Federation Festival
This is an event for all levels from beginner to advanced. You play 2 pieces. One must be drawn from a list of required pieces and the other is of your choice. The required piece must be memorized. There is one judge, who writes up an evaluation of the performance. Accompaniment is expected for this event.
There are other categories available, if desired, such as ensembles, composition, and concertos. A student could enter multiple events. There are additional fees for each one you participate in. You can get more information on this organization at:
All District Auditions
This is for students who are participating in a band, orchestra, or chorus class at school. Entry is done through the class teacher. There is a small entry fee and a deadline, so students must be paying attention and probably asking their teacher about the details so they don’t miss that deadline. Students play excerpts from a required solo, which often also has an accompaniment, making it useful for other events. Students are also required to do scales from a required list and sight reading. This is a very competitive event. Winners are then selected to participate in an honors group later in the year, usually getting out of school one day for rehearsals. The top High School level winners of each section then go on to compete on a state level. You can get more information about this at:
Jazz Ensembles
Jazz Arts of Charlotte has an education program, which trains young musicians in jazz performance. A student will need to have the basic fundamentals mastered before applying for this. You can find more information about this at: