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Auditions for Concert Bands and Symphony Orchestra Winds — Spring 2026

Spring Semester

All students must audition for bands (and Symphony Orchestra winds) each semester. Instructions and excerpt packets are toward the bottom of this page.

A note about Symphony Orchestra auditions...

Brass and woodwind auditions for the Symphony Orchestra are conducted by the studio faculty in coordination with auditions for the Ohio State bands. Students playing these instruments will use the same audition resources as for bands (below).

String players who wish to join the Symphony Orchestra for the first time in Spring semester should contact Miriam Burns (burns.1165@osu.edu). 

Learn about the Ohio State Orchestras.

General Band Membership Information

Auditions are open to ALL woodwind, brass and percussion students enrolled at Ohio State, regardless of major.

Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra (winds), Collegiate Winds — by audition

  • Music Majors: All woodwind, brass and percussion students majoring in music are expected to prepare audition materials for Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band and/or Symphony Orchestra. Music majors may not audition for Collegiate Winds as their primary ensemble.
     
  • Non-Majors may choose to prepare an audition for ALL bands listed above or may elect to prepare only the audition for Collegiate Winds. 

University Band — audition not required

Learn about the Bands.

Course times for Spring 2026

All ensembles at Ohio State are credit-bearing courses. Most ensembles have variable credit hours between 0.5 and 2, which allows you to participate without exceeding 18 hours per semester.

  • Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band — Mon./Wed. 1:50–3:55 p.m. and Fri. 1:50–2:45 p.m.
  • Symphony Orchestra (winds) — Tue./Thu. 1:50–3:55 p.m.
  • Collegiate Winds — Tue./Thu. 7–8:30 p.m.
  • University Band — Tue./Thu. 7–8:30 p.m.

Please consult Class Search to confirm course meeting times and locations.

Audition Procedures

All auditionees must first complete the online Instrumental Ensemble Audition form prior to audition week.


Auditions for Spring semester will be blind — behind a screen for anonymity.

To protect your identity throughout the process:

  • Sign up for your audition time (on SignUpGenius) using an alias. Do not use your actual name.
  • At your audition, check in with the proctor who will escort you into the audition room. They will communicate with the audition panel so that you do not need to speak.
    • If you need to communicate with panel for any reason, you are to contact the proctor who will communicate on your behalf.
    • The audition panel will not have access to your audition form information until after the auditions have concluded.


Video auditions are available as an option for NON-music majors who are auditioning ONLY for Collegiate Winds. 

Video auditions are not accepted for music majors on their primary instrument or for any students wishing to be considered for Symphonic Band and/or Wind Symphony.

To complete a video audition:

  1. Record the following in one continuous take:
    1. A brief introduction that includes your name, year in school, hometown, and major
    2. The four exercises contained in the Collegiate Winds single-sheet PDF for your instrument (below) (Major scale, Chromatic scale, Articulation etude, and Solo etude)
  2. Upload the video to YouTube or OneDrive
  3. Send a link to the video by email to Phil Day at day.404@osu.edu
    1. Please use “Collegiate Winds Audition - [NAME] - [INSTRUMENT]” in the subject line

Please send a video link to Phil Day (day.404@osu.edu) by Sunday, January 11 at NOON to be considered for Collegiate Winds. 

Otherwise, non-majors wishing to be considered for Wind Symphony or Symphonic Band MUST play an audition in person.

Sunday, January 11

Auditions will take place in Weigel Auditorium, Timashev Room 160, and Weigel Room 174.

Schedule your audition time(s) via the appropriate SignUpGenius link(s) below.

Make-up auditions will occur on Monday, January 12.

Questions? Email Christopher Dent at dent.50@osu.edu.

Required Musical Excerpts and Instructions

Note that excerpt packets change each semester.

All students majoring in music, as well as non-majors wishing to audition for all ensembles, are expected to prepare audition materials for spring Symphonic Band and/or Symphony Orchestra. It is not permissible for a music major to prepare only an audition for Collegiate Winds.


Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra (winds), Collegiate Winds (music majors)

Download the appropriate audition packet PDF which contains the required excerpts for the above ensembles. Prepare and perform the excerpts in the order in which they appear in the packet. 
 


Collegiate Winds

For NON-majors who wish to be considered for Collegiate Winds ONLY

Download the appropriate single-page music PDF which contains the required excerpts. Prepare and perform the excerpts in the order in which they appear.

  • Instrument links labeled "CW SP26 [pdf]" indicate Collegiate Winds spring 2026 audition material for non-majors only.


Flute CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Oboe CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Clarinet CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Bass Clarinet CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Bassoon CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Saxophone CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Trumpet CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Horn CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Trombone CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Bass Trombone CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Euphonium CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Tuba CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Percussion CW SP26 [pdf] (opens in a new window)

Audition Results

All students who complete an audition will receive an email notification by Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
 

Questions? 

If you have questions about the audition process, trouble downloading the musical excerpts, or do not receive an email with the results, email Christopher Dent at dent.50@osu.edu. Mr. Dent responds to email between 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Fri.