Students in grades 10-12 are eligible to participate in the USC Band Clinic. To be selected to participate in one of the concert bands, students must first be nominated by their high school or home school band director. Band directors must use the online form to nominate concert band students and/or submit audition videos for jazz band and honors chamber ensemble students. The link to the online form will go live in November. The nomination form deadline is Monday, December 9. 

Band Directors will need the following information from their students to complete the form:

•    Name
•    Grade
•    Instrument
•    Participant's personal email address
•    Parent email address
•    Previous Band Clinic participation
•    Other playing experience
•    Unlisted YouTube link to audition video for Jazz Band or Honors Chamber Ensemble students

For every school that nominates students, the top woodwind student and the top brass student will be selected to participate. Students may only be nominated for one instrument. Any others will be selected on a space-available basis, and selections will be based on the ranked order and information submitted by the band directors. 

Students invited will receive an invitation via the parent’s email address provided with their nomination. The invitation will include a link to register for the clinic. Registration is only accepted online.

Concert band students (those not participating in an honors chamber ensemble) will arrive on the USC campus on Friday, February 14 in the early morning to check in, learn their band placement and begin rehearsals. 

That afternoon, students will participate in masterclasses with the USC School of Music applied music faculty. Concerts on Friday will feature the USC Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Left Bank Big Band and Percussion Ensemble.

Rehearsals continue on Saturday, and concerts will include the guest bands and the Palmetto Concert Band.

Students will have final rehearsals and dress rehearsals on Sunday, culminating with the finale concert on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Koger Center for the Arts.

*Note: Additional information will be sent out via email on February 10, 2025.

*Note: Students electing to participate must be present at all events throughout the weekend. Students with conflicts during the weekend should not register. Students who miss a required event will not be allowed to continue participation throughout the weekend. Teaching Fellow Candidates are encouraged to reschedule their interview if there are conflicts.

2025 Band Clinic excerpts can be found below.

Students will submit their concert band chair placement audition via video. Students will perform 4 major scales (C, E-flat, E, A-flat for their respective instruments, NOT concert pitch – ie., C scale for trumpet will begin on C. C scale for alto sax will begin on C. C scale for trombone will begin on C.  Etc.), the chromatic scale, covering the practical range of their respective instruments, and audition excerpt(s). You must record all materials in one take. A phone video with audio will suffice for these auditions.

Be sure to post your audition video as “unlisted” (not private) and leave it up until after you receive your ensemble/chair placement for USC Band Clinic. 

Excerpts for Band Clinic chair placement auditions can be found below.

Flute
Oboe
Clarinet *
Bassoon
Saxophone **
Trumpet
Horn
Tenor Trombone
Bass Trombone
Euphonium (Treble) (Bass)
Tuba
String Bass
Percussion (Mallet) (Snare) (Timp) ***

*Note: Bass and Contrabass clarinet will play the listed clarinet excerpt an octave lower than written and in a comfortable tempo.
**Note: Alto, Tenor and Baritone saxophones will play the listed saxophone excerpt.
***Note: All percussion participants are required to audition on all applicable percussion instruments. Scales and sight-reading are not required for percussionists.

Students in grades 10-12 are eligible to participate in the USC Band Clinic. To be selected to participate in the jazz band, students must create an audition video that must be submitted by their high school or home school band director. Band directors must use the online form to submit audition videos for jazz band and honors chamber ensemble students and/or nominate concert band students. The link to the online form will go live in November. The nomination form deadline is Monday, December 9. 

Band Directors will need the following information from their students to complete the form:

•    Name
•    Grade
•    Instrument
•    Participant's personal email address
•    Parent email address
•    Previous Band Clinic participation
•    Other playing experience
•    Unlisted YouTube link to audition video for Jazz Band or Honors Chamber Ensemble students

Students who are only interested in auditioning for jazz band should be ranked at the bottom of your nomination list, as only their audition video will be considered when making invitation decisions. 

Students invited will receive an invitation via the parent’s email address provided with their audition video submission. The invitation will include a link to register for the clinic. Registration is only accepted online.

Jazz band students will arrive on the USC campus on Friday, February 14 in the early morning to register and begin rehearsals. 

That afternoon students will participate in masterclasses with the USC School of Music applied music faculty. Concerts on Friday will feature the USC Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Left Bank Big Band, and Percussion Ensemble.

Rehearsals continue on Saturday, and concerts will include the guest bands and the Palmetto Concert Band.

Students will have final rehearsals and dress rehearsals on Sunday, culminating with the finale concert on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Koger Center for the Arts.

*Note: Additional information will be sent out via email on February 10, 2025.

*Note: Students electing to participate must be present at all events throughout the weekend. Students with conflicts during the weekend should not register. Students who miss a required event will not be allowed to continue participation throughout the weekend. Teaching Fellow Candidates are encouraged to reschedule their interview if there are conflicts.

Audition excerpts for the 2025 Jazz Band Clinic are below.

Students that wish to be considered for a solo chair should also submit two choruses (24 measures total) of improvisation on either a Bb or F blues of their choice.

*Note: Those trumpeters that wish to be considered for lead trumpet should include BOTH the lead and section etude.

Alto Saxophone
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet (Lead) (Section)
Tenor Trombone
Bass Trombone
Electric Guitar
Piano
String Bass
Drum Set

Students in grades 10-12 are eligible to participate in the USC Band Clinic. Honors chamber ensemble students will participate in the concert band division of Band Clinic in addition their chamber ensemble. To be selected for an honors chamber ensemble, students must create an audition video that must be submitted by their high school or home school band director along with their concert band nomination. Band directors must use the online form to submit audition videos for chamber ensemble and jazz band students and/or nominate concert band students. The link to the online form will go live in November. The nomination form deadline is Monday, December 9. 

The following chamber ensembles are available:

Woodwind Quintet
Saxophone Quartet
Trombone Quartet
Percussion Ensemble

Band Directors will need the following information from their students to complete the form:

•    Name
•    Grade
•    Instrument
•    Participant's personal email address
•    Parent email address
•    Previous Band Clinic participation
•    Other playing experience
•    Unlisted YouTube link to audition video for Jazz Band or Honors Chamber Ensemble students

Students invited will receive an invitation via the parent’s email address provided with their audition video submission. The invitation will include a link to register for the clinic. Registration is only accepted online.

Honors chamber ensemble students will arrive on the USC campus on Thursday, February 13 at 5 p.m. to register and begin their first chamber rehearsal. 

The following morning, students will arrive to learn their concert band placement and begin their first band rehearsal. That afternoon, students will participate in a masterclass with their applied USC School of Music faculty member. Students will then attend another chamber ensemble rehearsal and join their respective bands later that afternoon. Concerts on Friday will feature the USC Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Left Bank Big Band, and Percussion Ensemble.

Rehearsals continue on Saturday, and concerts will include the guest bands and the Palmetto Concert Band.

Those participating in Band Clinic honors ensembles will perform with their chamber group on Saturday, February 15 at 7:15 p.m. at the Koger Center for the Arts prior to the Palmetto Concert Band performance. Students will then have their concert band dress rehearsals on Sunday, culminating with the finale concert on Sunday at  2 p.m.

*Note: Additional information will be sent out via email on February 10, 2025.

*Note: Students electing to participate must be present at all events throughout the weekend. Students with conflicts during the weekend should not register. Students who miss a required event will not be allowed to continue participation throughout the weekend. Teaching Fellow Candidates are encouraged to reschedule their interview if there are conflicts.

2025 Honors Chamber Ensemble audition repertoire can be found here.

Applicants must perform all applicable excerpts for the audition. You may record the excerpts in separate takes. Audio/Video from a phone will suffice for these auditions.

*Note: Those selected for honors chamber ensembles will still be required to submit chair placement auditions for concert band in February.