All RISD Music Program Guidelines will be printed in Italics.

All J. J. Pearce High School Orchestra Specifics will be printed in regular print.

 

Auditions

  • All RISD orchestra courses require full year participation and involve outside of school rehearsals and performances.
  • Students are required to audition for select performance ensembles.
  • The Head Director determines audition requirements.
  • Directors will notify students of audition dates, requirements, and results in a timely fashion.
  • Directors will serve as an evaluator during auditions.
  • Students may be reevaluated periodically for participation in performance ensembles.
  • Students may be evaluated to qualify for participation in UIL or other competitions.
  • Auditions may be live or recorded at the director’s discretion.
  • Audition material will reflect the director’s anticipated performance level for the students and will be based on prior learning.

     

J. J. Pearce Orchestra Specifics

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One major audition will be held at the end of the spring semester, usually in May, to determine ensemble placement for the following year. All students who wish to be considered for an ensemble more advanced than their current one will be required to audition.
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In most cases, students who have been members of an ensemble for two or more years will not be required to audition to maintain membership in that same ensemble. Freshmen will only be required to audition if they wish to be considered for Chamber Orchestra.
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New students will be required to audition for the director to determine placement within the orchestra.
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Audition material will be posted at least one week in advance and may include all or some of the following: prepared music, sight-reading, and scales.
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Regardless of ensemble placement, chair placement throughout the year is not static. At the directors’ discretion student chair placement is determined by, but not limited to, the following criteria:
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initial audition ranking;
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individual performance of an assigned selection of music;
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overall individual performance of music for a specific performance
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performance/ranking at All-Region/All-State auditions;
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stand partner pairing and/or
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grade level in cases where a specific grade level is being honored
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For first chair, first stand, and/or outside row chair placement, criteria such as a student’s individual leadership ability and stage presence may be considered in addition to the criteria listed above.