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National High School Honors Orchestra


National High School Honors Orchestra
February 16-20, 2010
Santa Clara, California

The National High School Honors Orchestra will be held February 16 - February 20, 2010 in
Santa Clara, California. Applications are open to String Instrument Students in grades 11-12
during the 2009/2010 school year and Percussion and Wind/Brass students in grades 9-12
during the 2009/2010 school year.

Students interested in applying can find the application and required repertoire below, or
download from the ASTA website www.astaweb.com. More information about the guest
conductor, Scott Speck, and NHSHO is also available on the website. Submission
requirements (applications and audition CD’s) must be mailed to the state chairperson by
May 15, 2009. Jane Ezbicki, 60 Bellefontaine Ave., Framingham, MA 01701
Questions? Send emails to Ezbick@rcn.com and/or Libby@astaweb.com

Students selected by the National Committee and elected to participate with the National
High School Honors Orchestra in Santa Clara, California will be required to pay $795 to
participate. This will cover all expenses minus air travel including the student's hotel stay for
4 nights and meals. The Massachusetts chapter (MA-ASTA) will contribute scholarship aid to
its accepted students.

National High School Honors Orchestra Mission Statement
The mission of the National High School Honors Orchestra is to competitively select the most talented
young musicians from school orchestras in each state to assemble biennially and perform in a national
showcase, playing music from the professional orchestral literature under the direction of an
internationally recognized conductor. The students working toward excellence in the NHSHO are
inspired to carry that excellence back to their own schools and on to a musical future.

What is the National High School Honors Orchestra?
The National High School Honors Orchestra (NHSHO) is a performing group of 120 competitively
selected high school musicians who assemble biennially to perform at the ASTA National Conference.

How are the students selected for membership in the NHSHO?
Students apply for the orchestra through the state chapters of ASTA. They submit an audition tape/
CD of required literature and three minutes form literature of their own choosing. The state
coordinator and an audition committee select up to thirty tapes/CDs to forward to the national level.
Separate audition committees for strings, winds, and percussion select the 120 students for the
orchestra. The students are required to be members of their school or community orchestra.
Students must follow the application process as stated above to be considered by the national
committee.

National High School Honors Application Repertoire
Violin
Concerto in E Minor by Felix Mendelssohn: Three minutes from first movement; Three minute solo of
your choice
Viola
Concerto in C Minor by Johann Christian Bach: Three minutes from first movement; Three minute solo
of your choice
Cello
Concerto in C Major by Franz Joseph Haydn: Three minutes from first movement; Three minute solo of
your choice
String Bass
Concerto in A Major by Dragonetti: Three minutes from first movement; Three minute solo of your
choice
Flute/Piccolo*
Concerto in G by Mozart/Rampal (International): First movement
Oboe/English Horn*
Sonatine by Jacob (Oxford)
Clarinet
Concerto No. 1 by von Weber (Carl Fischer): First movement
Bassoon
Concert Piece by Phillips (Carl Fischer)
Horn
Concerto No. 1 by R. Strauss (International): First movement
Trumpet
Sonata by Kennan (Wamer Brothers): Movements 1 & 2
Trombone
Concerto for Trombone by Gordon Jacobs: Movements 1 & 2
Tuba
Serenade No. 12 by Persichetti (Elkan Vogel)
Harp**
Concerto in B-flat by Handel (HaI Leonard): Movements 1 & 2 (50502290)
Piano**
Prelude & Fugue in C Minor, from The Well Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach

Percussion
All percussionists are required to play the traps excerpts listed below.
You may audition for one or more of the major instrument categories below. Those auditioning for
Timpani, Snare Drum and Mallets must also include the excerpts from the Trap category (triangle,
tambourine and cymbals). You may also audition for the Traps category only.

All solos and excerpts from below are to be placed on one tape or CD.
One fee will cover all percussion categories.
Timpani Requirement
• Timpani solo of your choice, which best represents your playing ability.
• Crescendo/decrescendo rolls on the 29” and 26” drums.
• Excerpts: Symphony No. IV by Tchaikovsky, First movement- Letter T (3 before allegro con
anima) to letter V
• Traps excerpts (see traps excerpt category below)
Snare Drum Requirements
• Snare drum solo (not rudimental) of your choice, which best represents your playing ability.
• Short rudimental etude of your choice, which best represents your playing ability.
• Excerpts: Scheherazade by Rimsky Korsakov, Third movement letter D to E and G to J; Fourth
movement letter P to R
• Traps excerpts (see traps excerpt category below)
Mallets Requirements
• Mallet solo of your choice, which best represents your playing ability
• Excerpts (pick at least one)
• Bells: Magic Flute by Mozart, Finale to Act I
• Xylophone: Porgy and Bess by Gershwin, Introduction/ Allegro con Brio (“Catfish Row”)
• Vibraphone: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Bernstein, measures 582 to 629
(“Cool”)
• Traps excerpts (see trap excerpts category below)
Traps Requirements
• Multi-percussion solo of your choice, which best represents your playing ability.
• Excerpts (include all excerpts listed below)
• Tambourine: Roman Carnival Overture by Dvorak, letter Q to S and letter T to the end
• Cymbals: Night on Bald Mountain by Moussorgsky, letter S to T; Romeo and Juliet by
Tchaikovsky, letter E to 12 after E and pick- up to letter T to 5 after T
• Triangle: Symphony No. IV by Brahms, Third movement, letter I to the end.


* The music selected frequently requires a double of one of these instruments and occasionally
requires their use throughout the compositions (oboe/English horn, clarinet/E-flat clarinet or
saxophone, and flute/piccolo). If qualified to do so, please audition with the second instrument on the
same tape, mark the tape, and announce your intention on the tape. If you prefer to play the color
instrument, indicate that as well on your application form and on the tape.
** Occasionally music selected by the conductor does not include piano or harp. These two categories
of applications do not count as part of the maximum number of applications from each state allowed.
Please note: if the music selected by the conductor does not call for harp or piano, your application fee
will be refunded.