2021-22 Audition Info for BHS Performing Arts Classes and Extracurriculars
BHS has a wide variety of classes in Music, Drama and Dance that are open to all students with or without prior experience. Most of our classes require no prerequisite or audition, though students can also audition into some upper-level courses. Here below is information on auditions for audition-in classes in music, drama and dance, and an open drama class for any students interested in see what drama at BHS is like. All auditions happen between late February and early March. Please find details below.
BHS has a wide variety of classes in Music, Drama and Dance that are open to all students with or without prior experience. Most of our classes require no prerequisite or audition, though students can also audition into some upper-level courses. Here below is information on auditions for audition-in classes in music, drama and dance, and an open drama class for any students interested in see what drama at BHS is like. All auditions happen between late February and early March. Please find details below.
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Advance Placement Auditions for Dance Classes
Beginning Dance, Beginning Dance I-A, and African, Latin, Hip-Hop Dance are open to all students with no audition. Students with prior experience interested in auditioning for the Intermediate or Advanced Dance will be asked to audition virtually in lieu of in-person auditions this year. The advanced placement audition provides dancers with the opportunity to demonstrate their level of training, technical proficiency, rhythmic accuracy, and performance quality. Please read the information below, and if you have any questions or concerns, please email Ms. Hernandez at mayra_hernandez@psbma.org or Ms. Burns at amy_burns@psbma.org Required Videos: Applicants should submit the following videos for the audition.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15WrpJsedwYoChCVwOn1qKwlqO2noySip/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EygBS8JiN2Gx_QrXtpu7DuCHQM5SEIxy/view?usp=sharing Adv. Placement Audition Piece, Hernandez 3. All auditionees are required to submit a 45-second improvisation video that demonstrates different movement levels from the floor: high, middle, and low. Please submit this video with any music of your choosing. 4. All auditionees are required to submit a 1-minute solo. Choreography may be created by you or by another person. Please submit all videos via google folder labeled with your Last Name, First Name (2021 Adv. Placement Audition) and share the folder with Ms. Hernandez at mayra_hernandez@psbma.org & Ms. Burns at amy_burns@psbma.org . Videos are due by Friday, February 26th. Additional Materials: Please fill out this google form 
Chorus Auditions: February 23 & 25, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm February 24, 1:00 pm to 5:00pm March 3, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Virtual/Zoom Concert Choir is open to all students with no audition. A cappella Choir is open to 10th through 12th graders with no audition; rising 8th graders may audition to be placed in A cappella Choir. Camerata is by audition for all grades. Auditions for both A cappella Choir (required for rising 9th graders only) and Camerata (all students) for the 2021-2022 school year will be held after school via Zoom on February 23-25, 2021 and March 3, 2021. Students must sign up for a specific 10-minute audition time here. Please email Dr. Driscoll with any questions at michael_driscoll@psbma.org For general information about the choruses, please go to the BHS choirs Frequently Asked Questions page. The audition for the 2021-2022 school year will consist of two parts: Prior to the audition
During the audition The audition will consist of the following:
Chorus Pianist/Accompanist Auditions February 23 & 25, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm February 24, 1:00 pm to 5:00pm Virtual/Zoom Students who are strong pianists are encouraged to audition to accompany Concert Choir and/or Camerata. Because not all music the choirs perform is accompanied, student accompanists typically sing in the choir when not playing; singing solo is not required. Auditions for chorus accompanists will be held after school February 23-25 via Zoom. Students must sign up for a specific 10-minute audition time here. Please email Dr. Driscoll with any questions at michael_driscoll@psbma.org. The audition for the 2021-2022 school year will consist of two parts: Prior to the audition
During the audition The audition will consist of the following:
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Open Drama Class
Drama I, Drama I-A and the Theater of Hip-Hop are open to all students with no audition. Students who want to learn about and experience what a Drama class at Brookline High is like, are encouraged to attend an open Drama class on either: Wednesday, February 24th, from 12:45 - 1:45 on Zoom or Thursday February 25th, from 3:30 - 4:30 on Zoom Zoom link here: https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/92146977163?pwd=N21zU2lDMWREOWQrTndFYThoYTdiZz09 No experience or preparation necessary. For questions, contact Elena Maimonis at elena_maimonis@psbma.org 
Needs Improvment & BETCo Auditions
10th and 11th graders who have completed at least one and a half credits of Drama may audition for Needs Improvment or BETCo (Brookline Educational Theater Company). Auditions will be held on Zoom:
Audition Link here: https://psbma-org.zoom.us/j/96504325133?pwd=QTUwOVlvRzk0bVFCanBybDc4aEFCQT09 Students only need to come to one audition day and do not need to prepare anything. For questions, contact Mark VanDerzee at mark_vanderzee@psbma.org Advance Placement Auditions for Instrumental Music classes:
BHS Orchestra and Concert Orchestra are open to all string, brass, woodwind and percussion students, no audition is required. Concert Band is open to all wind, brass and percussion students, no audition is required. 
Advanced Chamber Orchestra
Advanced Chamber Orchestra (ACO) is an auditioned ensemble for experienced string, woodwind, brass and percussion students. Students that were accepted to ACO last year do not need to re-audition. This year’s auditions will be via video. Email your audition video or questions to Ms. Bishop at nina_bishop@psbma.org. Videos are due Wednesday, March 3. ACO Auditions Complete this form and prepare a six minute video:
Music Collective (jazz/improvisation & more) Auditions:
Virtual/Zoom: March 1 and March 3 10th through 12th graders with instrument experience are welcome to audition for the Music Collective. The BHS Music Collective is an audition only ensemble that is one of the top ensembles in the instrumental music program at BHS. The ensemble is open to any instrumentalist (we are not a traditional big band). The Collective has received awards at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival, and recently the ensemble was mentioned in the Music Educators Journal in an article that applauded collaborative ensembles in the 21st century public music classroom. The class also requires extracurricular rehearsals and performances Although most members are juniors and seniors, all current members auditioned as either incoming freshman or rising sophomores; they might not have been accepted as 9th/10th graders into the music collective but they did take either the jazz-rock ensemble or concert band to develop their skills. All current members then re-auditioned and were accepted either as sophomores or juniors. The audition this year will be 2 parts: Virtual (zoom) and a submitted video recording. Part One: Please submit a link to a you tube video by February 26 and include the following: ALL SHOULD KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE HEAD AND SOLO OVER Bye Bye Blackbird Wind/brass instruments play melody through form using jazz phrasing and then solo through the form one time. Guitar/Piano
Bass
Drummers
Part 2 Zoom audition When: ● Monday, March 1 or Wednesday, March 3 at 3:00-4:30 Use this link ● Pick one day to attend and sign your name ON this google calendar Appointment Page What to be prepared with: Please make sure You are set up ready to play If you are a drummer please be at your drum set and have brushes . The actual audition will last 15 minutes and consist of: ● Being asked to play/improvise any of the following scales in the following concert keys ○ Major-Eb-C ○ Mixolydian-Bb- A ○ Blues- F ○ Dorian-just concert D ○ ● Drummers need to know the following scales ○ Major-F-Bb ○ Mixolydian-F ○ Blues-F ● Playing in a variety of musical genres including ○ Rock ○ Jazz ○ Funk ○ Bossa Nova ● Sight Reading of a typical jazz/rock chart. Theory exam: You will be given a link after your zoom audition to complete a short 5 minute quiz ● Notate seventh chords-Maj 7, Minor 7, Dominant 7(from the keys you played the scales in) ● Recognize secondary and substitute dominants (if you do not know this it is covered in the jazz rock class) ● Write a guide tone line. For any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Carolyn Castellano at carolyn_castellano@psbma.org |