Music Department
Torrey Pines High School
Auditions
Auditions for 2024-2025
Auditions for the 2024-25 school year will take place in the spring of 2024. Please check back to this page in the early spring for info on the due date, procedure (in person or video submitted online), and updated requirements. You can use the requirements from last year to give you an idea of how to prepare for your audition.
Need Help?
If you have any questions please email our music director Amy Gelb at amy.gelb@sduhsd.net
Audition Info for Each Music Class
The TPHS music program welcomes all interested students. Auditions are only required for the upper level classes. Please review the "Our Program" pages of our website for more information on each class. Also visit the FAQ's page for information on registering for classes.
BAND, ORCHESTRA, and JAZZ BAND
Students who wish to be placed in one of the upper level classes -- Advanced Orchestra (Chamber Strings), Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band -- must audition for class placement. Current TPHS students already in these ensembles DO NOT need to re-audition. Auditions are for new students and students who want to move up a level.
No audition is required for placement in Symphonic Band or Orchestra. But these are not beginning level classes, and students must already know how to play their instrument.
Audition Requirements for 2023-2024
Please read these directions carefully and email Ms. Gelb with any questions you may have. amy.gelb@sduhsd.net
Each video requirement listed here will be uploaded in the Google Form to the corresponding file there (File A, File, B, etc.).
Symphonic Band & Orchestra
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No Audition necessary, but these classes are not beginning level and experience is required.
Wind Ensemble
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File A: (Winds)- Video of the following scales (as many octaves as you can with a nice tone) with an articulation of your choice and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) Concert D Major, 2) Concert Ab Major, 3) Concert G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File A: (Percussion)- Video of the following scales (if you have a pitched mallet instrument or piano): 1) D Major, 2) Ab Major, 3) G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File B: (Winds & Percussion)- Video of these excerpts or a piece of your choosing which demonstrates your technical and musical ability.
Jazz Band
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File A: Video of the following scales (as many octaves as you can with a nice tone) with an articulation of your choice and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) Concert D Major, 2) Concert Ab Major, 3) Concert G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File A: (Vocal)- Video singing one of the three vocal options (Betwitched, Something's Gotta Give, or No More Blues). Sing entire song while using provided backing track. PDF's and backing tracks.
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File B: Video of the these excerpts or a melody from the Real Book excerpt of your choosing.
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File C: Video soloing over a blues key of your choice (use backing track of your choice) for 12 bars.
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File C: (Drums)- Video demonstrating the ability to play Swing (8 bars), Funk (8 bars), Latin of your choice (8)
Advanced Orchestra (Chamber Strings)
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File A: Video of the following scales (at least 2 octaves) demonstrating consistent bowing and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) C Major, 2) D Major, 3) G Major, 4) G Harmonic Minor
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File B: Video of the these excerpts or a piece of your choosing which demonstrates your technical and musical ability.
