Additional Performance Groups

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Ensemble Audition Form

Chamber Ensembles
Early Music Studio
Contemporary Music Studio
Jazz Combo
Pop Band
Salsa Band
Collaborative Musicianship

Chamber Ensembles

(2975y/3975y/4975y/9566y/9867y/Special Topics)

All students wishing to be considered for the Chamber Ensembles program must play an audition. The Chamber Ensembles program coordinators, professors Thomas Wiebe and Jana Starling, administer and evaluate these auditions. Please see Audition Guidelines below.

This half-credit course fulfils the requirements for Performance majors. It is available to undergraduate Performance Majors for at least two years in the second (2975y), third (3975y), or fourth (4975y) years of study, and to graduate performance majors majoring in piano or orchestral instruments for at least one year. Students in other degree programs are also eligible for consideration, depending on audition, coach availability and department permission.

Enrollment for Chamber Ensembles are by audition, and are only open to students in the following areas:

  • woodwinds, brass & percussion
  • strings
  • piano

Please note: Chamber music repertoire which has been coached or performed on a recital for chamber music credit as part of the chamber ensemble program cannot be used in a student credit solo recital. Chamber ensembles formed for academic credit are not to be used in solo recitals.

Audition Guidelines

Enrollment for Chamber Ensembles are by audition only.

Chamber ensemble auditions will be on September 6 and 7. Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

Prepare two contrasting excerpts from your solo repertoire (e.g. concertos, sonatas, concert pieces). Instrumentalists playing a chamber music audition should not bring a piano accompanist. Any singer performing a chamber music audition should bring a piano accompanist. The excerpts should total no more than five minutes in length, combined.

Early Music Studio

(2971a/2972b, 3971a/3972b, 4971a/4972b, 9568a/9569b)

Early Music Studio (EMS) is available as a course credit.

The Early Music Studio focuses on music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries – sometimes a little earlier, and sometimes a little later. We strive to recreate music of this period by discovering the performance style in use at the time of its composition. Because the ensemble includes performance on copies of period instruments, it operates at a lower pitch: usually, A=415, sometimes, A=430. 

Audition Guidelines

Enrollment for Early Music Studio is by audition only.

EMS auditions will be on September 6 and 7. Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

EMS auditions are completely acceptable on modern instruments; this is normally expected. 

Prepare two excerpts, featuring two contrasting pieces in solo repertoire (e.g. concertos, sonatas, chamber music excerpts). Both excerpts need to be repertoire from the baroque, or if necessary, the classical period. The excerpts should total no more than five minutes in length, combined.

Contemporary Music Studio

(3976y/9507y/Special Topics)

This course gives advanced performers the opportunity to learn and perform interesting and challenging works written in the past 60 years by international composers, developing an intellectual and technical awareness of performance practice for current music through study and performances. Works include those for 1 to 10 performers and may include world premieres. There is normally one concert near the end of each semester.

Contemporary Music Studio may be taken for credit by third and fourth year Performance majors, and all levels of graduate students. The course can also be taken under a Special Topics course number, or by special permission. All interested vocalists and instrumentalists are encouraged to apply.

Audition Guidelines

Enrollment for Contemporary Music Studio is by audition only.

Contemporary Music Studio auditions will be heard on September 5.

Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

For the audition, prepare two contrasting pieces of solo repertoire (e.g. arias, concertos, songs, sonatas, concert pieces). Contemporary music is welcome but not required. The excerpts should total up to ten minutes in length, combined. If you have questions, contact Paul Frehner at pfrehner@uwo.ca and Patricia Green at mezzo@uwo.ca. 

CMS Class Time and Location

Mondays | 1:30–3pm
Check with your ensemble leaders for location information

First Class
Monday, Sep 11 | 1:30pm
Check with your ensemble leaders for location information

Jazz Combo

(Music 3952y 001)

Jazz Combos are performing musical groups that are open by audition to all Western students. Students rehearse and perform standard and contemporary repertoire for small jazz ensemble. Special emphasis is given to interactive playing, improvising, arranging, composing, and developing appropriate stylistic competency.

Audition Guidelines

Enrolment for Jazz Combo is by audition only.

Students whose auditions are successful will be assigned to a combo by the Director based on instrumental needs and ability/experience level. Jazz Combo auditions will be on September 8. Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

Rhythm section players (piano, bass, guitar, drums) who are interested in auditioning for Jazz Ensemble as well can do their Combo audition at the same time, and don’t need to schedule two auditions. Students would need to perform both sets of audition materials.

Audition Selections

Woodwinds, Brass, Strings, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards and Vocals
Both selections 1 and 2 are required

  1. Perform two choruses of "How High the Moon" by Morgan Lewis
    a. First chorus: perform the melody of the tune
    b. Second chorus: perform an improvised solo through the chord changes.
  2. Perform three choruses of "Billie's Bounce" by Charlie Parker
    a. First chorus: perform the melody of the tune
    b. Second and Third choruses: perform an improvised solo through the chord changes

Drum Set
Both selections 1 and 2 are required

  1. Perform three choruses of "Billie's Bounce" by Charlie Parker
    a. First chorus: Play swing groove
    b. Second and Third choruses: perform an improvised solo while keeping the time/form
  2. Perform each of the following grooves (approximately 30 seconds on each groove)
    a. Shuffle groove
    b. Jazz ballad straight groove (brushes)
    c. Funk/Rock groove

Pop Band

(Music 3952y 002)

Audition Guidelines

Enrolment for Pop Band is by audition only, and is also open to non-Music majors. Pop Band auditions will be on September 6 and 7. Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

Audition Excerpts

Vocalists should learn 2 songs appropriate to their voice range. Vocalists must use the provided backing track for their audition. Sheet music and lyrics will not be provided for vocalists. Contact Denis Jiron if your voice range is outside the range of the audition selections. Guitar, Bass, Keys, and Drums should use provided sheet music (check back soon) as a guide. Rhythm section auditions will be judged on how accurately parts can be played in reference to the provided recordings.

All excerpts are for educational purposes only.

Vocals

Guitar

  • Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023
  • The Power of Love - Huey Lewis
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023

Bass

  • Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023
  • The Power of Love - Huey Lewis
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023

Keys

  • I Wish - Stevie Wonder
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023
  • Got To Be Real - Cheryl Lynn
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023

Drums

  • Boogie Oogie Oogie - A Taste of Honey
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023
  • 25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago
    Reference (YouTube)
    Excerpt (PDF) Username: excerpts / Password: 2023

Horns

 

Salsa Band

(Music 3952y 003)

Audition Guidelines

Enrolment for Salsa Band is by audition only, and is also open to non-Music majors.

Vocalists are not required to already speak Spanish to participate, but will be required to sing in Spanish in the band. Salsa Band auditions will be on September 6 and 7. Students must also complete an Ensemble Information Form and book an audition time online. 

Audition Excerpts

Vocalists should choose and learn 2 songs appropriate to their voice range. Vocalists must use the provided backing track for their audition. Contact Denis Jiron if your voice range is outside the range of the audition selections. Rhythm section players should use provided sheet music (check back soon) as a guide. Rhythm section auditions will be judged on how accurately parts can be played in reference to the provided recordings. Students wishing to audition on violin, viola or tres will be considered, and should contact Denis Jiron for sheet music.

All excerpts are for educational purposes only.

Vocals

Bass, Piano, Percussion

Horns

Collaborative Musicianship

(4976y)

This course is intended to teach the pianist and orchestral instrumentalist the principles of ensemble playing as well as the literature of the Solo Instrumental Works with piano, and is designed for students majoring in Piano or Orchestral Instruments in Honours Performance, in third or fourth year. Available to other students by permission of the Department.

Fourth year piano performance majors will be registered in the course.

Instrumentalists should contact Catherine Fraser at mpsdept@uwo.ca to be placed on a waiting list for the course.