2024 Music Open House/Audition and Placement Info
Wed, September 4th, 2024
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
- This event has passed.
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
Auditions and Placement for Lessons and Ensembles
At Open House first-year students have a chance to meet with music faculty and consider options for the coming year. Returning students can reconnect and find out what’s new. It is a great opportunity for all to explore the possibilities: music courses, lessons, and ensembles. Come see who is making music at Williams!
We encourage all incoming students to contact us directly, even before Open House!
What courses are being taught this semester? Please go to our Music Homepage and look for “Courses.”
How do I find the Theory test?
Click the link for the Music Theory Placement Test
Who teaches which instrument? This is a list of contacts by instrument or alphabetical list of instructors
What can I join? This is a list of music groups
How do I find a comprehensive overview of people and faculty specialties? See this list of music professors, ensemble directors, and instrumental faculty
What if I am not a Williams student? Should I sign up here? If you are not an enrolled Williams student, please contact the ensemble director or faculty member best suited to answer your questions.
Ensembles & Lessons
The list below includes…
1) Ensembles and how to join them
2) Lessons requiring auditions
(more about Courses)
3) Links to auditions which have online sign-up. [Note: you must be signed into your Williams account to sign up; lists go live in the last week of August]
4) Some lesson studios do not arrange placement through formal auditions. If there are no explicit instructions below for your instrument (e.g. jazz bass, trombone, jazz sax, songwriting, etc.) please contact the instructor directly.
[For a complete overview: Instrumental/Vocal faculty]
Question about auditions, lessons, etc? Contact the director or instructor.
Audition forms will be accessible in the last week of August, 2024.
To sign in to any audition, you must be using your @williams.edu account to access forms
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
***You must sign in to your Williams account (ex. abc1@) to access the sheets*
African Musical Instruments, ensembles
Ensemble Auditions: Tue Sep 10
*starting at 4pm
*in Chapin Hall, Bernhard Music Center
*for Zambezi Marimba Band
*for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
contact: Tendai Muparutsa about auditioning
African Drumming, Mbira lessons
contact Tendai Muparutsa to arrange lessons
Brass and Woodwind, ensembles
Berkshire Symphony Auditions: Sat Sep 7 starting at 2pm
*in Room 30, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony Wind Audition SIGN-UP ***
*General Audition Expectations
*for Berkshire Symphony: audition sign-up above
*for Brass Ensemble placement: please contact instructors
Brass and Woodwind, courses
*brass ensembles, Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298] contacts: Steve Felix
*jazz wind Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298] contact Kris Allen (see “Jazz groups” below)
*woodwind Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Wed Sep 4, starting 5:45pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
*by audition, contact Jacqueline DeVoe
Chamber Music [MUS 291-298] SIGN-UP***
*Pre-formed woodwind chamber groups must contact the instructor by 9/6, and…
*…pre-formed woodwind chamber groups do not need to audition
Brass and Woodwind lessons
*contact the Artist Associate of your instrument to arrange lessons
Cello, ensembles
*for Berkshire Symphony: Sat Sep 7
*starting at 2pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony String Audition SIGN-UP***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Cello lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, contact Julian Müller
*in Room 30, Bernhard Music Center
Cello Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
*s. “Strings” below for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
***You must sign in to your Williams account (ex. abc1@) to access the sheets*
Choirs
Ensemble Auditions:
*Thu Sep 5 12pm-4pm, Presser Choral Hall
*Fri Sep 6 10am-12pm, Presser Choral Hall
*Fri Sep 6 2pm-4pm, Presser Choral Hall
Choir Audition SIGN-UP***
Choirs Information Sheet
*for Williams Concert Choir
*for Williams Chamber Choir
(Looking for voice lesson auditions? see below under “Voice”)
Chinese Music Ensemble
Ensemble Auditions: Wed Sep 4
*starting at 5:15pm
*in Room 29, Bernhard Music Center
contact Wang Guowei
*for Chinese Music Ensemble
*for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Chinese String Instruments lessons
contact Wang Guowei or Susan Chen to arrange lessons
Jazz, ensembles
Ensemble Auditions/Placement:
Wed Sep 4, starting at 5pm – special jazz pianist session from 5pm – 8pm
Thu Sep 5, starting at noon
Fri Sep 6, starting at noon
in Shainman Rehearsal Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Ensemble Audition SIGN-UP ***
*for Williams Jazz Orchestra
*for Small Jazz Ensembles/Combos/Groups
*for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
contact: Kris Allen
Jazz instrumental lessons
*some instrumental categories offer specialized instruction: jazz drums, jazz bass, jazz piano, etc.
*see contacts by instrument to find jazz instructors – contact them directly
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
Piano
General Auditions for:
*for Piano Lessons
contact: Doris Stevenson
Audition time: Thu Sep 5, starting at 2pm
*Room 27 (down the hall from the music office), Bernhard Music Center
Piano Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
*for Piano Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Chamber Music [MUS 291-298] SIGN-UP ***
*Pre-formed string chamber groups must contact the instructor by 9/6, and…
*…pre-formed string chamber groups do not need to audition
Percussion, ensembles
*for Williams Percussion Ensemble
*for Berkshire Symphony
*for Percussion lessons: no audition necessary
*for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
contact: Matthew Gold
*Mon Sep 9, starting at 4:15pm
*tabla lessons contact Devesh Chandra
*African Instruments contact Tendai Muparutsa
*jazz percussion/drumset/lessons contact Kris Allen, see “Jazz groups” above
Strings, ensembles
*for Berkshire Symphony: Sat Sep 7
*starting at 2pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
*includes violin, viola, cello, contrabass
Berkshire Symphony String Audition SIGN-UP ***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Strings, courses
*for string Chamber Music [MUS 291-298]:
*Wed Sep 4, starting at 6pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
or contact Ah Ling Neu directly to schedule a time.
Chamber Music [MUS 291-298] SIGN-UP ***
*Pre-formed string chamber groups must contact the instructor by 9/6, and…
*…pre-formed string chamber groups do not need to audition
Stringed instrument lessons
*by audition, see “Violin, lessons”; “Viola, lessons”; “Cello, lessons”
*bassists: please contact instructor: see contacts by instrument
*guitar, sitar, harp, Chinese stringed instruments: see contacts by instrument
Viola, ensembles
*forBerkshire Symphony: Sat Sep 7
*starting at 2pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony Audition SIGN-UP***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Viola lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 4
*starting at 5:15pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall
contact Ah Ling Neu
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Viola Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
*s. “Strings” above for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Violin, ensembles
*for Berkshire Symphony: Sat Sep 7
*starting at 2pm
*in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony Audition SIGN-UP ***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Violin lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 4 starting at 5:15pm
*in Room 27, Bernhard Music Center
contact Joanna Kurkowicz
Violin Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
*s. “Strings” above for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Voice, ensembles
*for Choir Auditions:
Thu Sep 5, 12–4pm
Fri Sep 6, 10–noon, and 2–4pm
*in Presser Choral Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Choir Audition SIGN-UP ***
Choirs Information Sheet
*for Williams Opera Workshop by audition (TBA)
Voice lessons
*by audition Sat Sep 7 starting at 3pm
*Presser Choral Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Vocal Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
Voice Lesson Auditions – Expectations and Guidelines
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
Music Ensembles sponsored by the music department are also represented at Open House:
Williams Gospel Choir
Music Department GC webpage
Davis Center GC webpage
GC Youtube channel
Handbell Choir
Music Department HC webpage
Middle Eastern Music Ensemble
Music Department MEME webpage
contact: Nicholas Mangialardi, Rami Al-Aassar
Chamber Orchestra of Williams
Music Department COW webpage
Calendar of Auditions (chronologically)
Fall 2024
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
***You must sign in to your Williams account (ex. abc1@) to access the sheets*
Many large Lesson Studios hold auditions right after Open House, Wed Sep 4
*Course Auditions for String, Piano, Woodwind Chamber Music [MUS 291-298] Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:45pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Cello Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Chinese Music Ensemble Auditions: Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, contact Wang Guowei for placement
*Sitar and Tabla Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, contact Veena Chandra and Devesh Chandra for placement
*Viola Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Violin Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 4, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Voice Lesson Auditions: Sat Sep 7, starting at 3pm, SIGN-UP ***
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
Many of the departmental Ensembles hold auditions in the days following Open House:
Jazz Ensembles Auditions:
Wed Sep 4 starting at 5pm
Thu Sep 5 starting at 9am SIGN-UP ***
Piano Lesson Auditions:
Thu Sep 5 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
Concert Choir and Chamber Choir Auditions:
Thu Sep 5, 12pm to 4pm
Fri Sep 6, 10am to noon, 2pm to 4pm SIGN-UP***
Woodwind/Brasswind Auditions for Berkshire Symphony:
Sat Sep 7 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
String Auditions for Berkshire Symphony:
Sat Sep 7 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
Percussion Ensemble and Lessons:
*Mon Sep 9, starting at 4:15pm
contact Matthew Gold
Zambezi Marimba Band Auditions:
Tue Sep 10 starting at 4pm, contact Tendai Muparutsa for placement
***You must sign in to your Williams account (ex. abc1@) to access the sheets***
***Audition Sign-Up Links are now live – make sure you are signed into your Williams account ***
Got a question about Open House or Auditions? ask here