CURRENT STUDENT INDOOR AUDITIONS
For current and returning Purdue Bands & Orchestras Students planning to audition for a concert band, jazz band, and orchestra.
Openings in all orchestras for violin, viola, cello, and bass.
Updated March 24, 2026.
Audition Dates
- Submit a virtual audition by March 27th. Any audition received after this date cannot be guaranteed priority placement.
Submit an Audition
- Submit your video audition via email to Prof. Bodony: abodony@purdue.edu
- See recording instructions and audition requirements below.
Audition Requirements
- One prepared solo or etude (2-3 minutes in length.)
- Students will play alone, without accompaniment.
- Please prepare two scales of your choosing (ascending and descending in three octaves.)
- For Philharmonic consideration choose two from the following:
- Violin – A, C, E-flat major
- Viola/Cello – D, F, A major
- Bass – E, F, G major
- If you do not have access to the instruments needed to perform your audition, please contact Caitlin (caitlin@purdue.edu) for alternative audition instructions.
Enrolling in an Orchestra
- Students currently enrolled in PBO: Place your current Orchestra course (or the orchestra in which you are most likely to be placed) near the top of your batch registration preferences, if possible, to help avoid conflicts. Note: this is not your official, final placement – that only comes from Prof. Bodony. Final placements will be communicated in July 2026.
- Students not currently enrolled in PBO: Please enroll for the exact ensemble you have been assigned by Prof. Bodony. If you have a scheduling conflict, please communicate with him to see if it can be approved or if another ensemble might work.
Recording Process Instructions
- You will not need anything more advanced than a smartphone to record. You are to play alone, without accompaniment.
- At the beginning of your video, state your first and last name and the instrument you are playing. Example: “Hi, I’m Adam Bodony, and I’m auditioning on Viola d’Amore.”
- Make sure your face, hands, and fingerboard are visible as much as possible.
- You MAY record etudes and scales separately and splice together, but each selection should itself be done in a single take. Submit only a single file, NOT separate files for each component of the audition.
- Do not add any special audio effects or on-screen text. Keep it as simple as possible. No autotune, no AI! No metronomes!
- We recommend you upload the audition as an UNLISTED (not private) YouTube file. NOTE: if you make it “public” that means you are sharing your audition with everyone. Alternatively, you may choose to upload to a file storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox that allows you to share a viewable link but verify that the video is unlocked for anyone with the link before submitting.
- There will be no sight-reading component.
Updated March 24, 2026
Audition Dates
- Submit a virtual audition by April 3rd. Any audition received after this date cannot be guaranteed priority placement.
Submit an Audition
- See recording instructions and audition requirements below.
- Fill out this form and submit “unlisted” YouTube video
Saxes, Trumpets, and Trombones: Play the etude from start until mm36 with #1 Rhythm Section Play Along Track.
- Horns interested in Purdue Jazz Band (PJB) or American Music Repertory Ensemble (AMRE) consideration, improvise over chord changes from mm36 to the end and should not play written parts, except for the last 4 measures as written. No improvisation is required for anyone else.
To be considered for a Lead Trumpet role: Complete the above AND take mm31-34 up an octave.
Guitars, Vibes and Piano: Play the entire etude from start until mm36 with appropriate Play Along Track.
- Guitar, Vibes, and Piano interested in Purdue Jazz Band (PJB) or American Music Repertory Ensemble (AMRE) consideration should play from start through mm36 or letter E and improvise from letter E to the end, where no rhythmic notation is written.
- Pianists should solo with the right hand and comp with the left.
Bass: Play the etude from start until mm36 or letter E as written with appropriate Play Along Track.
- Basses interested in Purdue Jazz Band (PJB) or American Music Repertory Ensemble (AMRE) consideration, create a “walking bass line” from E-F, play written lines, and improvise the 12 bars starting at letter G, and play the last 4 bars as written.
Drums: Play through through the etude once as if accompanying the band, and play through a second time as if you were soloing.
Play 8 bars of the following:
- Medium Swing at mm120
- Bossa Nova at mm120
- Funk or Hip Hop at mm90
- Up-Tempo Swing at mm240
Vocalists: Prepare two jazz pieces of contrasting style and tempo with a karaoke-style big band accompaniment (YouTube is preferred). If auditioning for Purdue Tower of Power Band (ToP) consideration, pop songs are acceptable.
All Musicians: While improv is not required, anyone interested in showing their skills can improvise from mm37, letter E, to the end.
Recording Process Instructions
- You will not need anything more advanced than a smartphone to record.
- At the beginning of your video, state your first and last name and the instrument you are playing. Example: “Hi, I’m Bethany Robinson, and I’m auditioning on bass.”
- Make sure your face and hands are visible as much as possible.
- Do not add any special audio effects or on-screen text. Keep it as simple as possible. No autotune, no AI! No metronomes!
- We recommend you upload the audition as an UNLISTED (not private) YouTube file. NOTE: if you make it “public” that means you are sharing your audition with everyone. Alternatively, you may choose to upload to a file storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox that allows you to share a viewable link but verify that the video is unlocked for anyone with the link before submitting.
- There will be no sight-reading component.
- If you do not have access to the instruments needed to perform your audition, please contact Caitlin at caitlin@purdue.edu for alternative audition instructions.
Enroll in a Jazz Band class
Students currently enrolled in PBO: Place your Band course near the top of your batch registration preferences, if possible, to help avoid conflicts. Ensemble lists will be emailed by the director. Note: this is not your official, final placement – that only comes from Prof. Robinson. Final placements will be communicated in July 2026.
Updated March 24, 2026
Openings in all Concert Bands and Orchestras for Flute, all Clarinets, all Double Reeds, all Saxophones, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, and Percussion.
Occasional opportunities for Harp and Piano.
Audition Dates
- Returning PBO or Current Purdue Students: Submit a virtual audition by April 3rd.
Audition Etudes & Requirements
ALL STUDENTS
- Students will play alone, without accompaniment.
- Students will not use a metronome.
- If you do not have access to the instruments needed to perform your audition, please contact audition Caitlin at caitlin@purdue.edu for alternative audition instructions.
WOODWIND/BRASS
- Students are to prepare two of the three etudes.
- Students interested in Philharmonic Orchestra Winds, Wind Ensemble must play Etudes 2 and 3.
- Please prepare the two scales specified on your audition sheet.
PERCUSSION
- Please prepare the snare and mallet requirements and etudes specified on the audition sheet.
- Students interested Philharmonic Orchestra and Wind Ensemble should play the timpani audition, in addition to snare and mallet.
- Percussionists should follow all instructions on the top of the audition sheet with regards to rudiments and scales.
HARP AND PIANO
- Please prepare a short selection of no more than 3 minutes which showcases your technical ability, as well as your musicianship.
- Harp and piano players may not be assigned to a specific ensemble but will be given performance opportunities based on departmental need and when schedules allow.
- Upon placement, these students will be asked to enroll in BAND 120 for 1-credit through our Applied Music Studies.
Enroll in a Band or Orchestra class
- Students currently enrolled in PBO: Place your Band or Orchestra course near the top of your batch registration preferences, if possible, to help avoid conflicts.
- Students not currently enrolled in PBO: Please enroll for the exact ensemble you have been assigned by a director. If you have a scheduling conflict, please communicate with the director to see if it can be approved or if another ensemble might work.
Recording Process Instructions
- You will not need anything more advanced than a smartphone to record. You are to play alone, without accompaniment.
- At the beginning of your video, state your first and last name and the instrument you are playing. Example: “Hi, I’m Matt Conaway, and I’m auditioning on Trombone.”
- Make sure your face and hands are visible as much as possible. If we can’t verify what the keys are doing, we may ask you to resubmit.
- You MAY record etudes and scales separately and splice together, but each song should itself be done in a single take.
- Do not add any special audio effects or on-screen text. Keep it as simple as possible. No autotune, no AI! No metronomes!
- We recommend you upload the audition as an UNLISTED (not private) YouTube file. NOTE: if you make it “public” that means you are sharing your audition with everyone. Alternatively, you may choose to upload to a file storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox that allows you to share a viewable link but verify that the video is unlocked for anyone with the link before submitting.
- There will be no sight-reading component.
- After your recording is complete, submit your audition video.
Why Are We Doing It This Way?
- Allows you as many “takes” as you need before you have an audition you’re happy with.
- Allows you to do this completely on your schedule.
- Significantly better audio than a real-time internet connection.
Other Notes:
- You may not see the video recognize a view. We tend to jump around a bit and may not have the video running until the very last recorded second. We will let you know if there’s an issue hearing your recording.
- If you do not have access to an appropriate audition instrument or access to any device capable of recording video, please contact Caitlin caitlin@purdue.edu for alternative audition instructions.
