Audition registration is open for the 2025-2026 season.
Auditions will be held Saturday, August 23, 2025.
The last day to register will be Wednesday, August 20.
Auditions will be held Saturday, August 23, 2025.
The last day to register will be Wednesday, August 20.
GTF Middle School Program
The curriculum in our middle school program is centered around building the creative, collaborative skills utilized in our innovative high school ensemble and by folk musicians around the world. Students will:
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Bowed string players (violinists, violists, cellists, or bassists), enrolled in grades 6-8 during the 2025-2026 school year, who are also members of their school orchestra programs. (Homeschooled students of appropriate age, students who are enrolled in online school, and those whose schools do not have orchestra programs are also welcome to apply!)
Students must have completed at least two years of musical study, either through enrollment in a school orchestra program or in a private lesson setting. Students who have 1 year of playing experience are welcome to audition with a recommendation from a private or school teacher. Please ask your teacher to email us directly with a quick note supporting your application ([email protected]).
Students do not need to have prior fiddling experience. We are looking for musicians who are eager to learn about our creative, collaborative approach to music-making!
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
1) ALL STUDENTS: A required Audition Tune to be learned by ear from audio recordings.
This audition requirement helps students prepare for the way they will learn music in GTF. In the audition, please play this tune two times through. (Please note: this Audition Tune is NOT the same as the Audition Tune for the High School Program!)
RETURNING STUDENTS: Returning students will be asked to "trade" the Audition Tune with a GTF staff member, playing the melody (while the staff member accompanies) and then accompanying (while the staff member plays the melody). When accompanying, students should play standard chord voicings while droning/shuffling/chopping in various patterns of their choosing. Additionally, the student will be asked to count in at a tempo of their choosing to start. A chord chart can be found on the Audition Tune page, for reference.
2) Major scales and arpeggios, to be performed memorized. Students will be asked to explain key signatures and arpeggios for each scale.
Violin: G major and A major in 2 octaves; C major and D major in (at least) 1 octave.
Viola: C major and D major in 2 octaves; G major and A major in (at least) 1 octave.
Cello: C major and D major 2 octaves; G major and A major in (at least) 1 octave.
Bass: G major in 2 octaves; A major, C major, and D major in (at least) 1 octave.
Students will be asked to play at least 2 scales and their accompanying arpeggios. Additionally, students should be able to explain the key signatures for each scale (e.g., the key of D major has two sharps, F# and C#) as well as name the notes in each arpeggio (e.g., the notes in a D arpeggio are D, F#, and A).
Scales and arpeggios help us to gauge each student's technical proficiency and knowledge of music theory. Notably, having active knowledge of arpeggios helps students to more quickly learn and develop accompaniment skills like the ones used in GTF.
If you are not familiar with scales or arpeggios, please use these reference PDFs to prepare for your audition:
- learn fun fiddle tunes
- make new friends
- develop musical creativity and flexibility
- build leadership skills
- participate in jam sessions with students in the high school program
- and, develop confidence, both personally and musically!
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Bowed string players (violinists, violists, cellists, or bassists), enrolled in grades 6-8 during the 2025-2026 school year, who are also members of their school orchestra programs. (Homeschooled students of appropriate age, students who are enrolled in online school, and those whose schools do not have orchestra programs are also welcome to apply!)
Students must have completed at least two years of musical study, either through enrollment in a school orchestra program or in a private lesson setting. Students who have 1 year of playing experience are welcome to audition with a recommendation from a private or school teacher. Please ask your teacher to email us directly with a quick note supporting your application ([email protected]).
Students do not need to have prior fiddling experience. We are looking for musicians who are eager to learn about our creative, collaborative approach to music-making!
AUDITION REQUIREMENTS
1) ALL STUDENTS: A required Audition Tune to be learned by ear from audio recordings.
This audition requirement helps students prepare for the way they will learn music in GTF. In the audition, please play this tune two times through. (Please note: this Audition Tune is NOT the same as the Audition Tune for the High School Program!)
RETURNING STUDENTS: Returning students will be asked to "trade" the Audition Tune with a GTF staff member, playing the melody (while the staff member accompanies) and then accompanying (while the staff member plays the melody). When accompanying, students should play standard chord voicings while droning/shuffling/chopping in various patterns of their choosing. Additionally, the student will be asked to count in at a tempo of their choosing to start. A chord chart can be found on the Audition Tune page, for reference.
2) Major scales and arpeggios, to be performed memorized. Students will be asked to explain key signatures and arpeggios for each scale.
Violin: G major and A major in 2 octaves; C major and D major in (at least) 1 octave.
Viola: C major and D major in 2 octaves; G major and A major in (at least) 1 octave.
Cello: C major and D major 2 octaves; G major and A major in (at least) 1 octave.
Bass: G major in 2 octaves; A major, C major, and D major in (at least) 1 octave.
Students will be asked to play at least 2 scales and their accompanying arpeggios. Additionally, students should be able to explain the key signatures for each scale (e.g., the key of D major has two sharps, F# and C#) as well as name the notes in each arpeggio (e.g., the notes in a D arpeggio are D, F#, and A).
Scales and arpeggios help us to gauge each student's technical proficiency and knowledge of music theory. Notably, having active knowledge of arpeggios helps students to more quickly learn and develop accompaniment skills like the ones used in GTF.
If you are not familiar with scales or arpeggios, please use these reference PDFs to prepare for your audition:
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3) A short chat, 3-5 minutes, with GTF Teaching Staff.
We are looking for enthusiastic, curious, community-minded musicians! Be prepared to talk briefly about your background and interests, both musical and otherwise.
WHAT TO WEAR
This is an informal audition. Feel free to dress comfortably, but appropriately.
WHERE TO GO
Auditions will be held at Mesa Community College.
WHAT IF I'M OUT OF TOWN AND UNABLE TO MAKE AN IN-PERSON AUDITION?
Great question! We would love to find a time to connect with you about other audition options. Please fill out an Audition Registration Form and we'll be in touch!
REHEARSALS & TUITION
Tuition for the 2025-2026 season is $375 per student. Tuition is non-refundable.
Tuition includes: rehearsal costs/expenses, instruction during rehearsals, private workshops with guest clinicians, and each student's first GTF t-shirt.
Tuition does not include: any travel or food. When any non-tuition expenses arise, parents will be notified in advance. In future seasons, through community donations and grants, we hope to be able to cover these expenses for our students and offer tuition scholarships.
Tuition includes: rehearsal costs/expenses, instruction during rehearsals, private workshops with guest clinicians, and each student's first GTF t-shirt.
Tuition does not include: any travel or food. When any non-tuition expenses arise, parents will be notified in advance. In future seasons, through community donations and grants, we hope to be able to cover these expenses for our students and offer tuition scholarships.
Rehearsals will be held on THURSDAY nights from 5:00-6:45 PM during the school year (September 2025 to May 2026). Rehearsals are held at Mesa Community College. Our first rehearsal of the 2025-2026 season will be in early September.
Returning students: please note that rehearsals will finish slightly later during the 2025-2026 season!
Returning students: please note that rehearsals will finish slightly later during the 2025-2026 season!