2022 Music Open House/Audition and Placement Info
Wed, September 7th, 2022
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
- This event has passed.
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 homepage and look for “Courses.”
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
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.]
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 faculty]
Question about auditions, lessons, etc? Contact the director or instructor.
To sign in to any audition, you must be using your @williams.edu account to access forms)
African Musical Instruments, ensembles
Ensemble Auditions: Tue Sep 13
*starting at 4pm
*in Shainman Rehearsal 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 10 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, Travis Dobson
*jazz wind Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
contact Kris Allen (see “Jazz groups” below)
*woodwind Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Wed Sep 7, starting at 10am, or 6pm
*in Room 28, 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 9/7, 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: Sun Sep 11
*starting at 2pm
*in Room 30, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony String Audition SIGN-UP***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Cello lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 7, 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]
Choirs
Ensemble Auditions:
*Thu Sep 8 10am-2pm, *Board Room*
*Thu Sep 8 starting at 3pm, Presser Choral Hall
*Fri Sep 9 11am-1pm, Presser Choral Hall
*Fri Sep 9 starting at 3pm, Presser Choral Hall
Choir Audition SIGN-UP***
*for Williams Concert Choir
*for Williams Chamber Choir
(Looking for voice lesson auditions? see below under “Voice”)
Chinese Music Ensemble
Ensemble Auditions: Wed Sep 7
*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 7, starting at 5pm
Thu Sep 8, starting at 1pm
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, etc.
*see contacts by instrument to find jazz instructors – contact them directly
Piano
General Auditions for:
*for Ensembles/Piano Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
*for Piano Lessons
contact: Doris Stevenson
Audition time: Thu Sep 8, starting at 2pm
*in Room 27, Bernhard Music Center
Ensemble/Piano Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
Percussion, ensembles
Ensemble auditions:
*Fri Sep 9,
*starting at 4:15pm
*in Shainman Rehearsal Hall, Bernhard Music Center
EnsemblePercussi on Audition SIGN-UP ***
General Audition Expectations
*for Williams Percussion Ensemble
*for I/O New Music
*for Berkshire Symphony
*for Percussion lessons: no audition neccessary
*for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
contact: Matthew Gold
*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: Sun Sep 11
*starting at 12pm
*in Room 30, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony String Audition SIGN-UP ***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Strings, courses
*for string Chamber Music [MUS 291-298]:
*Wed Sep 7, starting at 10am, or 6pm
*in Room 28, 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 9/7, 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
*for Berkshire Symphony: Sun Sep 11
*starting at 2pm
*in Room 28, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony Audition SIGN-UP***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Viola lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 7 *starting at 5:15pm
*in Room 28, Bernhard Music Center
contact Ah Ling Neu
*in Room 28, Bernhard Music Center
Viola Lesson Audition SIGN-UP ***
*s. “Strings” above for Chamber Music Workshop [MUS 291-298]
Violin, ensembles
*for Berkshire Symphony: Sun Sep 11 *starting at 2pm
*in Room 30, Bernhard Music Center
Berkshire Symphony Audition SIGN-UP ***
Berkshire Symphony Audition Expectations
Violin lessons
*by audition Wed Sep 7, 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 8 & Fri Sep 9
*starting at 3pm
*in Presser Choral Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Choir Audition SIGN-UP ***
*for Williams Opera Workshop by audition (TBA)
Voice lessons
*by audition Sat Sep 10, starting at 3pm
*Presser Choral Hall, Bernhard Music Center
Vocal Lesson Audition SIGN-UP
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 2022 Audition Sign-Up Sheets will go live on August 29!
***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 7
*Course Auditions for String and Woodwind Chamber Music [MUS 291-298] Wed Sep 7, starting at 10am and 6pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Cello Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 7, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Chinese Music Ensemble Auditions: Wed Sep 7, starting at 5:15pm, contact Wang Guowei for placement
*Sitar and Tabla Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 7, starting at 5:15pm, contact Veena Chandra and Devesh Chandra for placement
*Viola Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 7, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Violin Lesson Auditions: Wed Sep 7, starting at 5:15pm, SIGN-UP ***
*Voice Lesson Auditions: Sat Sep 10, starting at 3pm, SIGN-UP ***
Many of the departmental Ensembles hold auditions in the days following Open House:
Jazz Ensembles Auditions:
Wed Sep 7 starting at 5pm
Thu Sep 8 starting at 1pm SIGN-UP ***
Piano Lesson/Ensemble Auditions:
Thu Sep 8 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
Concert Choir and Chamber Choir Auditions:
Thu Sep 8, starting at 10am and at 3pm
Fri Sep 9, starting at 3pm SIGN-UP ***
Percussion Ensemble and Lesson Auditions:
Fri Sep 9 starting at 4:15pm SIGN-UP ***
Woodwind/Brasswind Audtions for Berkshire Symphony:
Sat Sep 10 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
String Auditions for Berkshire Symphony:
Sun Sep 11 starting at 2pm SIGN-UP ***
Zambezi Marimba Band Auditions:
Tue Sep 13 starting at 4pm, contact Tendai Muparutsa for placement