500

W. Boyd Street Norman, Oklahoma 73019 Phone: 405-325-2731

Welcome to the Pride of Oklahoma Music Audition Process!

THANK YOU for registering for 2020 Pride of Oklahoma Music Auditions! We are thrilled
that you are auditioning for this year’s marching band and look forward to hearing your
audition later this semester!

This year’s Pride of Oklahoma Audition process will include both a music audition (either
live or via video) and a visual audition (via video). Below are more details about each of
these important processes.

Pride of Oklahoma 2020 Music Audition Information

Our music audition process is one of the foundational aspects of our ongoing musical
success. Each season, all positions are open, which means that both returning and new
students all audition for membership on a level playing field. This policy ensures that we
have the best-prepared and most committed students within our ranks. The music auditions
are demanding so we continue to grow as a musical ensemble. The musical demand also
helps us determine the correct order to place all the students auditioning as we work to fill
all positions with the best-prepared students available.

Below are listed the specific domains in which your music audition will be assessed. We
hope that knowing this information will help you successfully prepare your audition to
earn a spot in this year’s band. As you practice, please consider the following areas of
musical detail:

1. TONE: A clear, focused tone is absolutely vital to ensure that we have an ensemble
sound that will carry and fill the large venues in which we perform. Great tone also
ensures great intonation, another key ingredient to getting our sound to ring and
carry our musical ideas to the audience.
2. PULSE: Simply put, we have to play together to maximize our impact in a football
stadium. Demonstrating your ability to play with a steady pulse lets us know that
you will be a great musical team member. Practice with a metronome to keep
yourself honest! PLEASE NOTE: You will play the major scales with the metronome
during your audition you will NOT play the chromatic scale with a metronome. It
is to your competitive advantage to play your scales flawlessly and exactly in pulse.
You will perform the etudes at a tempo of your choosing from the prescribed range
on the page.
3. CLARITY: Clear note starts and convincing performance of all articulations is a
fantastic way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Additionally, clear and even
technique within your scales and etudes will earn you maximum points. Since this
is a competitive process, prepare accordingly!
4. ACCURACY: Be absolutely certain that your performance shows excellent attention
to detail regarding accurate notes and rhythms. While you can’t control how your
competitors perform, your own accuracy is something that is completely within
your control. Take care of this and you will be very competitive.

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500 W. Boyd Street Norman, Oklahoma 73019 Phone: 405-325-2731

5. EXPRESSION: Performing your scales and etudes with forward motion and clear
and convincing expression is another area in which you can establish yourself as a
“must have” performer. Strive to communicate musical ideas that transcend mere
notes and rhythms. At a minimum, be sure the written dynamics are evident.
6. ENDURANCE and POISE: In addition to woodshedding and perfecting your
audition materials, practice performing in front of others! Perform your audition for
family and friends, directors, lesson teachers, and others. Others may hear errors
that have escaped your attention too. Put yourself on the “hot seat” often, so when
it’s time to perform your audition you will be confident that you can play your best,
even when you are physically and mentally tired. Remember that a small amount
of practice every day is far more likely to yield positive results than will marathon
practice close to the audition date. This is especially true in high brass where
endurance (or the lack thereof) will be revealed.

PLEASE NOTE: If you choose to submit a YouTube video rather than performing an in-
person music audition, you must submit it to auditions@ou.edu no later than midnight,
May 10, 2020

Pride of Oklahoma 2020 Visual Audition

For the 2020 season, the Pride is striving to reach a new level of visual achievement
throughout the season. To do that, we will be implementing this visual exercise that will be
critiqued similarly to the musical audition. We will take an average of the visual and
musical score to determine the membership of next year’s ensemble! The visual auditions
will be scored based on four categories: horn carriage, upper body execution, lower body
execution, and musical execution.

We realize that the level of marching ability will vary greatly from each auditioning
member, so we have provided a written description of the exercise, as well as a video
walking through the exercise with a full run at the end of it. We also know that some
people might be unable to get a marching instrument to use. In that case, you will perform
the exercise in BRACKETS (see video). Remember, this should only be done if there is
absolutely no way to get a marching instrument. Otherwise, you should record yourself
playing and marching.

Exercise Description:
A “figure 8” drill playing the attached musical exercise. The entire exercise will be at an 8
to 5 step size (8 steps to 5 yards) and goes as follows:
• Forward 8 steps
• Left 8 steps at a forward slide (forward marching technique)
• Backwards 8 steps
• Right 8 steps at a forward slide (forward marching technique)

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500 W. Boyd Street Norman, Oklahoma 73019 Phone: 405-325-2731

• Hip switch and continue to the right 8 steps at a backwards slide
(backwards marching technique
• Backwards 8 steps
• Left 8 steps at a backwards slide (backwards marching technique)
• Forward 8 steps

You should end the exercise in the same place that you started.
Exercise walkthrough:
https://youtu.be/H68uALxLqK8
Some auditionees may not have access to a marked field to do the exercise, so we have
also attached a video that shows you how to place markings for you to practice and record
the audition!

Marking Tutorial:
https://youtu.be/EfZN4ndLcHs

PLEASE NOTE: You may submit your marching audition YouTube video to
auditions@ou.edu ANYTIME between now and midnight, May 10, 2020.

Best of luck to you as you begin practicing for your audition! If you have any questions,
please email us at auditions@ou.edu and one of our staff members will be in touch to
assist you.

Boomer Sooner!

Mr. Brian A. Britt Dr. Brian T. Wolfe

Director of “The Pride” Assistant Director of “The Pride”

BANDS.OU.EDU
 GMEA All-State Band Etude
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 2020 Visual Exercise Music
Score created with the free version of Flat - https://flat.io

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Tenor Saxophone

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