AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

Audition camps will include a visual and musical component. Please be prepared for group instruction as well as individual assessments. For your individual music audition, please prepare:

• Exercise 4 from the “Boston Technique Exercises” (found in the 2024 audition packet). Please be prepared to play this exercise at Quarter Note = 172. Tubas are NOT required to play exercise 4.

• A 1 to 2.5 minute technical solo, etude, or characteristic study of your choosing.

If you have access to an instrument, please bring it with you to auditions. We have a limited amount of brass instruments available. If you do not have an instrument, please bring your own mouthpiece.

The in-person audition will consist of group technique and rehearsal sessions run by the battery staff, as well as individual auditions designed to assess skill levels and offer detailed, personal feedback. Please prepare all material in the packet* at the tempos prescribed in the music to the best of your ability, and expect to have an awesome weekend learning and drumming in group and individual settings! We are also asking each prospective member to prepare a short solo or excerpt of about 30 seconds that showcases their performance energy, virtuosity, and refinement. This excerpt can be anything of your choosing! *Note – You do not need to prepare Red’s Rhumba or the 2023 Show Excerpt for your audition.

No visual/marching is required at the one-day auditions.

Things to Bring to Camp

• Sticks or mallets for whatever instrument you are trying out for. Please have sticks and mallets taped with white stick tape.

• Music stand

• 3-ring binder with plastic sheet protectors (non-glare) and pencils

• If possible, your own drum with stand and/or harness.

What to Bring

• A Good Attitude- We are looking for much more than just great playing ability and previous experience, we are looking to find great team members as well. A Front Ensemble is a unique collection of people, as those 14-15 players spend all day, everyday, for 3 months straight together. We are looking for folks who buy into a “team” concept and are able to effectively receive instruction from the admin, staff, and section leaders to achieve our goals.

• Music and Solos- Beyond the exercise packet, we would like to hear each person perform 60-90 seconds of a solo. It could be a marimba, vibraphone, timpani, or piano solo based on what instrument you are interested in auditioning for.

• Mallets and Instruments- For your solo excerpts, feel free to use any mallets you would like to use. During the group session, we will provide the instruments and mallet for you.

• Callback Camp Structure- the audition camp will be a mixture of ‘groups sessions’ where you’ll be working with our instructors and the rest of the ensemble, as well as an individual audition where you’ll get to perform exercises and a solo excerpt for one of our front ensemble coordinators.

What should I wear?

You need to wear something comfortable and form fitting–dance attire. Please remember that this is an audition and you want to look your best. Wear clothing that allows you to move about freely. Keep hair out of the face. We advise against wearing jewelry (minor jewelry like stud earrings are okay). Please bring sneakers, you’ll wear them while we spin equipment. This also applies to video auditionees.

Do I need to bring my own equipment?

Please bring equipment if you can. We will provide weapons and flags but have a limited amount. We will be spinning 39″ sabres and 38″ rifles. If you do not have a 38″ rifle and would like to bring a 39″ instead, that is okay. Please no 36″ equipment. Flags will be provided.

Do I have to audition on weapon to make the color guard?

It is not required to spin a weapon to audition. First and foremost, everyone must be able to spin a flag and dance well to make the color guard. We decide the number of people that will spin weapon in the show based on the talent at auditions and show design needs. Casting needs may be different year to year.

What is an in-person audition like?

Each audition day begins with dance and basic movement technique. This will set you up to get comfortable and have a good understanding of the style that we are looking for. We will teach the choreography piece (that will be performed for the audition) and continue to refine throughout the day. You’ll then move on to flag where we will start with basic technique. We will teach the choreography after that. Weapon technique and choreography will be taught later in the day. You will perform them in groups for your final audition. These one-day camps are fast moving with lots of learning. You will come in, learn the pieces, and perform them at the end of the camp. We will break in between blocks for meals.

**PLEASE REMEMBER** The entire process is an audition–from the moment you walk in the door until you leave at the end of the camp.

During the audition camps, we will be doing relaxed interviews with each auditionee. This interview is simply a way for us to make sure we have all of your information correct, to get to know you a little better, and for you to ask us any questions you may have.

What are you looking for in the audition?

This is a casting. We select our members based on what the production demands and what roles are needed. Exactly what we are looking for differs from year to year based on the casting needs for that year’s production. From a skill perspective, we are always looking for the highest level of excellence–from technical standards to performance. Other variables that will be taken into consideration are work ethic, cooperation with others, financial standing with the drum corps, level of retention (of quality and details), and, very importantly, your willingness to learn.

Do I need to learn any choreography before the audition?

Audition choreography will be available in the audition Facebook group. Please join the Facebook group here and check it regularly for updates.

Please submit your materials and register for your audition by clicking here.

1. Write a paper that includes the following:

All student leadership experience, including any past drum major experience at the high school, collegiate or drum corps levels. Please also discuss how serving in these roles impacted you, what you feel you did well, and what you feel you would have done in a different way. Also discuss how you feel you changed in the roles, and the impact you made on the organizations you served.

Why the Boston Crusaders drum major position? How do you feel you would make a difference on our podium? What will you bring to our organization? What is attracting you to this leadership role in our organization?

2. Then, please include four letters of recommendation written from past music educators and/or instructors who you have worked with in the past. Please include their contact information so that we can speak with them about your past performance and accomplishments.

3. Finally, register for the live audition camp (December 8th-10th in San Antonio, TX) on the following page.

Please submit your materials and register for camp by December 1st. If you have any questions about any of the steps, or the process in general, please contact our Leadership Coach, Howard Weinstein, at hweinstein@kw.com.