OVERTURE
ABOUT
A challenging but developmental group conducted by Zach Levi, Overture is a full symphonic orchestra. Through more demanding music and high quality instruction, students develop advanced abilities on their instruments, as well as understanding of how to perform in a full orchestra setting. Participation in Overture is open to students in grades eight through twelve by audition.
REQUIREMENTS
To audition for Overture, students must perform a solo or etude of their choosing (which should be comparable to a county audition piece or District audition level solo), and sight read.
Specific Ensemble Details and Expectations:
Membership is open to high school age and advanced eighth grade students. Both ensembles perform three major concerts each season with six rehearsals to prepare each performance. Overture performs repertoire appropriate for high school age students and is generally larger than 40 musicians. This ensemble is the normal next level in NextGEN for students who participated in Intermezzo Strings and Winds.
Technical abilities and expectations include:
* Rhythm - Students should be proficient on dotted and syncopated rhythms
* Meters - Students should be proficient on simple and compound meters. Students should
have introductory experience in complex or mixed meters.
* Key signature - Students should be proficient in major and minor keys that have up to 3
sharps or flats. Students should have basic understanding of keys with 4 sharps or flats.
* Shifting (Strings) - Violin/viola: students should be proficient in 3rd position and have
introductory ability in 5th position, Cello/Bass: students should be proficient in positions 1 - 4.
* Percussion - students should be proficient on timpani and/or mallets and/or battery and
snare.