All State 2022 Concert (9th & 10th Grade) Orchestra Viola Practice Packet - Fingerings and Exercises written by: The Florida Orchestra
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All State 2022
Concert (9th & 10th Grade) Orchestra
Viola Practice Packet
Fingerings and Exercises written by:
Kaitlin Springer, Violist & Teaching Artist
Table of Contents
Page 3 – Forward
Page 4 – All State Requirements
Page 8 – Scales with Fingerings
Page 10 – Etude Practice
Page 11 – Excerpt Practice
Page 12 - Sight Reading Tips for Audition Day
Page 13 – What in the World is Score Studying?!
Forward
The following packet represents all the things that I wish I could have had as a young violist in middle school
and high school. As a Teaching Artist, it has been a great privilege to visit schools throughout Pinellas County
and get to know the hundreds of young people who make up the orchestra classes and youth orchestras in the
area.
One of the many goals that we have in The Florida Orchestra and in Pinellas County is to give young people the
tools they need to grow into successful adults. There is no better way to do this than to encourage young
musicians to put themselves out there by auditioning for All State and All County. The All State experience is
incredible – music students could join other top young musicians from throughout the state of Florida in a full
symphonic orchestra concert. It is an opportunity to make new friends, work with great instructors, and push
ahead toward greater musicianship.
Whether or not you plan on continuing music through college and adulthood, practicing music has great
benefits for your future success. By practicing music, we practice creativity, problem-solving, artistry, and
teamwork. Above all else – we have fun!
I hope that this packet helps to make the process of auditioning for All State at least a little bit easier. The
process will take many hours of dedicated practicing, but it is well worth it! If you are not used to practicing
your instrument every day, start small and work up your daily practice time gradually. For the first week
practice 30 minutes for four days. Week 2 practice 45 minutes for five days. Week 3 practice 1 hour for four
days, and so on. When preparing for an audition, I practice between 3-5 hours a day (and rehearsal hours don’t
count!), so that gives you an idea of how much a professional musician might practice.
For more resources and videos check out TFO’s Virtual Learning Site linked below:
https://floridaorchestra.org/education-community/virtual-learning/
For all the latest educational videos, performances, and news, subscribe to the YouTube page:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheFloridaOrchestra
Best of luck on your All State Audition, and Happy Practicing!
Kaitlin Springer
Teaching Artist, The Florida Orchestra
3FLORIDA ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION, INC.
2022 All-State Audition Requirements
Concert (9th & 10th Grade) Orchestra - Viola
Scales
Students will play ONE of the following major scales and arpeggios:
C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, Ab - C, D, F, G scales and arpeggios must be three octaves.
All other scales and arpeggios must be two octaves.
All scales and arpeggios are to be MEMORIZED. Scales and arpeggios must be played in even
eighth notes using separate bows. Quarter note = 60-80
Sight-Reading
Students will be asked to sight read an eight measure original composition.
Etude
Composer: Mazas, Jacques
Title: 30 Etudes Speciales, Op. 36, No. 2
Edition: August Cranz, n.d.[1880]
Tempo: Quarter Note = 80-88
Notes:
Public Domain Source: https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/302277
Excerpt
Composer: Rossini, Gioacchino
Title: La Gazza Ladra Overture,
Edition: Breitkopf & Härtel, Kalmus Reprint
Tempo: Quarter Note = 160-166
Notes: m. 63 - 151 (Start bracket to End bracket)
Public Domain Source: https://imslp.org/wiki/Special:ReverseLookup/49336
The All-State Etude and Excerpt will be reduced on the day of the audition. The etudes
and excerpts provided are the official audition music. Other sources, methods, and
editions may be different - including etude numbers, measure numbers, and rehearsal
letters. Students will be evaluated against the attached music.
All provided music is in the Public Domain.
CERTIFIED BY:
_________________________________________ _________________________________________
Matthew Davis, President Donald K. Langland, Executive Director
Florida Orchestra Association, Inc. Florida Orchestra Association, Inc.
4FOA All-State Audition Requirements 2022
CONCERT (9-10) VIOLA - Etude
Mazas, Etude No. 2 - Quarter Note = 80-88
5FOA All-State Audition Requirements 2022
CONCERT (9-10) VIOLA - Excerpt
Rossini: La Gazza Ladra Overture - m. 63 - 151, Quarter note = 160-166
START
[
6FOA All-State Audition Requirements 2022
CONCERT (9-10) VIOLA - Excerpt Continued
]
END
7Florida All State - 3 Octave Scale Requirements
Fingerings by Kaitlin Springer
C Major 4 -4 -4
3
D-String 4
3
-1 -1 2 1 2 1
-2 1 -2 1
G Major
D-String 4 1
1 1 -1 3
-1 -1 3 1 0 2 3 4 1 2
4 -4 -4 3 2
-1 1 -3 A-String 4
-1 -1 2 1 -3 3 2 Sul G
2 1 1 4
4
D-String 3 3 D Major
3 -1 1 1
-1 2 -4 3
4 3 2 2 4 2 1 1 2 4 2 -1
D-String
3 4 -4 1
-1 2 3 2 1 4 3
-1 2 -3 2 2 1 -2 1 -1
A Major
D-String
3 4 3
-1 1 C-String -1 2 -1
1 1 1 -1 2 1 2
3 3 3 1 -1 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 4
-4
3 4 -4 3 D-String
-1 2 2 1 A-String
2 -3 2 4 3 Sul G
1 -3 2 1 C-String 1
2 1 4 2 4 2
4
F Major
3 3 3
-1 1 3 3 -1 2
2 -4 1 -1 2 -1 2
-1 3 1 2 4 2 2 3 4 1 4 1 2
-4 -4 4
4 3
2 1 A-String 2 1 D-String 1 1
-3 2 4 3 Sul G Sul G 3 3 3
1 -3 2 1 1 -1
4 -1 3 1 -1
Sul C-
-4
B-flat Major
3 4 -4 3
-1 2
2
-1 1 2 -1 1 2 -1
1 3 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 3 4
1 -1 3 1 2
8
D-String 4
2 1 A-String 3 3
-3 2 4 3 Sul G -1 1
1 -3 2 2 1 C-String------------- 1 2
1 4 3
2 1 4 3 2 2 4 2 -1 3
E-flat Major
A-String D-String
4 -4 -4
-4 3 C-String 2 3 3
1 3 -1
1 2 4 -1 2 4 1 2 -1 2
A-String
1 D-String 4
2 -3 2 1 1
1 -3 1 3 3
2 -1 3 1 -1 3 1 -1
D-String
D minor
1
-1 -1 2
3 -1 -1 -1 2
1 3 1
3 4 3 -3
2 1 2 1
-3 2 1 1 3 1 -1
G minor
1
4
1 -1 2 3
-1
-1 2
3 1 -1 3 3 1 3 1 -1 3 1 2 3 4 1 4 1
4 -4 3
2 3 2 -3
2 -1 2 1 A-String 4 C-String-----------
-3 2 3 2 Sul G
1 -2 1 2 4 2 1
4
D-String
-1
C minor -1
3 3
1
A-String
1
3
2 -4 1 -1
3 2 4 2
4 1 4 -4 3 A-String 2
2 3 2 3 2 -3 2 1
2 -1 1 -3
4 1
1 1 -1
0 -1 3 1 -1 3 3 3 1 0
9Mazas Etude Practice
1. Scale & Arpeggio practice- This etude revolves around the D harmonic minor scale and arpeggio, so that
should be a daily part of your etude practice. Practice the first two octaves on their own before adding in the
third octave so that the key is well in your ear as you explore the higher octave.
Turn on a D drone and practice the third octave with great deliberation, imagining how the next note is
going to sound before you play it:
2. Lowering the Octave- When you have sections that are very high, it is beneficial to practice those passages
an octave lower so that you can get the music well in your ear before you try playing it in the stratosphere.
Practice measures 38-41 down an octave:
3. Count out Loud- One of the coolest parts of this etude is when you hold the low whole note “A” in
measure 47 – holding that note to the bitter end adds a whole nother layer of intensity to the piece, so I like to
practice counting out loud for those measures:
Practicing this way for long notes will ensure that you don’t shortchange any notes, it is a great way to polish
your precision!
*If you aren’t used to counting out loud while you are playing, start by clapping the rhythm as you are
counting out loud, then try counting only the first measure while playing. Once you are confident with the first
measure, add another beat to your counting out loud practice, then another, and another, until you can count
out loud for the entire 2 measures.
Follow along with the Practice video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP8psj3e7YM&t=374s
10Rossini La Gaza Ladra Overture Excerpt Practice Tips
1. Intonation Practice – Classical music is highly tonal, so it is very important to start practicing with sparkling
harmony and intonation in mind. Before tackling this music, outline the E natural minor scale in the following way while
your drone is set on E:
This covers the harmonic range of the first section, now outline the E Major scale for the second section:
Another great way to practice the intonation in the faster bits of this excerpts is to practice the first note of each set of
triplets. Here is a great example of a passage that could use this type of work:
Here is the practice breakdown:
Practicing this way will help you hear this passage harmonically so you can play with sparkling precision!
2. Rhythm Practice – One of the biggest challenges in this excerpt is keeping a steady pulse through a variety of
triplet and duple sections. If you can nail the transition between those passages chances are better that you will remain
steady throughout, so I like to practice this in blocks. Turn the metronome on quarter note=80 and tap the rhythm for
Block A and Block B separately:
Block A
Block B
Now keep the metronome on as you tap the rhythm for blocks A and B together. When that feels stable and easy, play
the blocks on the viola. Gradually bring the metronome up to Quarter note=126 as the stability feels easy. This will help
you feel confident that you are keeping tempo as you change rhythms.
These are just a couple of ways to practice this excerpt so that you can have a great audition. Thoughtful, deliberate, and
creative practice will polish this music and bring your artistry to the next level, so happy practicing!
Follow along with the Practice video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpKgqHVOv0w
11Sight Reading Tips for All State Audition Day!
Sight-reading is a valuable skill when you are learning new music or if you want to be able to read new music
with your friends. You will also have to show your sight-reading chops when you audition for All State. The
more you practice sight reading and improve at it, the more confident you will be when you learn a new piece,
sight read for an audition, or play music with your friends!
Here are some things to think about as you practice sight-reading:
1. Identify Key Features using the STARS method:
Sharps/flats (Key Signature) – Make sure to scan the whole page for key changes that might come in
later and take you by surprise!
Time Signature/tempo – Make sure to scan the whole page for time signature changes as well.
Accidentals –
Rhythms – Look out for changes in the rhythm pattern as well as complex rhythms.
Signs – Repeats, endings, dynamics, articulations
2. Sing ahead – Silently sing through portions of the excerpt while lightly tapping a pulse. If it is a long
excerpt, do this with the first line and with some of the challenging parts that you identified with the help of
the STARS method.
3. Shadow play – Silently air bow as much of the excerpt as you can. If you have extra time, spend a little
more time on the first line of music and the challenging parts you already identified.
4. Take deep breaths – This is one of the most important and helpful things we can do, but in the
moment it is so easy to forget to breathe! Try this exercise to practice deep breathing:
Inhale for 5….4…..3…..2….1, and Exhale for 5….4….3….2….1
Inhale for 7….6….5….4….3….2….1, and Exhale for 7….6….5….4….3….2….1
Inhale for 10…9….8….7….6….5…..4….3….2….1, and Exhale for 10….9….8….7….6….5….4…..3….2….1
The challenge is to be slow and deliberate in your breathing, take 3 deep breaths before you start playing to
relax your body and calm your nerves.
5. Take your time – Last but certainly not least! Remember that this is your time, and the adjudicators
want you to succeed. There should be at least 7 seconds of preparation time before you start playing each of
your pieces. That means there should be a 7 second space between when the adjudicator says time is up and
when you actually start playing. This is the time to take 3 deep breaths, look over the first line of music one
more time, and take another 3 deep breaths.
6. Be kind to yourself – Before you start playing tell yourself something kind, like “I’ve got this!” or “I
know this piece so well, I’m going to do awesome!”. When the audition is over do the same thing. You might
say something like “I did my best!”, or “I did well at…” and list at least a couple things you were happy with.
It’s easy to get caught up with the imperfections or to feel down if something goes differently than you hoped,
but what is important is that you learned your music and you had the courage to put yourself out there!
12What in the world is score studying?!
By TFO Teaching Artists
Kristin Baird, Violin
Kaitlin Springer, Viola
What is a score?
A score is what the conductor looks at. All of the parts for every instrument are shown on the
same page. That’s why the conductor’s part has so many pages!
What is score-studying?
Every section of an ensemble has their own part, but all of those parts together make a piece of
music. Score studying is when we look at the score to learn how our part fits in with everybody
else. It helps up to learn our own part with confidence, musicality, and accuracy.
Why should I study the score?
Score studying helps us to work better as a team in an ensemble. For example, if you have the
melody you might sing your part more. If you have a long note, you need to know what kind of
inflection or shape to make in order to support the melody. If someone else in the orchestra
has running eighth notes, you need to play your part more metronomically without taking too
much time. This is why we look at the score while listening to a recording - so we can mark our
own part and better understand how we fit into the larger picture.
How do I find a copy of the score?
Many scores can be found on IMSLP.org. You can also ask your school orchestra or band teacher
if they can make you a copy.
Things to look for in the score. Page 2 is an example from Beethoven’s Egmont Overture.
• Check the key signature, time signature, and tempo markings.
• The Melody is highlighted in yellow. Always know who has the melody! If you have the
melody, your part is probably very singing and melodic. If you don’t have the melody, how
can you shape your part so that it supports your friends that are playing the melody.
You’re a team!
• Metronomic rhythms are highlighted in. Parts with smaller note values
function as our ensemble’s metronome.
• Rhythms that must fit in with ours like a puzzle piece are highlighted in blue. These are
the parts that often play during rests, like off beats.
13If you play a yellow part, you have the melody! But make sure you’re not late after the rest. The blue parts
make up the first 3 eight notes of the bar, you have the last three eight notes of the bar.
If you play a blue part, make sure that you’re matching the shape of the yellow part and doing the same
amount of crescendo.
If you play a green part, make sure that you very even, steady, and matching the shape of the yellow melody.
If you are holding a long note, play the same shape as the yellow melody, but change your notes at the right
time by listening to the rhythm in the blue and green.
14You can also read
