2025–2026 Senior Festival Audition Requirements
Percussionists must choose snare drum, timpani, or mallets for the audition.
If a student receives an All-State Recommendation, they may only audition for All-State on the same instrument chosen for their district audition.
Audition Pieces:
Snare Drum
Cirone - Portaits in Rhythm, #6; Belwin Mills HAB 101
Timpani
Whaley - Musical Studies for the Intermediate Timpanist, p. 32; J.R. Publications
Mallets
Masterpieces for Marimba, p. 5; Pro-Art-1202
Multi-Percussion Excerpts:
All percussionists must play a short excerpt on bass drum, crash cymbals, suspended cymbal, tambourine, and triangle.
Click here for this year's multi-percussion excerpts.
Sight-Reading:
Percussionists will sight-read on their primary instrument only (snare drum, timpani, or mallets).
Students will be given 30 seconds or so to look over the excerpt before playing.
Snare drum sight-reading will include two of the following rudiments:
5, 7, or 9 stroke roll (alternating)
Flam accent
Single paradiddle
Double paradiddle
Ruffs
Scales:
Mallet percussionists should prepare all scales on the scale sheet. In the audition, students will be asked to play two of the major scales and the chromatic scale. All scales must be memorized. Scales are not required for snare drum or timpani auditions.
Equipment:
Percussionists must bring their own sticks, mallets, beaters, tambourine, and triangle. All other equipment will be provided.
The timpani setup in the audition room will be International Style: lowest drum on the left, highest drum on the right.
Contact Ray Cole for any percussion audition questions.
Email: raymond.cole@eastlongmeadowma.gov