2023 All-District Tryouts
Saturday, November 4th
Who: CBMS & CPHS Band students
What: All-District Tryouts for the GCBDA Honor Band
When: Saturday - November 4th, 2023
Where: Wells Middle School - 2000 S Cherokee St, Catoosa OK 74015
What to wear: Students may dress casually (i.e. jeans, nice shirt, tennis shoes)
Arrive at Charles Page HS Bandroom 7:45 am
Depart for Wells MS 8:00 am
Arrive at Wells MS 8:45 am
Students warm-up 9:00 am (Director’s meeting)
Draw Audition Time 9:30 am (Meet at audition room)
(There will be posters in the warm up area & hallways detailing which room and what time you will audition
Report to your Assigned room early so you don’t miss your time slot)
Auditions begin 10:00 am
(Lunch) Students will need to bring a sack lunch or money for lunch at the concessions stand in the school cafeteria
(Results) They will post the results periodically throughout the day so be on the lookout.
Depart & Return to CPHS 5:00 pm
***You may leave as soon as you find out your results or if you have another event to attend you may leave after your audition and we will let you know next week if you made the honor bands. There’s not much to do after you audition, so you’re encouraged to have a parent pick you up or bring something to do. Please be sure we know in advance if you’re being picked up.
Dear Sand Springs band parent(s),
This year’s GCBDA all-district tryouts will be held on Saturday, November 4th.. at Wells Middle School. We are so proud of all their hard work and effort they have put into preparing for this audition. A couple of things you will want to remember. Please make sure that your child eats a good breakfast on Saturday. Students will also need to make sure and bring a sack lunch or money for lunch/snacks. We ask that the students dress comfortably because it is going to be a long day. There will be quite a bit of down time so they may want to bring some homework to work on or something they can do during this time. We understand that most of our students are involved in other extracurricular activities so if you need to pick your child up from the auditions at an earlier time that is perfectly fine, just please be sure we have a note before leaving CPHS in the morning. Thanks so much for allowing your child to participate in this year’s all-district auditions.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Thanks so much!
Tips for a Successful Honor Band Audition
Get to the audition room by 9:30am for audition slot drawing. Follow the room monitor’s instructions and don’t leave there until they say it’s OK.
Please note that most rooms have multiple instruments and multiple ages auditioning in them. Listen closely to the monitor’s instructions before drawing a number. (7th grade is obvious, JH= 8th and 9th grades, and HS=10th, 11th, & 12th grades.) Be sure you know WHICH INSTRUMENT AND AGE GROUP are drawing before you take a number.
The audition cuts will be posted by 9:30am too. Mark up your music so you play just what is asked of you.
If time permits, return to warm-up room (Wells MS Multi-Purpose Room – see map), but be sure you are back at the room in plenty of time before your number is called/audition time. Check back with the monitor often…be a pest!
When you enter the room, do not talk. If you need help, whisper to the monitor.
Wait for instructions from the judges/monitor.
Play your scales slowly with the best possible sound. HS auditioners will do this LAST (after sight reading) and will draw for a SET # to play.
Don’t be intimidated by the (usually) small size of the room. Play at your normal volumes.
Take slow, deep breathes. Do your best to stay calm. You can be your own worst enemy!
Start with your best etude unless they instruct you to play one or the other first.
Set your tempos by the tempo of the toughest part of the etude you will play.
Be confident. Forget about the people outside in the hallway. They’re nervous too!
Don’t try to listen to the others doing their sight-reading. Very few play it correctly and this could mess you up.
In the 30 seconds you’re given to study the sight reading, scan quickly for key signatures, key changes, tough rhythms, and odd melodic leaps. Look for the area of the page most ‘black ink’ (least long notes) and check those out.
Be sure that you look at the end. Don’t spend all of your time on the first half!
It is generally acceptable to play a note before starting any part of your audition. Just make it obvious with a pause afterward.
Use YOUR copy of the music (there may be a copy on the stand, but use yours.)
Don’t use a new reed. Use your best one, but have at least one back-up reed with you.
Be sure to have valve oil/slide cream, etc. with you.
If you have an instrument problem, ask the monitor for help. There’s usually someone at these auditions who can help out. Don’t let a goofed up instrument stop you from auditioning or cause you to do a lesser job of it. If you’re in the audition room and something goes wrong, whisper to the inside monitor and they’ll help you. Everyone is on your side and there to help!
There will probably be a chair in the room, but you can stand if you’re more comfortable that way.
You can move the chair/stand however you like to be comfortable. I suggest brass players NOT aim directly at the screen that the judges sit behind.
Dress comfortably, but don’t wear pajamas! You’re still representing your school. Also, PJs send subconscious a message to your brain that doesn’t help your performance.
Draw time for all rooms is 9:30am and auditions begin at 10:00am.
Warm-Up: Wells MS Multi-Purpose Room
Concessions: Cafeteria (separate building) - Refer to your map for location.
Warm-Up Hints:
Don’t play too much or too loud.
Find a place away from your friends and focus on what you’re doing.
You will hear kids making bad warm-up choices, but you shouldn’t.
Bring something to do if you’re staying all day! Please don’t leave campus if you ride with me.
If you’re driving yourself, feel free to leave after your audition. I will send the results via text and Google Classroom when I have them. If your parents are taking you home, be sure we have a note BEFORE we leave for the auditions site.
If you’re staying all day until auditions are all complete, bring something to do and some money for the concession stand.
Audition Rooms:
(double-check when you arrive)
Room 1 (121) HS Clarinets
Room 2 (122) HS Trombone
Room 3 (123) HS Trumpet
Room 4 (124) JH Alto Sax / HS Alto Sax
Room 5 (118) HS Piccolo / HS Flute
Room 6 (116) 7th Tuba / JH Tuba / HS Euphonium / HS Tuba
Room 7 (115) 7th Bari Sax / 7th Tenor Sax / 7th Alto Sax / JH Flute
Room 8 (113) All Oboes / HS Eb Clarinet / HS Tenor Sax / HS Bari Sax
Room 9 (111) JH Trombone / JH Euphonium
Room 10 (110) JH Trumpet
Room 11 (109) 7th Trumpet
Room 12 (108) 7th Trombone / 7th Euphonium
Room 13 (106) 7th Clarinet
Room 14 (301?) 7th Percussion / JH Percussion
Room 15 (101) JH Clarinet
Room 16 (102) 7th Horn / JH Horn / HS Horn
Room 17 (127?) All Low Reeds / All Bassoons
Room 18 (128) 7th Flute / JH Tenor / JH Bari Sax
Room 19 (???) All String Bass / HS Percussion
Please note: We will be in an audition rooms, so we can’t respond to your texts/calls. You’ll have to be self-sufficient.
Good luck on your auditions!