Orchestras, Wind Bands and Music Theatre and Opera auditions

Join our 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 2023–24 audition schedule is 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. Audition excepts will be available by May 15.

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

Audition dates and locations

Instrument	Day	Time	Location	Warm-up room
Clarinet	Thursday, August 17	8 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Gammage 301	Gammage 212 8 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Violin	Thursday, August 17	8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Saxophone	Thursday, August 17	2 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Gammage 311	Gammage 209 2 p.m.– 4 p.m.
Tuba/Euphonium	Friday, August 18	8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Gammage 311	Gammage 301 8:30 a.m.– 10:30 a.m.
Violin Callbacks	Friday, August 18	9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Trumpet	Friday, August 18	12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Clarinet Callbacks	Friday, August 18	5 p.m. – 7 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Horn	Monday, August 21	8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Viola	Monday, August 21	11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Percussion	Monday, August 21	12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Percussion Studio
Cello	Monday, August 21	2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Flute	Tuesday, August 22	8 a.m. – 12 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Trombone	Tuesday, August 22	1 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Oboe	Wednesday, August 23	9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Bassoon	Wednesday, August 23	12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Double Bass	Wednesday, August 23	3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.	Katzin Concert Hall	Music W122 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Philharmonia	Thursday, August 17	4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.	Gammage 311	Gammage 212 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Philharmonia	Thursday, August 22	3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.	Gammage 311	Gammage 212 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Audition excerpts

All music majors must prepare the specific excerpts for their instrument and sign up for the auditions for their instrument. Non-majors who wish to be considered for placement in the ASU Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, or Wind Symphony must do the same.

For non-music majors interested in only the ASU Philharmonia, 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. Please sign up under the Philharmonia tab.

For non-music majors interested in only the ASU Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), as well as music majors looking to play a secondary instrument please see the Maroon and Gold tab below for more details.

Strings

Violin

Download 2023 violin excerpts

NOTE: Students who would like to be considered for concertmaster/positions of leadership should prepare the necessary excerpts in the above document.

Viola

Download 2023 viola excerpts

NOTE: There also will be sight-reading.

Cello

Download 2023 cello excerpts

Bass

Download 2023 bass excerpts

Harp

For audition information, please contact Charles Lynch.

Maroon and Gold Band

This is for non-music majors interested in only the ASU Maroon and Gold Band (audition not required), as well as music majors looking to play a secondary instrument. All students interested in Maroon and Gold Band for 2023-24 should enroll in MUP 444 (80636). If you are new to the band, you will likely need an override. You can click HERE for that.

There is no audition for membership in the Maroon and Gold Band, however, there are chair placements to determine what part you will play in the band. Once you register, you will have access to the course Canvas shell. In Canvas you will find the chair placement music as well as the link for submission.

Please submit only LINKS to your audition excerpts via YouTube. Your videos should be viewable without download. Please make sure all of the videos have the appropriate privacy settings (UNLISTED or PUBLIC) so that they may be accessed by the conductors. Do NOT upload your video as a YouTube Short, only as a regular video.

All interested students should submit the playing assessment form before August 20, 2023, at 11:59PM ET.

If you do not have your own instrument you will need to first be registered and the contact Jamal Duncan at duncan23@asu.edu. Instruments will be able to be checked out starting August 14. The inventory is limited and will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

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 the Maroon and Gold Band tab above for chair placement information. Rehearsals are Tuesday nights from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m..

For all groups except Maroon and Gold Band, please do the following to secure your audition time:

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-music majors interested in only the ASU Philharmonia, 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. Please 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 Music building 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 2023 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 and Gold Band
James.G.Hudson@asu.edu

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

Orchestras, Wind Bands and Music Theatre and Opera auditions

On This Page:

Join our community and participate in exciting performances.

Audition dates and locations

Audition excerpts

Flute

Oboe

Clarinet

Saxophone

Bassoon

Horn

Trumpet

Trombone

Euphonium

Tuba

Percussion