For Audition Materials & Rubric, Click Here (check back in January/February)
We invite any student who will be enrolled at PCHS next year to participate in the PCHS Band Program! Here is some information for students that will be handy in the process of auditioning for and selecting classes for next year, organized by your current situation:
Audition Timeline
Friday, February 14th, 2025 – Basic Audition Etude and Audition Scales are due in Google Classroom
All submissions will be individually reviewed.
Friday, March 7th, 2025 – Advanced Audition Etude due in Google Classroom
The advanced audition is only required for students auditioning for Wind Ensemble.
Friday, March 21st, 2025 – Audition results announced.
Audition Submission Process
Students will submit their auditions via a specific PCHS Band Audition Google Classroom. To join that Google Classroom, please visit https://classroom.google.com/c/NzM0MTUwNzYwMTM1?cjc=nox4hf4
How to Record Your Audition
In order for us to provide the best evaluation of your audition, all students must be visible from “head-to-toe” on screen. This will allow us to evaluate not just whether you’re playing the right notes and rhythm, but other things like how you hold the instrument, hand technique, posture, and breathing. Please set your recording device to your right or left side of your body, NOT directly in front of you (where the music stand would obstruct our view). Recording for an audition can be frustrating times because you’re trying to get the PERFECT run of your audition materials. We recommend starting to record yourself as soon as you can play the material beginning to end. You never know when you’re going to get THE ONE, and recording your playing (and watching it afterwards) is a great way to improve your playing. The picture below is an example of what we’re asking you to do! If we cannot see you fully, we will ask you to make a new recording!
Audition Requirements per Band
Concert Band – Basic Audition Etude, Lines 1-4 of the Scale Sheet
Symphonic Band – Basic Audition Etude, All 12 scales
Wind Ensemble – Basic Audition Etude, All 12 scales, Advanced Audition Etude (note start/end points)
Private Lesson Instructors
Students of all levels are strongly encouraged to study with a private teacher. Private instruction helps students tremendously improve on tone and technique specific to their instrument working one one one with someone who plays their instrument professionally. Our work in band is to prepare music for concert and we work primarily on group skills like balance, blend, and intonation. Private lessons provide additional guidance for students that is not provided during class but is still essential to their success in the band program. Click here to view a list of private lesson teachers approved by District 202. You are welcome to work with other private instructors, but these teachers have passed a background check with the school district.
Students with no prior band experience
We invite you to join the PCHS Band Program as part of our Concert Band. Since marching band is a required part of our curriculum for all students, you will absolutely need to study with a private teacher prior to joining the program (and likely continue that commitment) so that you at least have some experience and can play your instrument. None of our bands start at the very beginning, so having a private lesson teacher to help you along the way will help you be a lot more successful!
Percussion Students (All Levels)
All audition components must be submitted as videos via Google Classroom in our PCHS Audition Submission classroom. If you are outside the PSD202 School System, you can share links to your audition videos with Mr. Vanderwall via email. All audition videos must show your hands and face. Having your music stand low and as flat as possible will help us see your hands!
Please note, all percussion students will be enrolled in 7th period band. It’s called Concert Band on your schedule, but it’s really a Percussion Class! All percussionists, regardless of the band that you audition into for performances, will have band together. However, this is a significant difference in the level of challenge and development based on your assigned band, so it is worthwhile to apply yourself in this audition process even though you’ll be in the same class with all other percussionists.
All current and future PCHS Band Members
While all three levels of band are open to all students at PCHS, we expect most incoming freshmen to join our program in Concert Band. This is the introductory level of high school band and we expect most 8th grade students to place in this level. To be in Concert Band, we would like to hear you play the Basic Audition Etude and as many scales as you can play.
If you are interested in performing more advanced music, you are welcome to audition for Symphonic Band and/or Wind Ensemble. To join Symphonic Band, you are required to play the Basic Audition Etude and all 12 Major Scales. If you would like to be in Wind Ensemble, the Basic Audition Etude should feel “easy” for you, the PCHS Band Scale Sheet should have very few mistakes played at 102 bpm, and then play the Advanced Audition Etude to the best of your ability. While there may be many qualified players for one section, it is possible that not all will be selected for Wind Ensemble.