Fall 2008 Auditions

General Information

Warm-Up & Practice Space

Warm-up and practice space will be available for all students during the audition period. After audition week, practice space will be available only for those who are members of performing groups or who are registered for lessons.

Wind Instruments

Depending on availability, wind instruments may be loaned from the University. Students who will need to use these intruments for auditions should contact Michael Idzior at 434-982-5347 or before the beginning of auditions.

Instrument Lockers

Instrument lockers are available to members of curricular instrumental ensembles during the academic year. Locker rental will take place following the first rehearsal of the semester.

Course Registration

Registration for many ensembles takes place via the online waitlist system. If you are interested in auditioning for a course, you may add yourself to its waitlist; you will be invited based on the results of your audition.

African Music & Dance Ensemble

Directed by Michelle Kisliuk ()

MUEN 369
Meets: TR 5:15-7:15 pm
Room: OCH 107

Auditions: Tuesday, August 26, 5:15, OCH 107

No experience necessary. Sign up for audition via the waitlist for MUEN 369. Come to class the first day for the informal audition, ready to learn some rhythms, dance steps, and songs in small groups. After audition day the instructor will invite those admitted to register via the waitlist. You are invited to add something about your background or nature of your interest in the course on the waitlist.

Chamber Music and String Ensemble

Directed by David Sariti () and Mimi Tung ()

MUEN 363, Instructor Permission Required
Meets: TBA
Room: TBA

Auditions: String players interested in playing in a chamber group should contact David Sariti at . Be prepared to play a short (5-8 min.) piece which best displays your abilities.

Chamber Singers

Directed by Michael Slon ()

MUEN 364
Meets: F 13:00-15:15
Room: OCH 107

Auditions: See University Singers Auditions

Chamber Singers is a select subset of the University Singers, and is offered for an additional hour of credit. The ensemble focuses on music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary works; recent repertoire has included the Palestrina Missa Brevis, Bach Cantata 150, the Brahms Neue Liebeslieder Waltzes, and works by Monk and Arlen. Interested singers will be considered for the ensemble as part of their University Singers audition.

Early Music Ensembles

Directed by Paul Walker ()

MUEN 367A - Baroque Orchestra
Meets: R 7:00-9:00pm
Room: OCH 113

MUEN 367B - Vocal Ensemble
Meets: R 3:30-5:20pm
Room: OCH 113

MUEN 367C - Renaissance Consorts
Meets: R 5:30-6:50pm
Room: OCH 113

Auditions: There will be an Open House on Thursday August 28th in 113 OCH. Students may arrive any time between 3:30pm-5:30pm. Please contact Paul Walker to schedule individual auditions.

About the Early Music Ensembles

The purpose of the various ensembles is to explore the music of Medieval and early modern Europe using the instruments and vocal techniques of those eras. The department owns an extensive collection of period instruments, including Baroque strings, Baroque woodwinds (oboes, bassoon, flutes, and recorders), early brass instruments (cornetts and sackbuts), viole da gamba, Renaissance recorders, and harpsichords. Instruments are loaned to students for their use free of charge.

Jazz Chamber Ensembles

Directed by Pete Spaar (), Mike Rosensky (), and Jeff Decker ()

MUEN 363
Meets:
Section 1A (Pete Spaar): R 5:30-7:00 pm, OCH B018
Section 1B (Mike Rosensky): T 5:30-7:00 pm, OCH B018
Section 1C (Jeff Decker): F 12:30-2:00 pm, OCH B018
Section 1D (Pete Spaar): F 2:00-3:30 pm, OCH B018

Auditions: Thursday, Aug 28, 7:30pm OCH B18

The Jazz Chamber Ensembles range in size from four to eight players per group and vary in skill levels from beginner to advanced. Each group has its own faculty advisor and meets once a week. Auditions are held concurrently with the Jazz Ensemble auditions so anyone interested in participating in the J.C.E. program should attend these auditions regardless of his or her interest in the Jazz Ensemble. Any questions may be addressed to the program director, Peter Spaar ().

Jazz Ensemble

Directed by John D'earth ()

MUEN 360
Meets: TR 7:30-9:30pm
Room: OCH B018

Auditions: Thursday, Aug 28, 7:30pm OCH B18 (sign ups posted during registration)

The Jazz Ensemble audition involves reading, improvising (if that's your thing) and playing some scales, etc. Former Jazz Ensemble members should sign up for an audition.

Sign-ups for Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Chamber Ensembles Auditions will be posted during registration. The first class meeting of the Jazz Ensemble will be an open audition for anyone interested in playing jazz at UVA. From that we will fashion small groups and the Jazz Ensemble. Students may be asked to return for a second audition. The purpose of the audition is threefold: 1. to create bands, 2. to introduce interested parties to the jazz community at school and in town, and 3. to have some fun.

The Jazz Ensemble uses an expanded big-band format to play everything from traditional jazz of all eras, to contemporary music, to original compositions from within the band. We give three concerts a year in Old Cabell Hall and do a few other gigs as they come up. Each year the Jazz Ensemble hosts an internationally acclaimed Guest Artist. In the past we've featured Pat Metheny, Dave Liebman, Valery Ponamarov, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Art Baron, Bob Moses, John Abercrombie, Mike Brecker, Jerry Bergonzi, Rex Richardson, Bob Mintzer, Conrad Herwig and others.

Klezmer Ensemble

Directed by Joel Rubin ()

MUEN 363
Meets: MR 7:30-9:30pm
Room: OCH 107

Auditions: Thursday, August 28, 7:30pm, 107 OCH (first class meeting)

Klezmer, originally the ritual and celebratory music of the Yiddish-speaking Jews of Eastern Europe, was brought to North America by immigrants around the turn of the last century. Since the 1970s, a dynamic revival of this tradition has been taking place in America and beyond. Klezmer's recent popularity has brought it far from its roots in medieval minstrelsy and Jewish ritual and into the sphere of mainstream culture. The traditional klezmer style presents the experienced instrumentalist with a range of technical challenges with its characteristic note bends, rubati, Baroque-style embellishments and other micro-improvisational techniques, opening up a world of expressive possibilities not available to them from either classical music or jazz. This music was passed on orally from generation to generation, and many of the ornaments which are so integral to the klezmer sound can only be approximated by Western staff notation - not to mention the patterns of improvised variation which are the cornerstone of the style. There will therefore be an emphasis on learning by ear as much as possible.

In this ensemble, we will begin by focusing on the Klezmer traditions of New York and Philadelphia between the two world wars, as well as 19th century Eastern Europe. Depending on the makeup of the group, we may explore various genres of Yiddish song (folk song, Yiddish theater, vaudeville), as well as Hasidic nigunim (songs of spiritual elevation).

The following instruments are sought: violin, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, percussion, piano, accordion. For more information or to sign up for an audition, please contact Professor Rubin: .

Marching Band

Directed by Bill Pease ()

Auditions: Email
Website: www.virginia.edu/marchingband/

New Music Ensemble

Directed by I-Jen Fang ()

MUEN 363
Meets: R 4:00-5:30pm
Room: OCH B018

Auditions: First day of class.

A one-credit course at the University of Virginia, the New Music Ensemble explores and performs exciting music of our time. The ensemble consists of dedicated instrumentalists, singers and UVa performance faculty. We perform a wide variety of contemporary music suitable to our instrumentation, including new works created by UVa composers.

The New Music Ensemble seeks dedicated instrumentalists and singers to explore and perform a wide variety of contemporary music. To audition, come to the first class with your instrument. If you are interested in joining please contact I-Jen Fang.

Open to UVA students, community musicians and advanced high school students.

Percussion Chamber Ensemble

Directed by I-Jen Fang ()

MUEN 363
Meets: R 11:00-12:30pm
Room: OCH B018

Auditions: No auditions, however music reading skills and basic percussion technique on all percussion instruments is required. Previous percussion ensemble experience is highly recommended.

Re-established in spring 2005 by I-Jen Fang, principal timpanist and percussionist with CUSO, the Percussion Ensemble is a chamber group that performs literature ranging from classical transcriptions to contemporary music. The ensemble draws upon a large family of pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments, and the number of players and amount of equipment varies greatly from piece to piece. If you are interested in joining please contact I-Jen Fang.

Private Lessons in Music Performance

Individual lessons with performance faculty.

All MUPF courses
Meets: individually, by arrangement with instructor

For information on lesson registration, please visit the lessons information page. To register for private lessons, you must have your instructor's approval. Some instructors may require you to audition prior to accepting you for private study. Contact your instructor as soon as possible so that you can make any arrangements necessary. Students interested in private piano or voice lessons should audition at the times listed below.

Piano lesson auditions

Piano lesson auditions will be held on Monday, August 25th from 12-5pm in Room 113. Students of all levels are encouraged to audition for lessons. Please prepare one or two contrasting pieces to perform so that we may place you within the most appropriate studio. Students who are not advanced enough to prepare selections for audition may sign up directly with a teacher or may come to an audition time to meet the faculty and be placed in a studio. Sign up sheets for individual audition times will be available in the Music Department located in Old Cabell Hall. Please call 434-924-3052 for more information.

Voice lesson auditions

Voice lesson auditions will be held on Monday, August 25th in Room B012 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. A sign-up sheet will be available in the department office. Please prepare one song (art song, aria, or musical theater are all appropriate), or two songs in contrasting styles. Students with prior experience may wish to sing one song in a foreign language, if possible.

Symphony Orchestra

Executive director Bill Martin ()

MUEN 361
Meets: W 7:30-10:00pm
String Sectionals: See Course Offering Directory
Wind/Percussion: See Course Offering Directory
Room: OCH Auditorium

Auditions: Auditions will run August 25-29. Sign-up sheets and additional information will be posted in the Old Cabell Hall lobby. Please contact Bill Martin with any questions.

Auditions Include:
1) A brief prepared selection of your choice and
2) Audition excerpts for most instruments (provided by link below)

Auditions Excerpts: Right-Click on the name of your instrument below in the Audition Schedule and select "Save Target As..." to download a .pdf of your instrument's excerpt. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print these files. Excerpts are for audition purposes only.

Instrument Date Time Room

Strings
Violin (.pdf, 671KB)	Wednesday, Aug. 27	6:00-10:00 pm	Auditorium
Viola (.pdf, 389KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Cello (.pdf, 360KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Bass (.pdf, 210KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	7:00-10:00 pm	107
Woodwinds
Bassoon (.pdf, 387KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	6:30- 7:00	107
Flute (.pdf, 1.8MB)	Monday, Aug. 25	1:30-3:30 pm	107
Clarinet (.pdf, 253KB) | Bass Clarinet (.pdf, 366KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	5:30-6:30 pm	107
Oboe (.pdf, 950KB)	Monday, Aug. 25	4:00-5:00 pm	107
Brass
Trumpet (.pdf, 2.7MB)	Wednesday, Aug. 27	3:00-6:00 pm	Studio C
Trombone (.pdf, 1019KB)	Wednesday, Aug. 27	3:00-6:00 pm	Studio C
Horn (.pdf, 7.3MB)	Wednesday, Aug. 27	3:00-6:00 pm	Studio C
Percussion
Percussion (.pdf, 3.8MB)	Wednesday, Aug. 27	8:00-10:00 pm	B18

University Singers

Directed by Michael Slon ()

MUEN 365
Meets: MW 3:30-5:30pm
Room: OCH Auditorium

Auditions: Auditions will run August 25th - 31st, 2008. Sign up
sheets will be posted in the Old Cabell Hall lobby.

Monday - B012 (7:00-10:00)
Tuesday - Room 107 (7:00-10:00)
Wednesday - Room 107 (7:00-10:00)
Thursday - B012 (7:00-10:00)
Friday - Room 107 (3:15-7:15)

The University Singers is the University of Virginia's premier SATB
choral ensemble. Recent highlights have included performances of
Orff's Carmina Burana, the 50th Anniversary Gala and world premiere
of a Stephen Paulus piece, a concert tour of the Mid-Atlantic, with a
concluding performance in the Washington National Cathedral, and a
workshop with Bobby McFerrin. 2008-2009 highlights will include a
Midwest Concert Tour, the Family Holiday Concerts and an opera chorus
program with the Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra,
and the traditional Family Weekend Concert. Students in the ensemble
come from across the University's undergraduate colleges and graduate
schools. University Singers is offered for 2 credits.

Auditions will take place Tuesday, August 25th - August 31st. No
prepared piece is required, and all interested singers are encouraged
to audition. For sign-up times, stop by the lobby of Old Cabell Hall.

For more information, see www.virginia.edu/music/usingers.

Wind Ensemble

Directed by Bill Pease ()

MUEN 362
Meets: M 7:00-9:00pm
Room: OCH 101

Auditions: Monday, August 25, 2008 - Thursday, August 28, 2008

Students interested in auditioning for the University Wind Ensemble may do so between Monday, August 25th and Thursday, August 28th. Auditions are at the Cavalier Band Office, by appointment only. Students should prepare a five-minute piece showing their technical as well as musical abilities, and be prepared to sight-read as well. There will be no scales. To schedule an appointment, or to ask any questions e-mail .

Affiliated Group Auditions

Virginia Glee Club

Come audition for the Virginia Glee Club, UVa's oldest musical organization and premiere all-male chorus.

• When: Thursday, August 28th and Friday, August 29th from 4:30pm to 7:00pm and Saturday, August 30th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm
• Where: Old Cabell Hall, room B012 (A Club member will greet each person in the lobby)
• How: Audition sign-ups will be available at the Student Activities Fair and the President's reception at Carr's Hill on August 25th, outside room B012 in Old Cabell Hall, or just stop by!
• Who: Any men from the UVa or Charlottesville communities interested in music or singing can come out to see what we're all about! No prior singing experience is required, however some musical background is helpful.
• Details: A musical piece need not be prepared in advance. Those auditioning will have to sing a simple melody, scales, and other vocal practices with our conductor and president. Our conductor will play the piano when necessary.
  For more information, please contact Jeff McKenzie at and at (540)-336-3721.

Virginia Women's Chorus

Love to sing? So do we! Audition for the Virginia Women's Chorus, UVa.'s premier female vocal ensemble. Auditions will be held in Pavilion I on Friday, August 31st from 5-9 pm and Saturday, September 1st from 1-6 pm. Take advantage of this exciting musical opportunity at the University. Please contact Megan Van Syckle at for more information and to schedule an audition.