Placement

We continue to monitor ongoing studies and gather research as we consider options for the Fall. We plan to announce more information regarding ensemble schedules, audition information, private instruction protocols, and PPE requirements in early August. Thank you for your patience as we await the results of important aerosol studies specifically addressing music and the performing arts.

Music Ensemble Placement Auditions

Audition Dates TBA

Membership in a music ensemble is based on the results of the ensemble placement auditions held in Mary Baker Russell Music Center during orientation weekend and first week of classes.

The audition process is:

  1. Sign up for an audition time.  Sign-up sheets will be available online only beginning TBA.
  2. Audition: complete any forms that may be needed prior to the audition and bring them with you.
  3. Watch MBRC back stage bulletin boards for ensemble personnel lists.
  4. Register for your ensemble in the Music Office (MBRC 206) by the first Friday of Fall semester.

Instrumental Auditions

Music Ensemble Placement Auditions

Mary Baker Russell Music Center

Instrumental Auditions

Location: Mary Baker Russell Music Center, Room 322

To sign up for an audition time view either of the following links depending on your specific instrument:

Wind, Brass, and Percussion audition sign up

String audition sign up

Please note the following:

  1. First year students should try to avoid conflicts with their orientation, but first year orientation leaders are often accommodating should a conflict be unavoidable
  2. If it is necessary that you sign up in an “overflow” time slot, please do so on the same day that your given instrument has been assigned
  3. Note that there are separate tabs for each day of auditions on the sign up spreadsheet, located at the bottom of the sign up form

Auditions for all instrumental ensembles are held at the same time.  Auditions times are based on the instrument (see below).  Students will be assigned to an ensemble(s).  Results of the auditions will be posted on the back stage bulletin board in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center back stage area.  Students should then register for their ensemble(s) in the Music Office (MBRC 206).

First Year Student Orientation:
Incoming students should be aware of the new student orientation activities going on simultaneously with the Department of Music ensemble placement auditions.  Please do not schedule your audition time during one of these sessions. Click here to view the schedule of activities: New student orientation.

Audition Material:

Audition Schedule

Audition Repertoire (Brass, Winds, Percussion, and Jazz)

String Audition Repertoire (suggested)

Instrumental Ensemble Audition Form

Audition Schedule:

  • Date TBA

Flutes (Piccolo)

Bassoons (Contra Bassoon)

Oboes (English Horn)

Clarinets (Bass Clarinet)

Harp and Keyboards

Timpani and Percussion
Note: All percussionists receiving a music scholarship must audition at this time if they also want to audition for the Jazz Ensemble. It is also highly recommended for non-scholarship percussionists.

Overflow auditions

  • Date TBA

Violins

Violas

Cellos

Basses

  • Date TBA: Orchestra, Band and Jazz Ensembles

Euphoniums / Baritones / Tuba

Horns

Trumpets

Trombones

Saxophones

Overflow auditions

  • Date TBA:

Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Section (keyboards, guitar, bass, drums)

  • Date TBA:

     Jazz Combo Placement

Questions, please contact the PLU Music Department at 253-535-7602.

Audition Material

Flutes: A five-minute selection(s) of your choice displaying both lyrical/slow and technical/fast playing such as repertoire from the “Flute Music by French Composers” book, études, Solo and Ensemble repertoire, or a selection of several contrasting orchestral excerpts.

Oboes: Perform the following: 1) Barret Melody No. 10. 2) La Scala di Seta: pickup to measure 6 up to rehearsal 1; pickup to rehearsal 2 up to rehearsal 3. 3) Scheherazade, 2nd movement: letter A to B. 4) Beethoven Symphony No. 6, 3rd movement: pickup to measure 41 up to measure 48, measure 91 up to measure 122.

Saxophones: 1) Perform one of the two orchestral excerpts provided: Bizet, m. 17-46, or Rachmaninoff, all.  2) Perform a solo work (movements or excerpts are acceptable) of approximately 3-4 minutes, or perform one fast etude from the Ferling 48 Studies.

Trumpets: Returning students: please perform the exposition (beginning up to measure 146) of the first movement of the Hummel Trumpet Concerto. Parts for Hummel Bb and Eb trumpet are provided. Please also perform at least one of the following excerpts: (1) Opening solo of Mahler’s 5th Symphony, (2) Opening Promenade from Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, or (3) the Lyric Solo from the second movement of Respighi’s Pines of Rome. These excerpts may be played on a Bb or C trumpet, transposed or untransposed.

New students: please perform any of the above materials, or you may choose the Ropartz Andante et Allegro.

Trombones: 1) Felicity/Sinister March: Choose one. These exercises are to be performed against a Bb drone tone which will be present on audition day too. A link to the cello drone provided can be found here as a practice tool: https://youtu.be/UfY3u7xvgf8. 2) Perform #11, Adagio. Be sure to observe the sempre staccato marking, as it allows the performer to mask breaths along the way! Do not take the repeats; play the etude straight through. 3) Excerpt: Tannhauser by R. Wagner, rehearsal M to the end. Tenor trombonists play through to the last line, as printed. Bass trombonists, ignore the final line and skip to the added line at the bottom of the page. 4) 2-3 minute solo/etude of the player’s choice. 5) sightreading

All other wind instruments and percussion: short etude or solo piece of the auditionee’s choice and a sight-reading passage selected from the season’s repertoire. Woodwind and Brass players may be asked to play a 2-octave scale in addition to their selection and the sight-reading material.

NOTE: strings, please use the “String Audition Repertoire (suggested)” link above.

Jazz (for all horns): 1) Satin Doll (Concert key, Eb instrument, Bb instrument, bass clef), by Duke Ellington: play the melody the first time through, students are highly encouraged (though not required) to improvise over the chord progression the second time through. To practice your performance, please download this audio file, which may be used in your audition. 2) sight-reading excerpt for all instruments.

Jazz (rhythm section): 1) Satin Doll (Concert key), by Duke Ellington: if you play piano, guitar, or vibraphone, play the melody the first time through and improvise over the chord progression the second time. If you play bass or drums, accompany the first time through and improvise the second time. 2) sight-reading excerpt for all instruments.

Choral Auditions

Music Ensemble Placement Auditions

Mary Baker Russell Music Center

Choral Auditions

Location: Mary Baker Russell Music Center, Room 306.

 

Click here to go to the PLU Choral Audition Blog.  This link will give new students detailed information about the ensemble placement auditions that will be held in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center during the weekend before fall classes begin.

First Year Student Orientation:

Incoming students should be aware of the new student orientation activities going on simultaneously with the Department of Music ensemble placement auditions.  Please do not schedule your audition time during one of these sessions. Click here to view the schedule of activities: New Student Orientation.

Audition Material:

Sing a prepared song of your choice or choose a carol or hymn that is available at the auditions. The directors will then vocalize you to hear your range and ask you to sing some patterns by ear for tonal memory.

An accompanist will be provided for the audition.

Singers should be aware of taking care of their voices during orientation activities.

Schedule:

  • Date TBA:
    Time TBA
  • Date TBA:
    Choral Call Backs: Scheduled by Appointment.

The Choral audition schedule is tentative and may change.

Richard Nance, Director of Choral Activities
Brian Galante,  Associate Director of Choral Activities
James Brown, Director of Vocal Studies

Questions, please contact the PLU Music Department at 253-535-7602.

Ensemble Registration

Ensemble Placement Results:

After the auditions have been held, ensemble personnel lists will be posted on the bulletin boards in the back stage areas of Mary Baker Russell Music Center. Please check this area often to determine which ensemble(s) you have been assigned too.

Ensemble Registration:

Once the ensemble placement result lists have been posted, all students must complete their ensemble registration in the Music Office (MBRC 206) by the first Friday of Fall semester.

Questions, please contact the PLU Music Department at 253-535-7602.