DuWayne Dale, Director of Bands and Orchestra, Grant County Schools
JoAnn Owens, Director of Bands, Grant County Middle School

2009 NORTHERN KENTUCKY SELECT BAND AUDITIONS

When: TBA

Where: Woodland Middle School (directions below)

Time: Your child’s exact audition time will be given out to all band directors by the end of December.  When we know your exact audition time, we will let you know immediately.

Transportation: You will need to take your own child to the audition on Jan. 10th.  If you can not take your child that day, please call me or have your son or daughter talk to me about carpooling that day.

Costs: The fee is $5.00 to audition on one instrument.  If you are auditioning on two different instruments, you will need to add $2.00 for each additional instrument.  Please do not write out a check for this event.  Please make your payment in cash only. 

Cancellations and refunds:

After the $5.00 fee is paid, there will not be a refund for any reason.  If an emergency were to occur, please contact me within 24 hours of your audition.  The only reason to not show up the day of your audition is in case of an emergency.  If your absence is unexcused, your performance credits will all be taken away.  There should not be any NO SHOWS from the Grant County School District.  (Middle and high school)

What to take with you on the day of the audition:

  • Folding music stand (if you have one)
  • Instrument
  • Extra reeds
  • TRYOUT MUSIC- you will be able to use your copy for the actual tryout

What to wear: The judges will not see you, so there’s no great reason to get all dressed up.  You can wear comfortable clothes.

What to do when you get to Woodland Middle School:

  • 1st: Register at the front table- ARRIVE AT LEAST 1 HOUR BEFORE YOUR AUDITION TIME
  • 2nd: Go find your audition room where your actual audition will take place
  • 3rd: Go find the warm-up area
  • 4th: Warm-up (20-30 minutes at most- not to wear yourself out)
  • 5th: Go use the restroom and get a drink of water
  • 6th: Play a few more notes in the warm-up area before going to your audition area
  • 7th: Report to your audition room about 10-15 minutes prior to your audition time- no sooner or later
  • 8th: Audition
  • 9th: After you audition you can go home.  The band directors will not know who made select band until Monday morning.  We will let you know in class on Monday.

Questions and Concerns that day: Mr. Dale and I will be judging in one of the rooms that day.  We will not be able to answer phone calls during the auditions.  If you have questions the night before or after the auditions, you may contact me on my cell 859.462.0467.

 

Directions to Woodland Middle School:

 

Maneuvers

Distance

 Maps 

1:

Start out going NORTHWEST on US-25 / ARNIE RISEN BLVD toward KINGS DR. Continue to follow US-25.

1.1 miles

Map

2:

Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto KY-22 / KY-467 / SKEETER DAVIS HWY / BROADWAY ST. Continue to follow KY-22 / KY-467 / BROADWAY ST.

0.6 miles

Map

3:

Merge onto I-75 N.

25.7 miles

Map

4:

Merge onto I-275 E via EXIT 185.

5.1 miles

Map

5:

Take the TAYLOR MILL RD / KY-16 exit- EXIT 79- toward COVINGTON.

0.3 miles

Map

6:

Merge onto TAYLOR MILL RD / KY-16 toward TAYLOR MILL.

3.1 miles

Map

7:

Turn SHARP RIGHT onto OLD TAYLOR MILL RD.

0.4 miles

Map

8:

End at Woodland Middle School:
5399 Old Taylor Mill Rd, Taylor Mill, KY 41015, US

Map

Total Est. Time: 41 minutes     Total Est. Distance: 36.58 miles

 

 

Tips to having a successful audition:

  • The night before your audition: Only practice a half hour or so on your audition music.  Make sure you start with your appropriate warm-ups and do a warm down when you finish practicing.  If a part is not sounding as good as it usually does, do not panic.  Practice it a few times and then move on.  Practicing it for hours will cause your lips to swell and will only make you paranoid about that particular part of the music the next day.  Drink plenty of water a few days leading into Saturday.  When you finish practicing the night before, put all the items that you are taking with you by the back door.  You will be a little nervous the next day and you are more likely to forget something.  Do not drink a bunch of dairy products the day before or on the day of the audition.  Dairy products can make your stomach upset, make you thirsty and can cause extra flem in your throat and lungs.
  • The morning of your audition: Eat a good breakfast.  Do not overeat.  Give yourself plenty of time to get ready and get dressed.  The idea is to not panic on the day of your audition.
  • Make sure you arrive at least 1 hour before your audition time.  The parking might be tricky and you do not want to be in a hurry.
  • When you warm-up at Woodland Middle School:  Make sure you do your long tones.  The idea is not to arrive and play your music as fast and loud as you can.  If you hear other kids playing the music differently than you do, do not make last minute changes.  Chances are you are correct.  Do not go into the warm-up area showing off your highest notes and play anything that would cause harm to your mouth.  Do not run around talking to other kids.  Find a spot away from everyone else to warm-up so that you can hear yourself and so that you aren’t disturbed.  If you choose to walk around and listen to other people warm-up or talk about their audition, they will probably scare you or make you paranoid about your audition.  STAY AWAY from everyone until you finish auditioning.  DO NOT stand by your audition room before your audition.  By listening to other people audition can make you nervous or give you false confidence.  Let your door monitor know that you are there and then walk away from that door to where you can not hear others auditioning.  Make sure you empty your spit valves before entering the room.
  • What to do during your audition:
    • WALK IN WITH CONFIDENCE….WITH THE ATTITUDE THAT YOU ARE GREAT AND THAT YOU FINALLY HAVE THE CHANCE TO PROVE IT.
    • Listen to your door monitor very closely.  If you have questions, simply walk back out to the door monitor to ask your question.  DO NOT TALK DURING YOUR AUDITION. 
    • Adjust your music stand so that it is at the appropriate height for you.
    • There will be a copy of the music on the stand just in case you forgot yours.  You do not have to use their copy.  You can use your copy that you have practiced with for months. 
    • You may stand up or sit down- just make sure you practice the way you will audition that day.  If you want to stand up in your audition, stand up while you practice it.  If you want to sit down in your audition, sit down when you practice.
    • Play a scale or a few notes that are in your comfort range.  Do not try and play something that you have not practiced.  When you practice auditioning, practice the notes that you plan to play at the beginning of your audition to warm-up. 
    • DO NOT GET IN A HURRY.  Take a few minutes to relax, get used to the room, empty the spit valves and play a couple of notes to warm-up. 
    • Before you begin, make sure you play your starting note to make sure it is correct.
    • During your audition, do not stop for any reason.  If a note does not come out, keep going.  They want to know that you can recover from your mistakes.  They know you are nervous and are likely to make mistakes.  JUST KEEP GOING!
    • Once you finish, exit the room with your copy of music that you brought in the room.
    • DO NOT make comments, deep sighs or laughs where the judges can hear you.
  • When you exit your audition room: DO NOT reflect upon the mistakes you made in your audition.  Chances are you had more positive moments than negative.  If you walk out of an audition room with a sour look on your face or beating yourself up for your mistakes, you are giving the other students who audition after you a sense of confidence.  Give yourself a few moments to calm down before making comments about your performance or before assessing your audition.  Remember…I wouldn’t be sending you to audition if you sounded bad or didn’t have a chance to make the select band.  You are great players regardless the outcome of the audition!
  • BE CAREFUL what you say and where you say it.  Remember, you are representing Grant County and by making faces or comments about other kids can be heard by others and will directly reflect upon our program.