Ensemble Entrance Requirements
Concert Orchestra:
  Available to all students in sixth grade.
Chamber Orchestra :
  Available to all students in 7th and 8th grades with one year of experience on a string instrument.
Symphony Orchestra:
  Open to all students by audition.
Concert Band:
  Open to all 6th grade students.
Advanced Band:
  Open to all 7th grade students who have spent one year in concert band and all 6th grade students who can perform "Simple Gifts" from "Accent on Achievement," Book 2, page 10 with correct notes, correct rhythms, good tone quality, and correct articulations. Percussionists must perform this on the snare drum with correct rolls.
Wind Ensemble:
  Open to all 7th and 8th grade students who can perform all major scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats on your instrument. This includes C, F, G, Bb, D, Eb, A, Ab, E. Also the chromatic scale for at least one octave, 2 octaves for clarinets and flutes.
The expectations of ranges for the instruments are as described below.
  • Flutes up to a high A, above the 4th ledger line above the staff
  • Oboes up to a high D above the staff
  • Clarinets up to a high D above the staff
  • Saxophones up to a high F above the staff
  • Trumpets up to a high G on top of the staff
  • French Horns up to a high G on the top of the staff
  • Trombones up to a high F above the staff.
  • Tubas up to a high F above the staff
In Addition, perform "Theme from Scheherazade" on Page 33 in "Accent on Achievement", Book 3.
And "Shenandoah" on page 30 from the same book.

All Percussionists perform "Theme from Scheherazade" on the mallets and the snare drum.
Requirements for Percussion Students interested in Wind Ensemble are:
Perform the following rudiments: Alternating flams, Alternating 5 stroke rolls, Alternating 9 stroke rolls, Alternating 17 stroke rolls, Alternating 7 stroke rolls, Alternating 13 stroke rolls. Paradiddles, Drags, and a Long Single Stroke roll from slow to fast to slow.

All percussionists must also perform 2 major scales and the chromatic scale one octave on a mallet instrument. Percussionists wishing to emphasize mallets should perform the scales listed above for one octave each and the first 5 rudiments.

Monday Jazz Band      For any interested 6th or 7th graders in Advanced Band
Jazz Ensemble
  1. Pass Wind Ensemble requirements
  2. Perform St. Louis Blues (#53 ,page 16 from Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble)
  3. Improvise 12 bar solo in Concert Bb or Concert F using blues scale as described in Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble

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