Purdue Day of Giving

Give to Purdue Bands and Orchestras on 4/24/2024!

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INDOOR ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS

For current and returning Purdue Bands & Orchestras Students

Openings in all Concert Bands and Orchestras for Piccolo, Flute, all Clarinets, all Double Reeds, all Saxophones, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, and Percussion.

Audition Dates

  • Current Students:  Auditions beginning the Week of March 4th, 2024
  • Purdue University Co-Op Program/Internship:  Send a recorded audition to Professor Gephart or audition upon return to campus. Students who wish to be considered for Wind Ensemble or Philharmonic Winds/Percussion must contact Professor Gephart immediately.

Sign up for an Audition

  • Members of the faculty will hold in-person auditions and place instrumentalists into appropriate ensembles. Audition sign-ups will be posted on faculty office doors.  Ensemble placement will be communicated via email mid-late July.
  • If you are a current student not currently enrolled in Purdue Bands & Orchestras, please reach out to the appropriate director below to schedule an audition.

Audition Etudes & Requirements

ALL STUDENTS

  • Students will play alone, without accompaniment.
  • If you do not have access to the instruments needed to perform your audition, please contact audition Caitlin for alternative audition instructions.

WOODWIND/BRASS

  • Students are required to play two etudes of their choice. 
  • Students interested in Wind Ensemble or Philharmonic Orchestra Winds must play Etude 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 in Wind Ensemble or Philharmonic Orchestra should play the timpani audition, in addition to snare and mallet.
  • Percussionists should prepare two rudiments, if applicable.

Enroll in a Band or Orchestra class

  • Returning students:  Ensemble lists will be emailed this summer.  Place your Band or Orchestra course near the top of your batch registration preferences, if possible to help avoid conflicts.

Openings for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass.

Audition Dates

  • Current Students:  March 6th-8th, 18th-20th, 25th-26th
  • Purdue University Co-Op Program/Internship:  Send a recorded audition to Professor Bodony as soon as possible. Students who wish to be considered for the Purdue Philharmonic Orchestra, must contact Professor Bodony immediately.

Sign up for an Audition

  • Members of the faculty will hold in-person auditions and place instrumentalists into appropriate ensembles. Professor Bodony will be coordinating auditions and sign-up times.

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 for alternative audition instructions.

Enroll in an Orchestra class

  • New Students (Currently On-Campus): Enroll with your academic advisor upon receiving placement from Purdue Bands & Orchestras.
  • Returning students: Place your Orchestra course near the top of your batch registration preferences, if possible to help avoid conflicts.

Jazz Auditions for current students (on-campus) will occur on March 25th and 26th 2024 in HAGLE B09. Returning students will audition during there regularly scheduled rehearsal time and new students can fill in available slots outside of those rehearsal times. An audition time sign-up folder will be on the table outside the Jazz Rehearsal room and current/returning students should sign up for an audition during their regularly scheduled class time. Any current student interested in auditioning for a Jazz Band, but not currently in an ensemble this semester should contact Prof. Harris at harri888@purdue.edu. All auditions will be performed live for either Professor Harris or Dr. Cox or both. They will also be recorded.

Audition Requirements

The appropriate etude for each instrument will be prepared following the instructions at the top of the page with the following clarifications:

  • Wind Instruments: Play a chromatic scale two octaves or lowest to highest notes up and down.
  • Any trumpeter wanting to be considered for a ‘lead’ trumpet position should play Letter D-E bars up an octave.
  • Guitarists, pianists, vibes, and bass players should prepare a no more than two-minute piece demonstrating their musical ability (jazz style is preferred) and should be performed “in time”. Bassist should play written parts and “walk” where notated.
  • Pianists and guitarists should play written parts and “comp” where notated in etude.
  • Students auditioning for Purdue Jazz Band or AMRE should be prepared to improvise over the chord changes in etude from letter D-end of piece in etude.
  • Students not auditioning for PJB or AMRE should improvise 2 choruses over Bb Blues.
  • If you do not have access to the instrument needed to perform your audition, please contact Caitlin.

Drummers should follow the directions on the etude and play from beginning up until letter E. On the blues play-a-long be prepared to play 2 choruses of time then do 2 choruses of trading 4’s

  • Also be prepared to play 8 bars of the following styles:
  • Medium Swing
  • Fast Swing
  • Bossa
  • Samba
  • Rock (Hip hop or Funk)
  • Medium Swing 3/4

Vocalists should prepare two contrasting jazz style pieces with a karaoke style big band accompaniment (YouTube is preferred). Please decide on cuts so that the two should be a total of less than four minutes together.

Enroll in a Jazz Band class

  • Returning Students: Sign up for the current Band that you are enrolled in. These are not placements as there are more auditions heard over summer and placements will be made by mid-July, after which you will update your schedule.
  • New Current Students: You will be given a course number to sign up for. These are not placements as there are more auditions heard over the summer and final placements will be made by mid-July, after which you will update your schedule.