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Overture and Allegretto Audition Registration 
2023-24

Click Here!​

Please reach out to our Nextgen Program Director, if you've missed the registration deadline.

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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. Please wait up to 24 business hours for an update.

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Click HERE to return to our Registration tab!

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Click HERE for audition excerpts!

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Click HERE for STRING audition excerpts!

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Options to audition:

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 OVERTURE ONLY AUDITION: There are two components to the Overture Orchestra audition:

1) Prepare an appropriate solo of your choice. Choose a 2 to 3 minute excerpt from this solo which demonstrates your best musicianship. 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

 

2) Sight reading will also be part of the audition.

 

ALLEGRETTO ONLY AUDITION: There are three components to the Allegretto Orchestra audition:

1) Prepare an appropriate solo of your choice. Choose a 2 to 3 minute excerpt from this solo  which demonstrates your best musicianship and technical virtuosity. Your solo choice should demonstrate your ability to perform advanced orchestral repertoire. 

2) Perform the PMEA District 7 excerpt (for strings) or etude (for woodwinds, brass, and percussion) as prescribed by District 7.  Allegro Nextgen will post the specific measures of the excerpt or etude we wish to hear for your audition on July 15 on the website HERE. 

3) Sight reading will also be part of the audition.

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BOTH OVERTURE AND ALLEGRETTO: Students are required to prepare at the level of Allegretto, but if not accepted in Allegretto, 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: For those unable to attend the audition datesStudents who are not able to attend the audition dates will need to set up an appointment with Sara Ziegler, our Nextgen Coordinator, who will video record their audition separately. This individual audition will need to be completed prior to August 26, and will be reviewed by the audition committee along with the in-person auditions for a fair evaluation. To set up an individual audition meeting with the NextGen Coordinator please contact Sara Ziegler at nextgenyouthmusic@gmail.com  by August 18th, 2023.

 

All students audition for both ensembles every season, both returning musicians and new. Being a member in an Allegro Nextgen ensemble in one season is not a guarantee to be accepted again in another season.

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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