All-District Band Auditions: Are your students ready?

All-District Band Auditions: Are your students ready?
by Chuck Appleton

Preparing your students for All-District and All-State Band can be a challenge, especially with all of the activity of a busy marching season, but what a difference it will make in the playing level of your band!!! Here are a few tips that could help you motivate your students:

1. Get the material in the hands of your students as quickly as possible.

A good time to hand out those materials is when you are handing out music for your marching season. Spend some time speaking of the importance of learning that music early! If you haven't gotten your students started on this music, make it a goal for this week. For many of you, auditions may be as early as November 8th. Not to worry! Many students will do most of their preparation the last 2-3 weeks prior to the auditions anyway! The key is motivation. If you think it's important, they will think it's important.

2. Direct the students to look up the materials on the state website.

In Missouri, the materials can be found on the Missouri Bandmasters Association website (missouribandmasters.org). This website will have helpful information about the auditions as well as any changes in the materials or audition procedures. Additionally, This will also help the students become more familiar with this organization whose purpose is to help make Missouri bands better!

3. Provide or direct your students to recordings of these materials.

This is an excellent way to help your students focus on the characteristic sound for their instrument as well as provide them with accurate rhythmic and musical examples of each requirement. A few of our Missouri Universities provide excellent recordings. Get these into the hands of your students as soon as you can to help them feel confident about their practice of these materials. Providing them with audio recordings is an excellent way to help the focus and confidence of your students.

4. Take some time in your marching rehearsals to practice the audition materials.

At this point in the season, your shows may need some "breathing room". Pre-select your section leaders or other students that are practicing this music diligently and break into small groups by like instrumentation allowing these students to offer their expertise to their peers. This is great for your leaders and provides a low threat environment for the other students to learn and ask questions. This can be done inside or outside, depending on space and availability. Often a rainy day is a great day to divert attention away from the show and onto this material for most or all of a rehearsal. Think of the importance of doing his for the students sake. You may just find your marching show improving by not practicing it for a rehearsal!!! Often twice a week is a good amount of emphasis. It doesn't have to be long. 15 minutes on a regularly scheduled basis will do amazing things for the level of preparation!

5. Offer letter points or grade points or both for auditioning for All-District/All-State Band.

Students often need a "reason" to do something. Providing a large amount of points for auditioning for an all district or an all state group is often just what is needed to get started. Offer one amount of points for auditioning and another amount for actually making the ensemble. This way a student is rewarded for the attempt, and if they make the group they get a bonus! You may just be amazed at how hard they work for those points. Also finding a way to help these auditions help their grade rewards students for making the attempt! If you give an attendance grade, this may be a way to help out students who lose points for tardiness or absences.

6. Do scale tests in your marching rehearsals.

WHAT??? It's easy! Put your students in a circle or arch and have them play the "scale of the day" individually. It only takes a few minutes and you will hear scales when you get on the field each day!!! Remember to say the magic words, "this is for a grade :-)". Simply walk in front of each student and have them play whatever scale you have announced ahead of time for that days quiz. Using an 11 point scale (A=11, A-= 10, etc) makes it easy for you as a director to get a quick score. As you train your students, this will go very quickly and won't take much of your rehearsal time at all. It also gives you more ammo for parent teacher conferences!

7. Do a "mock" audition in class.

You be the "blind judge" (students will LOVE this) and run the audition just as if it were the real deal. It only takes about 5 minutes and you can do one a couple of times each week. You may just find you have several students wanting to be the auditioned person so they get the extra opportunity to practice their auditioning skills. It also provides a realistic look for all your students into the audition process.

Auditioning for All-District/All-State band will only be important if you make it that way. Devoting some rehearsal time to the process will help to provide the playing emphasis that will transform your students into strong players. Good luck and happy auditioning!!

Chuck Appleton Road Representative - Palen Music Center chuck@palenmusic.com Chuck Appleton has been teaching instrumental music for 33 years. He retired in May of 2010 and is currently a member of the Missouri Valley College faculty in Marshall, MO as a music adjunct. Chuck taught twenty-three years in Warrensburg, where he was director of bands and eight years in Dixon, MO. A native of Sedalia, Missouri, Mr. Appleton received his bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Missouri State University in 1979 and a Master of Music Education degree from Central Missouri State University in 1995. Mr. Appleton served as Band Vice-President for the Missouri Music Educators Association from 2006-2008. Mr. Appleton is also a member of MENC, Missouri Bandmasters Association, Missouri Association of Jazz Educators and Phi Beta Mu.