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 Ms. Marshall if you have questions.
Prior orchestra experience, plus previous year’s performance and attendance are also factors.
Click HERE for a PDF of the Orchestra Guidelines.
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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 (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
