NCBA Eastern District All-District Frequently Asked Questions Auditions Information 1. I don't have any students planning to audition. Do I still need to go to the auditions? Absolutely! We need every member of the district present to assist in judging. This cuts down on audition time and makes the audition process run smoothly. 2. What do I need to do to register my students? First, the director must have completed the membership registration process for the Eastern District Bandmasters Association and be a paid member of NCMEA. Directors will register their students online only. No hard copies or emailed forms will be accepted. Checks must be postmarked by the deadline, which is one month prior to the audition! In other words, if auditions are January 9 th, the deadline for registration is December 9 th. Registration is not considered complete until the online registration AND payment is received! 3. When is the deadline for registration? The deadline for registration is 31 days prior to the auditions. The online registration form will cease to be available at midnight on the registration due date. Please remember your check must also be postmarked by this date! The auditions fees are $10.00 per student! Two days after early registration has closed, late registration will open. Late registration will stay open from this time until the Tuesday prior to auditions. The late registration process will be the same as early registration. Late students may be added or deleted up until the late registration deadline. The late registration fee is $16.00 per student. FOR LATE-REGISTRATION ONLY: Money will be accepted the day of auditions for students who are registered late online. If payment is not received the day of auditions, these students will not be able to audition. Once you have late-registered your students, please go ahead and mail the form to the appropriate chair, with or without your principal s signature. If you are unable to get your principal s signature, print another copy of the form and bring it signed on the day of auditions. ON-SITE REGISTRATION Only directors who have PRE-REGISTERED students will be allowed to register students, who were not early or late registered, on the day of auditions at a cost of $40 per student. On-site registered students will also audition LAST for each instrument area.
4. How do I know if my student has been registered? Following the close of early registration, a password protected document of all of the students who have been registered for auditions during the early registration period will be posted on the All-District Audition pages of the NCBA Eastern District Website. Directors may browse this document to double-check to make sure they have registered their students who were interested in auditioning from their school. A list of those students registered during late registration will also be posted following the late registration deadline. 5. After I register my students, should I send notification of "no shows" ahead of time? Definitely! You can add or remove students using the online registration process up until the 31-day registration deadline. All no-shows should be emailed to the appropriate chair by the Tuesday prior to auditions, when late registration closes, depending upon when you find out a student will not be auditioning anymore. 6. Do I need to send a separate check to each chairperson if I have students auditioning at two different levels? Yes. Send one to the 11/12 chairperson, one to the 9/10 chairperson, and one to the middle school chairperson. Please make sure that you are mailing your check and registration form with your principal s signature. 7. Can I add students after the deadline? If you miss the 31-day deadline, you will have up until the Tuesday prior to auditions to add students or register for the first time. Two days after early registration has closed, late registration will open. Late registration will stay open from this time until the Tuesday prior to auditions. The late registration process will be the same as early registration. Late students may be added or deleted up until the late registration deadline. The late registration fee is $16.00 per student. Registration fee checks are due by the day of auditions, whether they are mailed to the auditions chairs ahead of time or presented to them on the day of auditions. Please make sure you have your principal s signature on the registration form as well. ON-SITE REGISTRATION Only directors who have PRE-REGISTERED students will be allowed to register students, who were not early or late registered, on the day of auditions at a cost of $40 per student. On-site registered students will also audition LAST for each instrument area. 8. If I have a student that was registered and cannot make the auditions, could I send another student in his/her place? No. You can ADD students after the deadline (for $16.00), but you may NOT substitute. Remember, you can drop/add students using our online registration process up until midnight of the 31-day registration due date. Also, only directors who have PRE-REGISTERED students will be allowed to register students, who were not early or late registered, on the day of auditions at a cost of $40 per student. On-site registered students will also audition LAST for each instrument area.
9. Do the students have to be enrolled in a band class? The students need to be enrolled in at least ONE UNIT of band (for at least one semester) to be eligible to audition. This also means that any students auditioning on String Bass must be registered IN A BAND CLASS. 10. Can students audition on more than one instrument? No, but percussion students may audition on more than one percussion instrument. If a woodwind or brass player auditions on more than one instrument, he/she will be disqualified. 11. What time are the auditions? Middle School: Registration: 8:30 AM Judge s/director s Meeting: 9:15 AM Auditions Start: 10:00 AM High School: Registration: 9:00 AM Judge s/director s Meeting: 9:45 AM Auditions Start: 10:30 AM 12. How will audition times be selected? When will my student audition? There is no set time for individual auditions. Students are placed in audition order randomly. 13. Can the students use their own copy of the solo, or do they have to use the one provided for them? They may use their own copy. We simply provide one to illustrate which section of the solo to play. 14. Do the scales have to be memorized? Yes. Middle School should tongue all major scales and slur the chromatic, and 9/10 and 11/12 students should be prepared to tongue OR slur their major scales (decided by chairperson), and slur the chromatic. Go to the Honors Band page of the State NCBA Site for scale sheets. Middle School Students are now required to play ALL six scales PLUS THE CHROMATIC SCALE in a 3.5- minute time limit. The scales will be played in the following order (listed here in concert pitch): G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab
High School Students will be required to play ALL scales in a 3-minute time limit. The scales will be played in the following order (listed here in concert pitch): o 9/10 (G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db) o 11/12 (D, G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db) Beginning January 2013, students auditioning for timpani will be given a 3-minute time limit on tuning timpani intervals. A list of the scales (in order) will be placed on the stand for the students to see. The list they see will be in THEIR WRITTEN pitch, NOT concert pitch! 15. How should I teach the scales? At ALL high school grade levels, students may be asked to play them tongued OR slurred. Middle School scales should ALL be tongued. Chromatic scales are slurred for middle and high school grades (except trombone, which are legato tongued). 16. Are there guidelines for the sight-reading? Yes. Our sight-reading examples are composed specifically for the auditions, and the composer uses the following parameters from our Contest Sight-reading Guidelines: Middle School sight-reading is based on Grade III parameters. 9/10 High School sight-reading is based on Grade V parameters. 11/12 High School sight-reading is based on Grade VI parameters. Students at the Middle School level get 30 seconds to preview the sight-reading. Students at the High School level get 60 seconds to preview the sight-reading. 17. When will we find out the results of the auditions? Results will be posted at the audition site later in the day, usually around 3:30-4:00 PM. The results will be posted on the website as soon as possible (usually the day after auditions). 18. How do I know if my student placed high enough to audition for Honors Band? ELIGIBILITY FOR NC HONORS BAND AUDITIONS FROM EACH DISTRICT (Middle, High School (9/10) and Senior High (11/12) Bands) 4 Flutes 2 Oboes 2 Bassoons 1 Eb Clarinet 6 Bb Clarinets
2 Alto Clarinets 2 Bass Clarinets 1 Contrabass Clarinet 2 Alto Saxophones 1 Tenor Saxophone 1 Baritone Saxophone 5 Trumpets 3 French Horns 3 Trombones 2 Baritones 2 Tubas 1 String Bass 2 Snare Drums 1 Mallet 1 Timpani Go to http://www.ncbandmasters.org/honorsband.html to get forms and information about the auditions. 19. Will there be refreshments for the students? Refreshments will be provided in the cafeteria. Students will be able to purchase food, candy, and sodas from the local band booster organization. 20. What are the 11/12 high school mallet requirements? Beginning the 2008-2009 school year, the Mallet scale requirements are the same as the 11/12 Flute Scales. 21. How do I prepare my percussion students for their audition? The Eastern District has composed the following handouts to help explain the requirements for the percussion auditions. Beginning January 2013, students auditioning for timpani will be given a 3-minute time limit on tuning timpani intervals. 22. What do my percussion students need to bring? A practice pad or practice bell set. Even though other instruments are provided (snare drum, etc.), students are welcome to bring their own and use those instead. 23. If a percussion student auditions on more than one percussion instrument, do they have to pay a double registration fee? No. Each student pays only the $10.00 registration fee (unless they registered late, and then the fee is $16.00). Only directors who have PRE-REGISTERED students will be allowed to register students, who were not early or late registered, on the day of auditions at a cost of $40 per student. On-site registered students will also audition LAST for each instrument area.
Clinic and Concert Information 1. If I have students make the band, is there a cost for the Clinic weekend? Yes. The President, who arranges for the actual clinic meals, etc., determines the cost and this information is usually provided to directors the day of auditions. There is an $18.00 fee for all students (even Middle School), which covers their lunch at the university for both days. 2. If my students make the band, how will they be housed at the Clinic? Each school is responsible for arranging the housing/supervision of their students for the entire clinic weekend. 3. If I do not have any students make the band, should I still try to come to the Clinic? Yes. We vote on many important issues at the business meeting on Saturday of the clinic. 4. At the All-District Concert, can students change into their performance attire in Wright Auditorium? No. Wright Auditorium does not have the facilities to provide changing rooms for the students. There will be changing facilities at the Middle School level at C. M. Eppes Middle School immediately after rehearsals. 5. Are meals provided for students who make the bands at the Clinic? Lunch is provided, but directors are responsible for making arrangements for dinner. 6. Where do students store instrument cases during the All-District Concert? Tuba, Baritone, and Baritone Saxophones instrument cases will be the only cases allowed in Wright auditorium (back room behind stage) during the concerts. Parents may choose to hold an instrument case on their lap at their seat. 7. As a director, what will I be doing while the students are in rehearsals? Directors have no "scheduled" activities, but are expected to help supervise the students, especially during mealtimes. If you leave the rehearsal area during the day, please make sure that you leave your cell phone or contact information with someone so that we may contact you if needed.