 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Saxophone	Thursday, August 18	2 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Gammage 311
Cello	Thursday, August 18	5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Tuba/Euphonium	Friday, August 19	8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Gammage 311
Violin Callbacks	Friday, August 19	9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Trumpet	Friday, August 19	12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Clarinet Callbacks	Friday, August 19	5 p.m. – 7 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Horn	Monday, August 22	9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Viola	Monday, August 22	11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Percussion	Monday, August 22	12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Percussion Studio
Flute	Tuesday, August 23	8 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Trombone	Tuesday, August 23	1 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Harp	Tuesday, August 23	4:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Oboe	Wednesday, August 24	9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Bassoon	Wednesday, August 24	12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Double Bass	Wednesday, August 24	3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall
Philharmonia	Thursday, August 18	4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.	Gammage 311
Philharmonia	Tuesday, August 23	4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.	Gammage 311

Audition excerpts

Audition excerpts for the 2022–23 season are listed below for the ASU Symphony Orchestra/Chamber Orchestra, Music Theatre and Opera (MTO), ASU Philharmonia, ASU Wind Ensemble and ASU Wind Symphony.

An audition is not required for the Maroon and Gold Band. Chair placement music is listed below.

Flute

Download 2022 Flute excerpt

For ASU Philharmonia, fall 2022 placement auditions will be held on week 1 during class. Please prepare two short (1–2 minutes each) and contrasting excerpts of your choice (any genre, composer, style). You will also have a sight-reading excerpt to play during the audition.

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Flute Excerpts.

Oboe

Download 2022 oboe excerpt

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Oboe Excerpts.

Clarinet

For the Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony:
Download 2022 clarinet excerpt

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at:
2022 Maroon and Gold Clarinet Excerpts
2022 Maroon and Gold Base Clarinet Excerpts

Saxophone

Download 2022 saxophone excerpt

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at:
2022 Maroon and Gold Alto Saxophone Excerpts
2022 Maroon and Gold Tenor Saxophone Excerpts
2022 Maroon and Gold Baritone Saxophone Excerpts

Bassoon

Download 2022 bassoon excerpt

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Bassoon Excerpts.

Horn

Download 2022 horn excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Horn Excerpts.

Trumpet

Download 2022 trumpet excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Trumpet Excerpts.

Trombone

Download 2022 bass and tenor trombone excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Trombone Excerpts.

Euphonium

Download 2022 euphonium excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at:
2022 Maroon and Gold Baritone BC Excerpts
2022 Maroon and Gold Baritone TC Excerpts

Tuba

Download 2022 tuba excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Tuba Excerpts.

Percussion

Download 2022 percussion excerpts

For the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), chair placements will take place at the first class meeting. Download chair placement music at 2022 Maroon and Gold Percussion Excerpts

Strings

Violin

Students wishing to audition for the ASU Orchestra program must prepare the following:

Download 2022 violin excerpts

Students who would like to be considered for concertmaster/positions of leadership should prepare the above.

Concertmaster/Leadership Excerpts

Viola

Students wishing to audition for the ASU orchestra program should prepare from the entire piece listed below, specific selections will be determined at the audition:

Download 2022 viola excerpts

There also will be sight-reading.

Cello

Students wishing to audition for the ASU orchestra program must prepare the following.

Download 2022 cello excerpts

Bass

Students wishing to audition for the ASU orchestra program must prepare the following.

Download 2022 bass excerpts

Harp

For audition information, please contact Charles Lynch.

Interested in performing in the ASU Philharmonia? Please contact conductor Julie Desbordes.

Audition sign-ups, procedures and results

The following information is for those interested in auditioning for the following ensembles:

ASU Symphony Orchestra/Chamber Orchestra
MTO (Music Theatre and Opera)
ASU Philharmonia
ASU Wind Ensemble
ASU Wind Symphony

If you are interested in the Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required) go to chair placement for music excerpts for each instrument. Rehearsals are Tuesday nights from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m..

In order to secure your audition time please do the following:

Fill out this form.
Sign up for one audition time using this Audition sign-up form. Only sign up for one audition time. Any duplicate audition times will be deleted by the administrator.
For non-major string players interested only in the Philharmonia, please download the corresponding audition material and sign up under the Philharmonia audition slots.
Practice!

Audition process

You may use the Green Room as a warm-up area for auditions that take place in Katzin Concert Hall or one of the classrooms as a warmup area for auditions that take place in ASU Gammage. You may also warm up in the School of Music practice rooms.
Please arrive ahead of your audition time so you are ready to play at your scheduled time.
Before entering the audition room make certain that you have your music and all equipment needed to play the audition.
Most auditions will be “blind”, that is, you will perform from behind a screen so your identity remains anonymous until after the audition process is complete.

Therefore, please communicate with the room monitor only. Additional instructions will be given by an audition panel member if needed. Do your best to not respond verbally so that you remain anonymous. In the event you have a question, leave the space, ask the monitor your question, and the monitor will communicate with the panel.

Assignments

Upon completion of all auditions, the faculty will confer and make ensemble assignments for the Fall 2022 term. All musicians who auditioned will be contacted through the ASU email address given on the audition sign-up form and informed of their ensemble(s) placement.

We are excited to begin making music and learning with you this fall semester!

We look forward to seeing you very soon. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Jason Caslor, Director of Bands
jcaslor@asu.edu

Brian DeMaris, Artistic Director, Music Theatre and Opera
briandemaris@asu.edu

Julie Desbordes, Music Director, ASU Philharmonia
Julie.Desbordes@asu.edu

Jamal Duncan, Associate Director of Bands
duncan23@asu.edu

James Hudson, Director of Athletic Bands, Conductor, Maroon Band
James.G.Hudson@asu.edu

Jeffery Meyer, Director of Orchestras
Jeffery.Meyer@asu.edu