OGDEN, Utah – The different departments of the performing arts are music, dance and theatre. Students interested in auditioning and participating do not have to be studying performing arts majors or minors.
For the music department, entrance and scholarship auditions are now being accepted virtually. This includes auditions for orchestra/strings, band/brass/woodwinds, percussion, piano and vocal/choral groups.
According to the Performing Arts page, faculty will begin reviewing auditions on Feb. 13. While this is not the deadline, those who apply by Feb. 13 will be first to be considered for scholarships.
Patty Coan, administrative assistant in the department of performing arts, said all auditions will be completely virtual for the first time this year.
Auditioning students will need to prepare videos of themselves and submit them online, according to the instructions found on the department page. The page also contains links to forms students will need to fill out and submit. Information about expectations and guidelines for the video submissions, such as scales and pieces to perform, per instrument can also be found there.
Auditions for the dance department are also open to any student interested in performing and dancing. These students, however, are required to also take a dance technique class, such as ballet or jazz technique.
Erik Stern, professor and director of dance, said the entrance and scholarship auditions are typically not something the students have to prepare for, besides being in shape to dance. Those that audition are taught choreography they didn’t know before, and then they have to present it. Stern said they can learn a lot about someone by watching them learn and think on their feet.
“It’s fun. You don’t have to prepare, but you have to be very present and try to learn things,” Stern said.
However, due to the pandemic, Stern said they are still working out how to hold auditions this year. He said they would be virtual, most likely requiring a video and answers to a prompt, but they are still working out the details and the platform.
The website assures that full information about the process will be communicated on that same page by Feb. 1. Stern said audition dates will likely be around mid-February. Students can also email either Stern or assistant professor Joseph Blake for more information.
Aside from the entrance and scholarship auditions, Stern said specific performance auditions, such as for Orchesis Dance Theatre, are always held the first Friday of the same semester.
Scholarship auditions and interviews for the theatre department have already passed as the deadline was in November.
However, similar to the dance department, students can audition for some specific theatre performances during the school semesters. Jessica Greenberg, associate professor of theatre design, said auditions for Innovation Theatre, which will present in April, are now coming up. Those interested should look online or contact the department.
Each department has information about their applications and auditions under their individual pages on the performing arts page of WSU’s website. The pages also contain information about the different departmental scholarships available for each group.
Students
should feel free to contact the departments of interest for more information.