Youth Orchestra
AUDITIONS
2024-25 Season
We are excited you want to audition for The Jackson Symphony Music Academy Youth Orchestra!
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Audition Date and Location
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Saturday, May 4
12 - 7 pm
Concordia Lutheran Church
637 Wallace Road, Jackson, Tennessee
Please read the requirements for auditioning closely, and email mail@thejacksonsymphony.org with any questions you might have.
Instructions:
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Please read the important information linked above before registering.
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After reading, fill out the registration form linked above.​
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Students will play two contrasting selections showcasing their technical and musical abilities on their instrument. PERCUSSIONISTS must demonstrate their abilities on snare, mallet percussion and timpani. There will also be a sight-reading component to the audition.
Scale guidelines follow WTSBOA audition requirements for 2024.
WINDS AND PERCUSSION: Scales will be assessed on a variety of categories including intonation, accurate tempo, accurate rhythm, accuracy of notes and the number of octaves played (ascending and descending). All major scales and chromatic scale must be prepared. Scales must be performed from memory. Scales should be played in as many octaves as the student can play, (ascending and descending). Rhythm and articulation patterns are not prescribed. Credit will be given to speed and range of scales, as long as the accuracy is preserved.
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STRINGS: Scales will be assessed on a variety of categories including intonation, accurate tempo, accurate rhythm, accuracy of notes and the number of octaves played (ascending and descending). All major scales are required. Scales must be performed from memory. All scales are required to be played in a minimum of two octaves. Credit will be given to speed and range of scales, as long as the accuracy is preserved.
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Our Conductor
Dr. Doug Owens is a Professor of Music at UT Martin, where he teaches applied oboe, bassoon, and saxophone, and an adjunct professor of music at Union University, where he teaches double reeds. He is an active orchestral and chamber musician, performing in the LCD Woodwind Trio alongside fellow UTM faculty members Elizabeth Aleksander and Charles Lewis.
About the JSMA Youth Orchestra
The Jackson Symphony Music Academy Youth Orchestra is an exciting opportunity for students of Madison County and surrounding areas. The JSMA Youth Orchestra challenges students to develop their musical skills to their fullest potential while playing exciting literature.
In the 2023-34 season, the orchestra will present not only two of their own concerts during the season but will also be playing on one side-by-side performance with The Jackson Symphony at its December Holiday Pops concert. This special integration of youth and professional musicians gives a priceless opportunity for students to see what it would be like to play with a professional-level group. JSMA musicians will also benefit from interaction and leadership from The Jackson Symphony conductor and artistic director, Peter Shannon. Not only will he direct the side-by-side concerts, but he will occasionally appear as a guest conductor at the youth orchestra rehearsals to both inspire and motivate our next generation of musicians. The JSMA Youth Orchestra will also provide chances to play in smaller ensembles around Jackson, bringing music to those who need cheering up.
The Jackson Symphony Music Academy is excited to host an annual concerto competition. The competition will be held in the spring for members of the JSMA Youth Orchestra who would like the chance to perform a movement of a concerto with the rest of the youth orchestra. This will be a public competition where soloists will play before an audience and judging panel. The winner will perform alongside the full youth orchestra as well as win a $500 cash prize.
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We are proud to offer three scholarships to graduating seniors from the JSMA Youth Orchestra this season. These scholarships will be awarded based on predetermined criteria and chosen by a panel of Symphony staff, board members, and sponsors.
Entry into the JSMA Youth Orchestra is by audition only. Serious young musicians who play any string instrument, standard orchestral brass and woodwinds, or percussion are invited to audition. Rehearsals are held at Union University on Thursday evenings from 7-9 pm. Tuition is $300 for the 2023-24 season.
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