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Drum Major Audition Packet 2024

Drum Major Audition Packet

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Chris Neugent
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44 views

Drum Major Audition Packet 2024

Drum Major Audition Packet

Uploaded by

Chris Neugent
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Drum Major Audition Packet 2024

Audition Date
Thursday, March 21, 2024

Position Description
●​ The primary duty of the Drum Major is to serve as the student leader and public face of our
Marching Band.
●​ The Drum Major must be present at all rehearsals and performances. Rare, if any, exceptions to
this must be approved by the Band Director.
●​ The Drum Major serves as liaison of the Director to the Band.
●​ The Drum Major is the primary conductor for the marching band; conducting the fall field show, all
parades, and music in the stands at football and basketball games.
●​ The Drum Major constantly represents the values, respect, hard work, and character associated
with being a member of the Marching Lions.

Crucial Qualities for Leadership Skill Development


A candidate desiring to become a drum major must possess certain leadership qualities and be able to serve
as a role model for all other ensemble members.

1. The ability to maintain the respect of other members of the ensemble through fair and impartial leadership.
2. The personal fortitude to assert leadership when necessary and to assume full responsibility when in
command.
3. The intelligence and common sense to make correct decisions when placed in a performance situation.
4. The capability to deal with fellow members in a confident, tactful, and authoritative manner.
5. The ability to command and maintain control without displaying excessive ego.
6. The physical appearance, mental ability, coordination, and dignified manner in which to make a positive
impression.
7. An enthusiastic and positive attitude linked with the capability to motivate others.
8. The maturity and mental discipline to be prepared, dependable, cooperative, and loyal.
9. The competency to understand, perform, and/or conduct music at a highly proficient level.
10. The expertise to perform with tasteful showmanship and the presence to command the respect and the
attention of spectators.
11. The ability to handle stress in various situations and settings.

Sections of the Audition


A candidate desiring to become a Drum Major must possess certain abilities in order to properly carry out the
role’s requirements.
●​ Completed Student Leadership Team Application
●​ Conducting
○​ Patterns
○​ Star-Spangled Banner
○​ The Amazing Race, Part 1
●​ Marching
●​ Saluting
●​ Interview Questions ​
Conducting
A candidate desiring to become a drum major must possess the posture and the conducting abilities that are
necessary to convey musical qualities to the band and to the audience.

1. The right hand maintains a strict, musical pattern, relaying:


• Tempo
• Dynamics
• Style

2. The left hand relays all other musical ideas, such as:
• Crescendos/Decrescendos
• Accents
• Entrances
• Style
• Mirrors (when necessary)

3. Body Posture, Face, & Stance


• Facial expressions are appropriate. Head/eyes help with cue.
• Feet shoulder width apart.
• Shoulders relaxed but back, elbows lifted from the body.
• Chin up.
• Fingers cupped with hands in front of shoulder blades.

Patterns for Conducting


Basic patterns. We will discuss these patterns in more detail during the clinic.
Patterns Exercise for Audition:
Conduct in 4/4, 3/4, and 2/4 time at tempos of 80, 120, or 144 bpm with a metronome. There will be three
rounds in which you will be asked to conduct in one of the listed tempos with one of the listed time signatures
(for example, round 1 you may be asked to conduct in 3/4 at 80 bpm, round 2 in 4/4 at 144 bpm, etc.)

a.​ This section of the audition will be conducted in a fixed-point pattern.


b.​ You will be judged based on your conducting form, clarity of pattern and your ability to
maintain tempo.

Terminology:
Know these terms and how they may apply to your conducting pattern:

Dynamics Tempos Articulations

Piano Adagio Accelerando Accent


Mezzo Piano Moderator Rallentando Legato
Mezzo Forte Allegro Molto Staccato
Forte Vivace Meno Marcato
Crescendo a Tempo Pui
Decrescendo Poco a Poco

Cues, Crescendos and Decrescendos


We will practice and discuss cues and crescendos/decrescendos more during the audition. Your ability to
perform these will be tested during the conducting audition excerpts.
Audition Excerpts for Conducting
1.​ Conduct and sing the Star-Spangled Banner. Give two preps, breathing on the beat before the
entrance. Use cues and cut-offs when appropriate; we will discuss cues and cut-offs during the
clinic.

Audition Excerpt for Conducting, continued…


2.​ Conduct Movement 1 from The Amazing Race from beginning to the E. You will conduct from
memory to a recording. We will discuss score analysis during the clinic.
●​ Recording:LINK TO MVMT 1

●​ Score: LINK TO MVMT 1​


Marching
Performance of Marching Fundamentals. A candidate desiring to become a drum major must possess the
ability to march at a high level and execute basic commands. You will demonstrate this by doing the following:

With a metronome set at MM=100


●​ Parade Rest (8 Counts)
●​ Attention (8 Counts)
●​ Mark Time (8 Counts)
●​ Forward March (8 Counts)
●​ Backward March (8 Counts)
●​ Band Halt

Salutes
Demonstrate Salute. A candidate desiring to become a drum major must possess the ability to put together
and effectively execute their own salute.

1. The salute has become one of the most significant aspects of showmanship for the Drum Major. Regardless
of how involved or creative, there are three parts to every salute:
• Pre-Salute
• Salute
• Post-Salute

2. In the salute position:


• The fingers on both hands are together and the wrists are straight.
• The right elbow is at a 45-degree angle from the body.
• The left hand is in front of the hip with the elbow straight out to the side in another 45-degree angle.
• The fingers of the left hand are together and straight, with the thumb behind the hip.

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