Performing Arts Advanced Placement Auditions

What to prepare for your placement Audition.

Dance.

To be considered for Dance Technique or Dance Company you must prepare:

• ONE 1 minute solo. We ask that students choreograph a 1 minute solo to the music of their choice which showcases their strengths as a dancer and highlights their creativity. Students should be dressed for movement and are asked to bring their music (track or YouTube) on a phone or iPod. Sound equipment will be provided. 

• Be prepared to learn & perform a short combination. 

Advanced Vocal.

To be considered for Advanced Vocal you must prepare:

• ONE song that you are comfortable with and feel showcases your voice. Students should bring sheet music, a backing track (on phone or iPod- sound equipment provided) or should be prepared with two sight reading selections and two rhythm selections from the documents below. Students will only be asked to perform one sight reading section and one rhythm section in addition to their song selection.

Jazz Ensemble.

To be considered for Jazz Ensemble you must prepare:

• Students will be required to the melody of Autumn Leaves (see sheet music attached), along with one chorus of comping for bass, piano or guitar. Drummers should be ready perform a standard swing drum pattern and a straight 8th rock groove. Students will be expected to answer some basic music theory questions and knowledge of the instrument.​

Contemporary Ensemble.

To be considered for Contemporary Ensemble:

• All instruments need to prepare a Blues standard of their choice. E.G. Stormy Monday, The Sky is Crying, Sweet Home Chicago etc. You should be prepared to provide one head of comping and one head of improvisation over it. You may perform your audition with a backing track of your choosing as long as it doesn’t have an interfering melody. After the prepared section, students may be interviewed about their background and knowledge of their instrument.

Advanced Guitar.

To be considered for Advanced Guitar:

• Students will need to prepare Fernando Sor’s Opus 31, Etude 1 (see sheet music below). Auditionees need to be ready with this and are required to use the sheet music at the time of audition. They will then be asked to sight read a piece of music after playing the prepared portion. Finally, students will be asked several questions related to the guitar and music theory.

Musical Theatre.

To be considered for Musical Theatre you must prepare:

• 32 bars of ONE Musical Theatre piece. We request that all audition material be sourced from a published musical or film. No contemporary hits please! Those auditioning may bring a backing track (on phone or iPod- sound equipment provided) or should be prepared to sing a cappella. 

• ONE Contemporary Monologue. We request that all audition material be sourced from a published play, musical or film. ​

Your audition should not exceed 5 minutes in total. Please be aware that you may be asked to learn & perform a short dance combination. 

Attending the Audition

Auditions will be held in the Theater at New School for the Arts & Academics at 1216 E Apache Blvd, Tempe 85281. Please wait quietly in the Gallery for your turn.

How Should I Prepare?

Leading Up to Your Audition

• Check out the What to Prepare for Your Audition section above to find out what you need to have prepared based on the courses you are pursuing.

On the Day of Your Audition

• Arrive at NSAA at least 10 minutes before your scheduled Audition Time.

• Make sure you are warm and ready to perform upon arrival.

• Auditions will be held in the Theater. Please wait quietly in the Gallery at a social distance from others. Someone will come out for you when it is your turn. 

• Please note that, on occasion, auditions will run a few minutes behind schedule. In this instance, please wait quietly in the Gallery as to not disturb others who may be auditioning. We greatly appreciate your patience.

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What to Expect

All Performing Arts Faculty will be in attendance for your audition. We will use your audition time to see what you have prepared. In some instances, you may be asked to demonstrate additional skills or asked questions to help us determine where to best place you. The Performing Arts Faculty will also use this time to discuss your Performing Arts education goals and offer guidance on courses and opportunities that will help you pursue and achieve those goals. Remember that the PA Faculty's main objective is to help you determine the best path for personal growth and set you up for success.

Placement

You will receive notification of Placement (via the email address provided at the time of sign-up) by 3 PM of the day following your Audition*. Please keep in mind that all placement decisions are made considering several factors; some classes have limited capacities, some require an established set of skills/knowledge, some require additional time commitment outside of class hours, some may conflict with other required courses. If you have questions about your placement, you can feel free to contact Performing Arts Coordinator, Amy Abbruscato, with any inquiries. 

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Performing Arts Coordinator, Amy Abbruscato.