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Overture and Allegretto Audition Registration 
2025-2026

Click Here for Registration

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Registration Closes August 13th, 2025

Auditions August 23rd-25th

 

Please reach out to our NextGen Coordinator with any questions.

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Please read all attendance policies and review the rehearsal/performance schedule carefully before completing your registration and committing to perform with Nextgen.

All students will be emailed with a time once their registration has been submitted.​

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Check PMEA District 7 for 2025-2026 audition excerpts and etudes.

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Audition Information:

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NextGen offers two high school ensemble experiences: Overture, a developmental symphonic orchestra, and Allegretto, an advanced chamber orchestra.  Students may choose to audition for one ensemble specifically, or may audition for both.  Below are audition expectations for each ensemble.

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 OVERTURE ONLY AUDITION: Overture auditions consist of two components:

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1) 2-3 minutes of a solo selection chosen by the student and their teacher.  This selection should  demonstrate the student's best musicianship.

2) A sight reading excerpt which will be provided during the audition.

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For string players: a sample of appropriate solos is listed below as a guideline for the type of repertoire to prepare.

 

Violin

  • Solos for Young Violinists Volume 2 - Barbara Barber, Published by Summy-Birchard

  • Solo Time for Strings Book 2 - Etling

  • Suzuki Book 3

  • Masterworks for the Young Violinist - S. Applebaum

 

Viola

  • Solos for Young Violists Volume 2 - Barbara Barber, Published by Summy-Birchard

  • Solo Time for Strings Book 2 - Etling

  • Suzuki Book 3

  • Classical Highlights - K. Mitchell, Published by Schirmer 

 

Cello

  • Solos for the Intermediate Cellist - D. Kelley, Published by Last Resort 

  • Solo Time for Strings Book 2 - Etling

  • Suzuki Book 3

  • Solos for Young Cellists Volume 2 - Carey Cheney, Published by Summy-Birchard

 

Bass

  • String Festival Solos Volume 2 - S. Applebaum

  • Festival Performance Solos Volume 1 - A. Balent

  • Progressive Repertoire for the Double Bass Volume 1 - G. Vance

  • Solo Time for Strings Book 2 - Etling

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ALLEGRETTO ONLY AUDITION: Allegretto auditions consist of three components:

1) 2-3 minutes of an appropriate solo selection chosen by the student and their teacher.  This selection should demonstrate the student's best musicianship, technical virtuosity, and ability to perform advanced orchestral repertoire. 

2) An excerpt (for strings) or etude (for woodwinds, brass, and percussion) as prescribed by PMEA District 7.  Please refer to the links at the top of this page for NextGen's etude and excerpt selections for 2025-2026 auditions.

3) A sight reading excerpt which will be provided during the audition.

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BOTH OVERTURE AND ALLEGRETTO: Students wishing to audition for either ensemble are required to prepare at the level of Allegretto.  If not accepted in Allegretto, the student would be seated in Overture. If a student chooses to only audition for Allegretto and is not accepted into the ensemble, they will not be seated in Overture. Please note that choosing to audition for both ensembles indicates you feel prepared to audition on the materials required for performance in Allegretto and that this may take more preparation time.

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SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL AUDITION: Students who are not able to attend the audition dates will need to set up a separate audition time with Sarah Ziegler, our Nextgen Coordinator. This individual audition will be recorded for the ensemble directors and will be reviewed by the audition committee along with the in-person auditions for a fair evaluation.  To this end, individual auditions must be completed before August 24th. To set up an individual audition meeting please contact Sarah Ziegler at nextgenyouthmusic@gmail.com  by August 16th, 2024.

 

All students must audition each year they want to participate, regardless of previous participation. Being a member in an Allegro Nextgen ensemble in one season is not a guarantee to be accepted again in another season.  Returning and new students alike will follow the same audition process.

OVERTURE EXPECTATIONS
Membership Requirements

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.

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Technical Abilities and Expectations

  • 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

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ALLEGRETTO EXPECTATIONS
Membership Requirements

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. Allegretto is the most highly select ensemble in Nextgen, performing professional level repertoire and is generally 35 to 40 musicians.

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Technical Abilities and Expectations

  • Rhythm - Students should be expert on dotted and syncopated rhythms

  • Meters - Students should be expert on simple and compound meters and mixed meters.

  • Key signatures - Students should be proficient in all major and minor keys.

  • Strings: able to perform in all positions. Cellos should be familiar and competent in tenor clef.

  • Woodwinds: able to perform in all major and minor keys, with full range on their instrument. Clarinets should have access to an “A” clarinet. Bassoons should be familiar and competent with tenor clef.

  • Brass: able to perform in all major and minor keys, with full range on their instrument and be familiar and competent with transposition.

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