Ensemble Auditions

All Music Majors are required to audition for the appropriate ensemble each semester.

Non-Music Majors are invited to audition for the ensembles listed below.

Jazz Band Auditions (Fall 2025)

Saturday, August 23 , 2025 

School of Music, School of Music, Room 205 "David Caffey Jazz Rehearsal Hall"

9:00am - 11:00am, Open Auditions (i.e. saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, and guitar)

11:00am - 12:00pm Preliminary Drum Set Auditions, Dr. Lane's office, School of Music, Room 224

12:00pm - 5:00pm Open Auditions (i.e. saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, and guitar)

Each new and returning jazz student should sign up for an audition time on the Jazz Studies bulletin board (located just outside of rooms 202 and 205 in the School of Music main foyer), ideally several days before Saturday, August 23 , 2025, to secure an audition spot on a first-come first-served basis. Instrumentation for the jazz bands' auditions include the following: saxophones (i.e. alto, tenor, and baritone), trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, and acoustic/electric bass. Auditions will be held in room 205 of the School of Music. Dr. Schneller asks that you bring a prepared transcription, jazz etude, or any prepared piece to the audition (i.e. Wind Ensemble audition music is acceptable, etc.) as there will be no posted audition music. Additionally, you will be asked to sight-read along with a big band backing track. Students wishing to be considered for jazz chair placement will be asked to play 1-2 choruses of an improvised solo on a 12-bar blues in keys of concert "F" or "Bb".

The preliminary drum set auditions will be held in Dr. John Lane's Office (School of Music, Room 224). This portion consists of sight-reading and a demonstration of various styles. Final placement in ensembles will be determined by reading/rehearsing with the Jazz Ensemble and/or Jazz Lab Band, conducted by Dr. Schneller during the first week of classes.

For more information, please email Dr. Aric Schneller at schneller@shsu.edu.

Wind and Percussion Auditions for Fall 2025

• Orchestra Wind Section
• Symphonic Band
• Wind Ensemble

AUDITION SCHEDULE 

Saturday, August 23, 2025

9:00 AM

Flute, Room 216

Clarinet, Room 219

Trumpet, Room 201

1:00 PM

Percussion, GPAC Concert Hall

Tuba & Euphonium, Room 219

3:00 PM

Trombone, Room 201

Saxophone, Room 216

Fall 2025 Wind & Percussion Audition Music

Symphony Orchestra Strings Audition (Fall 2025)

Auditions will be held on August 24th (Sat) in GPAC 220F

If you are NOT available during the allotted audition time, email Dr. Dan, Director of Orchestral Studies, at kayokodan@shsu.edu. If you're a wind or percussion player, please see the "Wind and Percussion Audition" section above. 

Fall 2025 String Audition Music

Violin

Viola

Cello

Bass

Harp

General Information: The Symphony Orchestra meets T/Th 11:00am - 1:45pm in the Concert Hall (GPAC). Dress rehearsals begin at 6pm the night before performances. 

Fall 2025 Performance Dates

(all beginning at 7:30 p.m.): October 3, November 7, December 4 & 5 

Every string and harp player needs to audition with the Director of Orchestral Studies, Dr. Dan, at the beginning of each semester to join the Symphony Orchestra.