All audition excerpts can be downloaded and printed here: Audition Packet for McLean High School Orchestras 2016-2017 All audition excerpts can be downloaded and printed here: http://mcleanhighschoolorch.weebly.com/audition-information.html All students MUST complete the following survey IN ADDITION to completing their audition: http://goo.gl/forms/Pq8rS7Hj5H Rising freshman and transfer students MUST sign up for an audition time using the following link: http://tinyurl.com/MHSAuditions2016 Please prepare only one audition option. Pick the material that you feel best shows your talents and skill level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPTION 1 – Intermediate & Symphonic Orchestra Audition Requirements: Start with excerpt #1 and play as many excerpts as you are comfortable preparing. All students auditioning for the Intermediate and Symphonic orchestras must at LEAST play excerpt #1, and should NOT prepare the Philharmonic excerpts. EXCERPTS Violin: Mazas Op 36. 75 Melodious Studies, Book 1, #2 and #7 | Viola: Mazas Op. 36, Book 1 Etudes Speciales, Book 1, #2 and #7 Cello: Dotzauer 113 Studies, Book 1 #20 and #32 | Bass: Simandl Etudes #6 and #7 Please pay close attention to tempo markings, fingerings, bowing direction, and style/phrasing (accents, dynamics, etc). SCALES 2 OCTAVES FOR INTERMEDIATE, 3 OCTAVES FOR SYMPHONIC Violins, Violas, Cellos: all Major and Melodic Minor, up to 3 sharps and 3 flats, Basses: all 2 octave scales (1 octaves acceptable for intermediate), Major and Melodic Minor, up to 3 sharps and 3 flats District Bowing Preferred – two slurred, two separate when ascending, 4 slurred when descending Possible Sight Reading ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPTION 2 - Philharmonic Orchestra Audition Requirements: Excerpts are taken from the Senior Regional Orchestra Audition Material for the coming year. If you plan on also auditioning for Senior Regional Orchestra next year, please email Ms. Smith at sasmith4@fcps.edu to obtain the full set of audition excerpts. Please prepare ONLY the excerpts listed below be your McLean HS Philharmonic Orchestra audition. EXCERPTS Violin: Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony No. 3, 2nd Movement AND Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, 2nd Movement Viola: Mendelssohn’s Fingals Cave (The Hebrides) Overture AND Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, 1st Movement Cello: Shostakovich’s Symphony #1, Solo from 2nd Movement AND Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, 4th Movement Bass: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 AND Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro Overture SCALES Violins, Violas, Cellos: all 3 octave scales, Major and Melodic Minor, up to 3 sharps and 3 flats Basses: all 2 octave scales, Major and Melodic Minor, up to 3 sharps and 3 flats --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audition Info: All students are accepted into the MHS Orchestra program. Auditions merely serve as placement exams that help Miss. Smith place each student in an orchestra that suits your musical abilities. All students are required to audition every year. All auditions will take place in the McLean High School Orchestra room on Thursday, March 31st and Friday, April 1st. Rising freshman and transfer students MUST sign up for an audition date and time using the following Sign-Up Genius link: http://tinyurl.com/MHSAuditions2016 …if you don’t sign up using the link, I will assume you are not auditioning at all! Current McLean HS orchestra students will audition during class starting the week of March 28th. Contact Miss. Smith if you have any questions about setting up an audition at sasmith4@fcps.edu.

McLean High School Orchestra FAQ’s Orchestra Class, General Requirements: After hearing auditions, Miss. Smith has final say over which orchestra students will be placed into. Miss. Smith will not hear repeat auditions, no exceptions! Counselors work alongside Miss. Smith to ensure each and every student’s class schedule accommodates Orchestra as best as possible. See Miss. Smith immediately if you notice any schedule conflicts at the start of the new school year in September. Students in Philharmonic & Symphonic Orchestras are required to audition for either Senior Regional Orchestra or District XII Honors Orchestra – so please keep working on these excerpts even after your MHS audition is over! Check out our website at http://www.mhsorchestra.org/, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or email Miss. Smith at sasmith4@fcps.edu FAQ’s Q: Do I HAVE to audition? A: YES. Auditioning will help ensure you are placed into the proper orchestra class for your skill level. If you do not audition in person for Miss. Smith in March, you will be automatically placed into the beginning/intermediate orchestra at McLean HS. Please note that students will NOT be permitted to re-audition at the start of the new school year. Q: Can I wear my middle school orchestra uniform in high school? A: NO! While they look similar, high school uniforms are not the same as middle school uniforms! Ladies will wear black “Concerto” dresses and black dress shoes. These dresses are different than the ones from Longfellow, so you must purchase a new dress. Gentlemen wear tuxedos composed of very specific components. Tuxedo pants (same as middle school’s pants, IF THEY STILL FIT YOU), a banded mandarin tuxedo shirt, a plaid cummerbund, a button cover, black shoes, back socks, and a tuxedo jacket. Except for the tuxedo pants, gentlemen must purchase all new uniform items. You will rent a tuxedo jacket from the orchestra. Q: How many concerts do the MHS Orchestras perform in each year? A: Concert & Symphonic orchestras perform a minimum of 5 concerts each year, while Philharmonic often participates in 8 or more performances per year. Q: Do we have after school rehearsals? A: All ensembles will have occasional, graded after school/evening rehearsals prior to big concerts. In addition to regular classes, Philharmonic Orchestra meets every Wednesday evening from 7 to 9pm for a required rehearsal. Q: Am I required to take private lessons? A: No, taking private lessons is not a requirement for participating in school orchestra. However, keep in mind that private lessons are the absolute best way to excel at your instrument. While not required, it is highly recommended all students in orchestra take private lessons. Q: Do I have to bring my instrument to school everyday? A: Violinists and violists are required to bring their instrument to school on the days they have orchestra class. We have lockers in the orchestra room for storage. Cellists and bassists do not have to bring their instruments to school, but can if they choose to. Q: Where is the orchestra traveling to for their spring trip next year?! A: Orlando, Florida…here we come! Q: I hear that MHSO has an orchestra exchange program with an orchestra in Germany? Is the Philharmonic Orchestra traveling to Germany this year? A: The MHSO has a fantastic orchestral exchange program with musicians in Detmold, Germany. This May, our friends from Detmold will travel to visit us here in DC. The Philharmonic Orchestra will be will traveling to Germany again in January 2018.