Music Department
Torrey Pines High School
Auditions
Auditions for 2025-2026
Auditions for the 2025-26 school year will take place in the spring of 2025. Please check back here for information about how to audition and updated audition requirements to be posted in late winter/early spring. ​
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Music Classes for 2025-2026
Click on class names for more information about each class.
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Intermediate level band and orchestra classes:
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Upper level band and orchestra classes:
No experience necessary, no audition required, open to all students:
MIDI Composition (Recording Arts)​
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​About the Audition Process​
Band and Orchestra Classes
Incoming freshmen who want to be placed in one of the upper level classes must audition for placement into any of these classes: Chamber Strings (Advanced Orchestra), Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Band.
No audition is required for Symphonic Band and Intermediate Orchestra, but these are not beginning level classes and prior experience on your instrument is required.
When you register for classes, choose the band or orchestra class you want to be in. You will be placed in the correct class on the basis of your audition.
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MIDI Composition (Recording Arts) and Instrumental Music
These classes are open to all students. No experience is required. There is no audition for these classes.
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Need Help?
If you have any questions please email our music director Amy Gelb at amy.gelb@sduhsd.net
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Audition Requirements for 2024-2025
Please read these directions carefully and email Ms. Gelb with any questions you may have. amy.gelb@sduhsd.net
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Each video requirement listed here will be uploaded in the Audition Form to the corresponding file there (File A, File, B, etc.).
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Symphonic Band & Intermediate Orchestra
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No Audition necessary, but these classes are not beginning level and experience is required.
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Wind Ensemble
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File A: (Winds)- Video of the following scales (as many octaves as you can with a nice tone) with an articulation of your choice and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) Concert D Major, 2) Concert Ab Major, 3) Concert G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File A: (Percussion)- Video of the following scales (if you have a pitched mallet instrument or piano): 1) D Major, 2) Ab Major, 3) G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File B: (Winds & Percussion)- Video of these excerpts or a piece of your choosing which demonstrates your technical and musical ability.
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Jazz Band
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File A: Video of the following scales (as many octaves as you can with a nice tone) with an articulation of your choice and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) Concert D Major, 2) Concert Ab Major, 3) Concert G Harmonic Minor, 4) Chromatic Scale
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File A: (Vocal)- Video singing one of the three vocal options (Betwitched, Something's Gotta Give, or No More Blues). Sing entire song while using provided backing track. PDF's and backing tracks.
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File B: Video of the these excerpts or a melody from the Real Book excerpt of your choosing.
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File C: Video soloing over a blues key of your choice (use backing track of your choice) for 12 bars.
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File C: (Drums)- Video demonstrating the ability to play Swing (8 bars), Funk (8 bars), Latin of your choice (8)​
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Chamber Strings (Advanced Orchestra)
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File A: Video of the following scales (at least 2 octaves) demonstrating consistent bowing and quarter notes = at least 80: 1) C Major, 2) D Major, 3) G Major, 4) G Harmonic Minor
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File B: Video of the these excerpts or a piece of your choosing which demonstrates your technical and musical ability.
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