Audition Requirements
Brass and Woodwind Instrumental Requirements
You will perform a prepared solo of your choice as long as it meets the Grade IV requirements set by the National Music Standards. Major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, as well as a chromatic scale, must be played throughout the practical range of your instrument. Additionally, you must be able to sight read music of various styles and difficulty that will be provided by the person conducting your audition.
Percussion Instrumental Requirements
You will perform two prepared solos of your choice; one concert and one rudimental on the snare drum. Then you will perform selected standard drum rudiments from memory, open to closed to open, as well as major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales on mallet percussion. The ability to play basic styles such as swing, Latin and rock is required. Sight reading skills are tested on snare drums, mallet instruments and drum sets.
Piano or Guitar Instrumental Requirements
You will perform prepared swing, Latin, pop/rock and ballad pieces. Piano applicants will also perform a classical selection. Diatonic chords with common harmonic extensions and alterations are required, as are major, natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales over a range of two octaves. Additionally, you must be able to sight read music of various styles and difficulty that will be provided by the person conducting your audition.
Additional requirements for The Commandant's Own Drum & Bugle Corps
Brass
You may audition for the brass section on a conventional brass instrument or a soprano, mellophone, baritone or contra-bass bugle. To qualify, you must perform all major scales in quarter and eighth notes at MM of 120, as well as a prepared Grade IV solo of your choice. Additionally, you will sight read various forms of Grade IV music to demonstrate knowledge of marches, concert, swing/jazz and ballads.
Percussion
Qualifying for the battery percussion program is dependent on your ability to perform all 40 standard Percussive Arts Society (PAS) rudiments peaking at an MM of 100, except numbers 12, 13 and 14. You must also demonstrate a rudimentary knowledge of marches, concert, swing/jazz and ballads through sight reading. Additionally, you will perform a prepared solo of your choice. The tempo, rhythm and degree of difficulty is at your discretion. However, you must provide us with a copy of your music before your audition. You will play a solo of your choice on the tenor drum that is at least one minute in length, as well as the provided snare drum etude.
Melodic Percussion Program
Throughout a two-octave range, you will perform all major, minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales at an MM of 100. You must be able to perform block chords using the four-mallet technique. The ability to sight read various forms of Grade IV music across various styles is essential. You will also be expected to sight read from standard exercise books such as Modern School for Xylophone, Masterpieces for Marimba, and Fundamental Studies for Mallets. A prepared solo of your choice should showcase your melodic dexterity and strong two- and four-mallet playing skills.
