Ensemble Placement Auditions

Spring 2022

Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble

BRASS

• Complete this Ensemble Audition Information Form prior to auditions.
• Access all brass area excerpts here.
• Trombonists, here is the Glossary of German Terms reference guide if needed.

WOODWINDS

• Complete this Ensemble Audition Information Form prior to auditions.
• Access all woodwind area excerpts here.

PERCUSSION

• All Percussion

STRINGS

• Access all strings excerpts here. You are expected to listen to recordings of the piece and perform the excerpts at performance tempo.

Jazz Ensembles/Combos

INSTRUMENTAL

• Access all instrumental Jazz audition materials here.

VOCAL

• Jordan Jazz: Be prepared to sing a Jazz standard of your choice. Contact Prof. Erin Benedict (ebenedic@butler.edu) to set up an audition.

Choral Ensembles

• Please bring a short solo work/excerpt that you can sing comfortably and confidently. A work from the 24 Italian Songs and Arias, a Hymn-Arrangement or Folk-Song Arrangement is also permitted. Please bring a copy for the accompanist. The audition may also include some vocalizing and sight reading. Students who do not have a solo selection may choose to sing “America the Beautiful” (click the piece title for printable score). You may choose to sing the melody or whichever voice part is most comfortable for you; you need only prepare the first verse.

Spring 2022

View the full schedule, including sign-up sheets, here. Email music@butler.edu with questions.

Orchestra (bso) and Symphonic Wind Ensemble (buswe)

1. We will audition for BSO, and BUSWE (formerly Wind Ensemble, and Symphonic Band) placement at the start of each fall and spring semester. Auditions will happen just before the start of classes, as close to the first day of class as possible.  The Coordinator of Outreach and Recruitment will oversee this process coordinating with the Orientation schedule, Indianapolis Youth Orchestra (IYO) retreat, and with faculty.
2. For spring semester auditions, the schedule should be determined before the end of the fall semester. The fall semester audition schedule will be included with Orientation information to incoming students and emailed to all incoming and returning students as well as posted on the Ensemble Auditions webpage.
3. Every effort will be made to have anonymous auditions where the identity of the performer is unknown to the evaluators.
4. Auditions will be grouped in schedule blocks by instruments (i.e. all violins will audition in one schedule block). Logistical and scheduling details may prevent this in some cases, but every effort will be made to keep instruments grouped together.
5. Auditions will be evaluated by studio teachers when possible.  These may be grouped by individual instruments (i.e. bassoon students will audition for the bassoon instructor), by groups (i.e. double reed students will audition for the oboe and bassoon instructors), or by area (i.e. woodwind students will audition for the woodwind faculty).  Details will be arranged by each area and may depend upon schedules and availability.
6. Evaluators will rank the auditionees based upon their performance in that audition only. After the order has been determined, the identity of the auditionees will be revealed to the evaluators.
7.  Faculty will then present this ranking to the ensemble directors and meet with them to determine ensemble assignments (BSO, WE, SB). Ensemble assignments will be decided jointly by the studio instructors and the ensemble directors. A schedule conflict may preclude a student’s placement in a specific ensemble. Furthermore, faculty will take into consideration previous ensemble participation, the needs of the ensembles, and the best interest of individual students when determining ensemble assignments. (i.e. ‘Symphonic Wind Ensemble needs a strong EH player this semester’; ‘This student needs more orchestral experience’, etc.)
8. Directors will consider audition results when making part assignments for their ensembles. 
9. Percussionists will continue to be auditioned and assigned to ensembles by the percussion faculty.

Jazz Ensemble and Combos

1. We will audition for Jazz Ensemble and Combo placement at the start of each fall and spring semester. Auditions will happen just before the start of classes, as close to the first day of class as possible.  The Coordinator of Outreach and Recruitment will oversee this process coordinating with the Orientation schedule, IYO retreat, and with faculty.
2. For spring semester auditions, the schedule should be determined before the end of the fall semester. The fall semester audition schedule will be included with Orientation information to incoming students and emailed to all incoming and returning students as well as posted on the Ensemble Auditions webpage.
3. Auditions will be grouped in schedule blocks by instruments (i.e. all saxophones will audition in one schedule block). Logistical and scheduling details may prevent this in some cases, but every effort will be made to keep instruments grouped together.
4. Auditions will be evaluated by jazz faculty.  These may be grouped by individual instruments (i.e. sax students will audition for the jazz sax instructors), by groups (i.e. brass students will audition for the brass instructors), or by area (i.e. rhythm section students will audition for the rhythm section faculty).  Details will be arranged by each area and may depend upon schedules and availability.
5. Evaluators will rank the auditionees based upon their performance in that audition only.
6. Jazz faculty will then present this ranking to the ensemble directors and meet with them to determine ensemble assignments. Ensemble assignments will be decided jointly by the jazz faculty and director of jazz studies. A schedule conflict may preclude a student’s placement in a specific ensemble. Furthermore, faculty will take into consideration previous ensemble participation, the needs of the ensembles, and the best interest of individual students when determining ensemble assignments.
7. Conductors will consider audition results when making part assignments for their ensembles. 

Choral Ensembles

• Choral ensembles will host choral auditions and hearings at the start of each fall and spring semester. Auditions will happen just before the start of classes, as close to the first day of class as possible.  The Coordinator of Outreach and Recruitment will oversee this process coordinating with the Orientation schedule, IYO retreat, and with faculty.
• For spring semester auditions, the schedule should be determined before the end of the fall semester and may only apply to new choir members or those desiring to switch choral ensembles. The fall semester audition schedule will be included with Orientation information to incoming students and emailed to all incoming and returning students as well as posted on the Ensemble Auditions webpage.
• Auditions will be evaluated by choral faculty, and voice faculty when applicable. 

Note: Schedules/format subject to change due to COVID-19 protocols.

Bands

Wind Ensemble-- NOTE: Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble are now the combined Butler University Symphonic Wind Ensemble starting in Fall 2021.

• Instructor/Director: Prof. Michael Colburn
• Course #: ES 120
• Rehearsals: Mon/Wed/Fri, 2:25-4:25 PM

Symphonic Band-- NOTE: Symphonic Band is now combined with Wind Ensemble as Butler University Symphonic Wind Ensemble starting Fall 2021.

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Brian Weidner and Dr. Matt Smith
• Course #: ES 116
• Rehearsals: Mon/Wed/Fri, 2:25-4:25 PM 

Choir

University Choir

• Instructor/Director: Dr. John Perkins
• Course: ES 117
• Rehearsals: Mon/Wed/Fri, 12:30-1:50 PM

University Chorale

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Eric Stark
• Course: ES 118
• Rehearsals: Mon/Wed/Fri, 12:30-1:50 PM

Orchestra

Symphony Orchestra

• Instructor/Director: Prof. Richard Clark
• Course: ES 122
• Rehearsals: Tues/Thurs, 2:30-5:30 PM

Jazz

Jordan Jazz (vocal jazz ensemble)

• Instructor/Director: Prof. Erin Benedict
• Course: ES 104
• Rehearsal: TBA (typically evening times one weekday per week)

Jazz Ensemble

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Matt Pivec
• Course: ES 124
• Rehearsal: Mon/Wed, 6:30-8:00 PM

Jazz Combos

• Instructors/Directors: Dr. Matt Pivec, Prof. Sean Imboden, Prof. Jesse Wittman, Prof. Sandy Williams
• Course: ES 127
• Rehearsals: Fridays, 12:00-1:30 PM

Other Instrumental Ensembles**

**Do not require an audition during regularly scheduled ensemble auditions. Contact individual ensemble directors for information.

Percussion Ensemble

• Instructor/Director: Jon Crabiel (jcrabiel@butler.edu)
• Course: ES 106
• Rehearsals: Tues/Thurs, 12:00-1:30 PM

​Composer's Orchestra//New Music Ensemble

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Frank Felice (ffelice@butler.edu)
• Course: ES 108
• Rehearsals: Wednesdays, 8:00-10:00 PM

Marching Band

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Matt Smith (mjsmith3@butler.edu)
• Course: PWB 140 (Marching Band)
• Rehearsals: Mon/Wed/Fri, 4:45-6:30 PM (until season ends shortly before finals)

Basketball/Pep Band

• Instructor/Director: Dr. Matt Smith (mjsmith3@butler.edu)
• Course: ES 121 (Spring)
• Rehearsals: Friday, 4:35-6:35 PM

If you have questions about the audition process or about specific ensembles, please contact the School of Music office at music@butler.edu OR contact the appropriate ensemble director below:

Chorale
Dr. Eric Stark
317-940-9981
estark@butler.edu 

University Choir
Dr. John Perkins
317-940-9636
jdperkin@butler.edu

Instrumental Jazz Ensembles
Dr. Matt Pivec
317-940-9068
mpivec@butler.edu

Vocal Jazz
Prof. Erin Benedict
ebenedic@butler.edu

Orchestra
Prof. Richard Clark
317-940-8031
rclark@butler.edu

Wind Ensemble (Butler University Symphonic Wind Ensemble)
Prof. Michael Colburn
317-940-6672
mcolburn@butler.edu

Percussion Ensemble
Prof. Jon Crabiel
317-940-9488
jcrabiel@butler.edu