Orchestra Participation
Important Notes:
Open to students who have completed grades 8-12. Participation by audition.
Location: Fargo North High School and Trollwood Park, Fargo
Meetings/Events: June 3-August 8. Be sure to attend the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Student and Parent Meeting on Tuesday, June 3 at 7:15 pm, Discovery School Theatre. Scores will be distributed, designs unveiled, and schedules discussed. Also, the Cast, Crew & Orchestra Event on Thursday, June 5, 4:00-8:00 pm, Trollwood Park.
Rehearsals/Performances: Orchestra rehearsals are June 6-27, 6:30 to 9:30 pm, Monday-Thursday, in the Fargo North High Orchestra Room. Leave ALL Fridays open for additional rehearsals as needed. Saturdays and Sundays during June are free time. More rehearsal time may be scheduled as necessary. Daily evening rehearsals with the cast begin at Trollwood Park on Monday, July 7. Conflicts for all possible dates must be submitted at auditions. It is possible to miss a limited number of rehearsals and still perform for the shows. This is at the director’s discretion.
Poster Distribution Day:
Orchestra members are required to participate in Poster Distribution Day, Tuesday, June 19, 2:15-6:00 pm.
Strike: Orchestra members are required to attend strike, August 2-6.
Production Party: August 7.
Prerequisite: By audition.
Pegistration Deadline: Wednesday, May 28.
Being in the Trollwood Mainstage Orchestra is a great way to meet new friends from all over the region!
It improves your skills as a musician, teaches you how to perform in a style you may not get to experience otherwise, connects you with the region’s finest musicians, demonstrates your commitment to music/performance for post-secondary education recruiters, and—best of all—it’s FUN!!
Yes, as an orchestra member at Trollwood you will work hard to provide the musical framework that creates a really great musical show, but you’ll also make life-time friends and memories while you laugh and play (as in “have fun!”), and create wonderful music!
Our rehearsal schedule (evenings) allows you to have a day job, take summer school or other Trollwood classes, or just hang out with friends, so you CAN “have it all” this summer!
Top Reasons to join the Mainstage Orchestra…
- Orchestra members will work with music mentors in small ensembles and as soloists to prepare additional music for featured pre-show and special event performances—YOU get to be the “star” on the stage!
- Orchestra Scholarships and Student Leadership positions are available, see pages 48 & 49 for further information.
- and, of course, it’s FUN!
Participation Information
Students may earn elective credits toward high school graduation for orchestra participation.
Student Leader positions are available.
All students involved in the production, including the orchestra, are required to complete ten hours of “tech work” during the course of rehearsals for the musical. Hours may be spent working in the costume shop, props, scenery, or marketing/publicity (in addition to Poster Distribution Day). Anyone not completing this requirement will not be allowed to attend the Production Party.
Audition Information
Sign up for an audition session at the TPAS Information Session, Tuesday, March 18, 7:15 pm, Discovery Theatre or by contacting TPAS at (701) 241-4799. All auditions are in the Fargo North High Orchestra Room (park on the north side, by the theatre). If you are unable to attend these auditions, you may audition by cassette tape or CD.
Orchestra Audition Sessions:
Auditions are scheduled to last 10 minutes each.
- Saturday, May 3, 1:00-3:00 pm
- Monday, May 5, 4:30-6:00 pm
- Tuesday, May 6, 4:30-6:00 pm
- Wednesday, May 7, 4:30-6:00 pm
- Monday, May 15, 4:30-6:00 pm
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat calls for the following instruments:
Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Acoustic, Electric and Bass Guitar (including spots for Lute & Mandolin), Percussion, Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Oboe/English Horn, Accordion and Keyboard. Other instruments are welcome to audition and parts will be adapted for their use.
If Auditioning by Tape or CD:
Cassette tapes or CD’s must be received in the TPAS Office by Wednesday, May 7 to be considered. If you would like your tape or CD returned, please enclose a pre-stamped and addressed padded envelope.
Requirements:
Please label the tape or CD with the auditioner’s name. Accompany your tape or CD with
a brief written profile, including
name, address, phone,
current age and grade,
school, music teacher’s name and audition instrument.
Include the following on your tape or CD: Begin with an introduction of yourself—name, age and grade, information about you and your personal experiences! A solo selection. Scales as specified in Audition Requirements.
Audition Requirements
The goal of the audition is to determine your training level and ability to master the music in the allotted rehearsal time. The audition will be performed for the orchestra conductor and may be taped for later reference.
Each audition will consist of three parts:
- Solo: any selection of your choice from 45 seconds to 1 minute in length. Choose something that shows your playing at its best. It can be part of a solo, etude or ensemble, and may be band or orchestra music.
- Sight Reading: This will be relatively short and will likely contain a key change and a time change. Practice counting and playing music at sight to prepare.
- Scales: are specified by instrument as follows: Be prepared to play all scales in two ways: as quarter notes (60 on metronome) and as eighth notes (quarter note = 120 on metronome).
- Woodwinds (Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe and Bassoon): 2 octave Major scale of your choice; 2 octave Minor scale of your choice; and a Chromatic scale of your entire range.
- Brass (Horn, Trumpet, Trombone and Tuba): 1 or 2 octave Major scale of your choice; 1 octave Minor scale of your choice; and a Chromatic scale of your entire range.
- Guitar (Acoustic, Electric and Electric Bass): 2 short solo selections of different styles, one must be jazz, the other of your choosing. Note: You must be able to read music.
- Strings: 2 or 3 octave Major scale of your choice; 2 octave Minor scale of your choice.
- Keyboards: 2 short solo selections of different styles, one must be jazz, the other of your choosing.
- Percussion: Both sight reading and solo performances on the same two of the following instruments: mallets, snares, drum set or timpani.