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Ensemble Placement Auditions

The Bob Cole Conservatory features 12 major performance ensembles and over 20 chamber ensembles. All students must audition for placement. The auditions are highly competitive; students are expected to practice all excerpts and other requested material to the best of their ability. For guidance preparing the audition, contact your area director.

**If you are a Prospective Student looking for audition information for admission into the Bob Cole Conservatory, please visit the Prospective Students Page and follow the instructions there.

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Audition Times, Requirements, and Sign-up Forms

Latest update: July 27, 2022.

Please select your instrument area below for specific repertoire, registration and audition date selection requirements.

If you have additional questions about your audition, please contact the Area Director of your instrument directly using the email address provided.

Brass & Woodwinds

All students enrolled for Fall 2022 MUST audition for ensemble placement.

Brass and Woodwind students have blind auditions, meaning the adjudicators will not know who is auditioning. Arrive 5 minutes before auditions for your instrument are scheduled to begin (see below). Audition order will be determined by a random drawing.

A Proctor will open and shut the door and turn pages if necessary.

Bring your audition material with you into the room. While in the room do not speak or you will be asked to leave and audition at a later time. You may whisper questions to the proctor.

Audition Dates, Times, & Locations

Brass: Thursday, August 18, Room UMC-A311

  • Tuba/Euphonium 8:00am-9:00am
  • Trumpet 9:15am-11:15am
  • Horn 11:30am-1:30pm
  • Trombone/Bass Trombone 1:30pm-3:30pm

Woodwinds: Friday, August 19, Room UMC-A311

  • Clarinet: 9:00am-11:00am
  • Bassoon: 11:00am-12:00pm
  • Flute: 12:30pm-2:30pm
  • Oboe: 3:00pm-4:00pm
  • Saxophone: 4:00pm-5:30pm

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Choral Ensemble Placement

Thank you for your interest in singing in one of the outstanding choirs of the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. All students enrolled for Fall 2022 MUST audition for ensemble placement.

Choral Audition Times and Location

Wednesday-Friday, August 17, 18, & 19 in the Frank Pooler Choir Room, UMC-A301.

Chamber Choir Call-backs: Friday, August 19, from 6:00pm-9:00pm


Chamber Choir Requirements

To audition for the Bob Cole Chamber Choir, please do the following:

  • Prepare a classical solo, 2-3 minutes in length
  • Learn (you don’t need to memorize) these two pieces: Brahms—Im Herbst ep-brahms.pdf and Mence: Kalejs Kala Debesis ep-mence.pdf
  • Those who audition for Chamber Choir will automatically be considered for University Choir.

An accompanist will be provided for your audition.

University Choir Requirements

To audition for the University Choir, please do the following:

  • Prepare 32 bars of any accompanied classical, musical theatre, or folk song
  • Be prepared to sightread and demonstrate your pitch memory

An accompanist will be provided for your audition.

ConChord Requirements

ConChord is open to all members of the University Community and meets on Tuesday nights. There is no audition requirement for ConChord.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Michael McKenzie at michael.mckenzie01@student.csulb.edu

Audition Registration

You must do TWO things to sign up for your audition:

  1. Fill out the online audition form. After you click "submit" you will receive a confirmation email
  2. Follow the link in the confirmation email and SCHEDULE YOUR AUDITION

If you have any questions about rep or issues signing up, please contact your area director.

**Please note: This form will begin to accept responses on August 1**

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Instrumental Jazz Ensemble Placement

Jazz students audition the week before each Fall Semester and are placed in a Jazz Performance Ensemble based on the merit of their audition.

All incoming and returning jazz studies majors are required to audition. BCCM music majors and other CSULB students interested in performing with a big band or combo are invited to attend.

Audition Times and Location

Monday, August 15 from 9:00am-5:00pm in Room UMC-A307
Tuesday, August 16 from 9:00am-5:00pm in Room UMC-A307 (Individual Auditions)
7:00pm-9:00pm in Room UMC-A307 (Reading Session)

The audition results will be emailed to candidates the next morning. Rehearsals begin the first day of classes, Monday, August 22nd.

Instrumental Jazz Requirements

During the individual auditions, you will perform one prepared jazz tune or étude with a backing track you provide. We have sound system connectivity for smartphones, tablets, and laptops. You will also perform a brief sightreading excerpt that we provide.

Saxophonists: Please prepare a short jazz or classical piece on the woodwind instrument(s) that correspond with your saxophone: alto sax/flute, tenor sax/clarinet and flute, and baritone sax/bass clarinet and flute.

On Tuesday evening, all applicants will play in a big band reading session. Players will be rotated as we sightread big band charts. After this, the brass and rhythm section players will be excused and saxophonists will demonstrate their woodwind doubling skills in a section setting. Attire is casual for both days.

Audition Registration

To sign up for your audition, please email Jeff Jarvis directly at jeff.jarvis@csulb.edu


Jazz Combo Ensemble Placement

If you would like to audition for a spot in a jazz combo there are two options:

  1. If you already have a Big Band audition slot scheduled (August 15 or 16), or will be scheduling one, your Big Band audition will also cover your combo placement.
  2. If you would like to participate in Jazz Combos but are not participating in a Big Band audition, please contact combo director Jimmy Emerzian at jimmy.emerzian@csulb.edu to provide a pre-screen recording and/or schedule a live audition (August 17-19).

About Jazz Combos

Combo placements will be completed and announced by the first day of classes, Monday, August 22nd. Combos will begin rehearsing the first week of school.

Combo participation is open to all students, based on skill and our instrumental needs, but priority is given to Jazz Majors, then Music Majors, and then to other majors. Placement in a combo is by audition only and is not guaranteed with course registration.

Our groups rehearse Thursdays from 5:00pm-7:00pm and 7:00pm-9:00pm and Fridays 10:00am-12:00pm. Your placement in the time slot you register for is not guaranteed. We try to accommodate availability to avoid conflicts with other mandatory ensembles, but when you audition please know that you may be placed in any of these time slots.

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Vocal Jazz Ensemble Placement

Participation in any CSULB Vocal Jazz Ensemble is by audition only. You must download all audition information (in the "Ensemble Placement Repertoire" section below), print it, fill it out, and bring it with you to your audition.


Audition Times and Location

Tuesday, August 16 from 10:00am-6:00pm, Room UMC-A504
Wednesday, August 17 from 1:00pm-4:00pm, Room UMC-A504


Audition Requirements

The Vocal Jazz repertoire pdf contains a form. Please print this form, fill it out, and bring it to your audition. ep-vocal-jazz.pdf

Audition Registration

You must do TWO things to sign up for your audition:

  1. Fill out the online audition form. After you click "submit" you will receive a confirmation email
  2. Follow the link in the confirmation email and SCHEDULE YOUR AUDITION

If you have questions about your audition repertoire or difficulty signing up, please email christine.guter@csulb.edu.

**Please note: This form will begin to accept responses on August 1**

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Opera Auditions

All students enrolled for Fall 2022 MUST audition for ensemble placement.


Opera Audition Times and Location

Saturday, August 20 from 11:00am-2:45pm in the Daniel Recital Hall.

Audition Requirements

Please bring two memorized selections, at least one of which is in a language other than English. Arias are preferred, but not mandatory.

Students New to the Opera Program

For students new to the Opera program, a zoom chat with opera faculty prior to audition will be required. These sessions will take place Wed-Fri August 17-19. The purpose of the chat is for us to get acquainted with you a bit, and to give you an opportunity to ask any questions you might have prior to the audition.

Contact Dr. Anglin for more info david.anglin@csulb.edu.

Audition Registration

You must do TWO things to sign up for your audition:

  1. Fill out the online audition form. After you click "submit" you will receive a confirmation email
  2. Follow the link in the confirmation email and SCHEDULE YOUR AUDITION

If you have questions about your audition repertoire or difficulty signing up, please email Dr. Anglin at david.anglin@csulb.edu

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Strings Ensemble Placement

All students enrolled for Fall 2022 MUST audition for ensemble placement. If you’re not yet vaccinated, please go and get it done. The campus will require it for all students and faculty.

Orchestra String Seating Audition Times and Location

Sunday, August 21, Room UMC-A311

  • Cello 12:00pm-2:15pm
  • Viola 2:30pm-3:15pm
  • Bass 3:30-4:25pm
  • Violin 4:30-7:45pm

All incoming and returning students will receive their packets by email. If you have not received one by August 1, please email moni.simeonov@csulb.edu for more information.

Audition Registration

You must do TWO things to sign up for your audition:

  1. Fill out the online audition form. After you click "submit" you will receive a confirmation email
  2. Follow the link in the confirmation email and SCHEDULE YOUR AUDITION

If you have questions about your audition repertoire or difficulty signing up, please email Johannes Müller Stosch at moni.simeonov@csulb.edu

**Please note: This form will begin to accept responses on August 1**

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