Auditions

February 13, 2023

Dear Music Teachers,

We are excited to announce the return of the Sonora Bach Festival. As a music
teacher in the Central Sierra Mother Lode, you’ll be interested in the plans for our
exciting, annual Youth Concert. This event is a wonderful opportunity for you to provide
an inspiring challenge for your students who are dedicated to working hard as they
grow as a young musician. We are dedicated to making the audition and concert a
safe, rewarding and encouraging experience.

The dates for this year’s event are as follows:

Application due date: Friday, September 8th
Auditions: Sunday, September 17th, 49er Church
Concert: Sunday, October 1st at 3pm, 49er Church

As in any endeavor of this sort, the rewards are significant. The process of application,
audition and performance serves as a significant milestone in their young lives. The
auditions themselves, adjudicated by three experienced and sensitive adult musicians,
will provide an opportunity for written feedback for each student. Musicians selected to
perform on the concert will be awarded incentive scholarships in the amounts of
$50. The concert provides its own reward for the students in teaching them to set
and achieve performance goals, and share the joy of music with their community. Your
students’ successful participation is a source of pride for their family and friends and a
source of community pride in the quality of our young music makers.

Please contact us with any questions at 209-591-3445 or
sonorayouthbachfestival@gmail.com.

The Youth Concert features some of the very best young musicians in our area who
have dedicated hours to the development of their art and talent. We hope you will
consider giving your students this opportunity to audition.

Sincerely,
Makena Benz & Shiloah Fenn
Youth Bach Festival Co-Chairs

2023 Sonora Bach Festival Youth Auditions Guidelines

1. The youth auditions are open to students through the 12th grade from Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Amador counties. Applications must include a signed recommendation from the teacher or adult advisor.
2. The music selected must be from the Baroque through the Classical periods. A few of the composers to choose from are J. S. Bach, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Marcello, Sweelinck, Quantz, Tartini, Telemann, Monteverdi, Lully, Purcell, Corelli, Vivaldi, Rameau, Couperin, Scarlatti, Handel, Loeillet, Pachelbel, Pergolesi, Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven.
3. The music must be performed from memory for the audition as well as for the performance. Ensembles may use music.
4. Auditions are concert style with family and friends as audience. There are no assigned audition times; students will play on a first-come, first-served basis. Specific audition times will be considered upon request with 48 hour notice.
5. Ensembles must provide their own music stands.
6. A student may audition on only one solo instrument and in only one ensemble.
7. Students must provide at least three copies (an original is OK — it will be returned) of the music for reference by the judges during the audition.
8. A musical selection shall not exceed 5 minutes in length.
9. Daytime concert dress is required for both the audition and the concert. Discuss this with your teacher. For girls, skirts or dresses and dress shoes. For boys, shirt and tie, jacket optional, dress shoes.
10. At the audition, each student will announce his or her name, title of piece, and composer.
11. Teachers will make arrangements for an accompanist if required. Teachers may accompany students. The Bach Festival can provide an accompanist, with advance notice, for a $20 fee.
12. There will be no formal rehearsal for the concert, but students may come early for a run-through, on a first-come, first-served basis. Both auditions and concert will be held at the Church of the 49ers in Columbia.