Orchestra Guidelines
Orchestra auditions occur in early September when students interested and eligible for participating in an orchestra perform a solo, scales, and sight reading for one or two of the conductors. The quality of the performance at or above the levels noted below will determine the orchestra assignment. As an example, a student who performs very well on the lower end of a book level requirement might be assigned to a more advanced orchestra, while a student who performs less well on the higher end of the same book level might be assigned to a less advanced orchestra.
Note: Pieces listed in parentheses following the book level indicate appropriate audition solos.
Please ask <kathymcq@gmail.com> if you have questions.
Prior orchestra experience, plus previous year’s performance and attendance are also factors.
[Revised August 2024]
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Suzuki Book Levels:
Violin/Viola - Book 2 (Lully Gavotte +) through Book 4
Cello - Book 2 (Witches’ Dance +) through Book 4
Scales - Minimum Requirements:
Vln/Vla - 1 octave: C, G, D, A, F, Bb major
Cello - Using required fingering (below). 1 octave: C, G, D, A & F major
Sight Reading:
Read all notes in 1st position
Rhythms - Note values from eighth note through whole note, plus dotted quarter & eighth note combination
Special Skills:
Cello - Forward and backward extensions
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Suzuki Book Levels:
Solo must demonstrate shifting competency
Violin - Book 4 - 6 (Humoresque with shifting, Vivaldi A minor +)
Viola - Book 4 -6 (Humoresque with shifting, Vivaldi D minor +)
Cello - Book 4 (Breval C major +) - Book 6
Scales - Minimum Requirements*
Violin - 1 octave: F, Eb major; 2 octaves: C, G, D, A, Bb major & G melodic minor
Viola - 1 octave: A, Bb major, 2 octaves: C, G, D, F, Eb major & C melodic minor
Cello - Using required fingering (below) 1 octave A, Bb major; 2 octaves: C, G, D, F, Eb major & C melodic minor
*NOTE: Scales should be prepared using bowing patterns such
as 1, 2, or 4 slurred, slurred/separate combinations, and spiccato
(four bounces per pitch)
Sight Reading:
Violin - Add 3rd position notes on E string
Viola - Add 3rd position notes on A string
Cello - Forward and backward extensions, 4th position notes on A string
Rhythms - Add sixteenth notes, plus dotted eighth & sixteenth combinations
Special Skills:
Vln, Vla & Cello - Spiccato, vibrato, shifting, staccato
Cello - forward and backward extensions
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Suzuki Book Levels:
Violin - Book 6 and above
Viola - Book 5 and above
Cello - Book 6 and above
Scales - Minimum Requirements*:
Vln/Vla - 3 octaves: any three major scales, plus any melodic minor scale
**Returning Chamber Orchestra members should prepare more than 3 three-octave scales**
Cello - 3 octaves: C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb major plus C, D & A melodic minor
*NOTE: Scales should be prepared using bowing patterns such as 1, 2, 3 or 4 slurred, slurred/separate combinations, and spiccato (four bounces per pitch or less). At a more advanced level, students may be asked for fewer than four bounces per pitch.
Sight Reading:
Cello - Tenor clef
Special Skills:
Vln, Vla & Cello - Fully developed vibrato & staccato
Cello - Shifting thumb position; familiarity with tenor clef
