Small but Mighty: Exploring Your First Excerpt

Objective: Students will be introduced to the concept of orchestral excerpts and explore how short, focused sections of music can help improve their technique, listening skills, and confidence.

Why This Matters (Director Talking Point):
Most middle school students are used to learning entire pieces, but professional musicians often prepare tiny sections of music called excerpts to win auditions. These small but powerful passages are like musical “pop quizzes”—they help musicians show off their skills quickly and clearly. Introducing excerpts early helps students build better listening habits, smarter practice routines, and a deeper understanding of what it means to play in an ensemble. It also gives a sneak peek into high school and college auditions while improving current skills.

Student Assignment: Small but Mighty: Exploring Your First Excerpt

1. What is an Excerpt?
   Listen to a recording or watch a professional orchestra on YouTube playing a famous piece of music. Examples:
   • “Gabriel’s Oboe” by Ennio Morricone performed by Henrik Chaim Goldschmidt with the Faroe Islands Philharmonic Orchestra
   • “Concerto for Orchestra” by Bela Bartok performed by The Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra
   • “Scheherazade – Opus 35” by Rimsky-Korsakov performed by Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra
   • “An American in Paris” by George Gershwin performed by the Detroit Symphony
   From these, we zoom in on a small part called an excerpt—a few lines used in auditions to show a musician’s skills.
2. Choose Your First Excerpt: Your director will give you one short excerpt for your instrument.
3. Listen & Learn:
   • Listen to a recording again for the exact excerpt.
   • Write down or discuss what you notice: Is it fast? Slow? Loud? Smooth? Tricky?
4. Practice Challenge:
   • Practice the excerpt at home for 10 minutes a day for the next 3 days.
   • Use your best tone, rhythm, and focus—this is your chance to show what you can do!
5. Play It for a Friend:
   • At the end of the week, play your excerpt for a classmate or small group.
   • Ask for one piece of positive feedback and one tip for improvement.
6. Reflection:
   • What was fun about learning a short piece?
   • What part was tricky?
   • What do you want to get better at for next time?
   • Answer these in no more than five sentences and turn in “Reflection on _____________ (Name of Excerpt) on ______________ (Date).”

Reinforcement Idea for the Director:

• Discuss how “big results come from small efforts repeated every day.”
• Consider making this a monthly “Mini Excerpt Day” so students look forward to learning new musical challenges in bite-sized pieces.

Excerpts that Matter: Preparing for the Real World of Auditions

Objective: Students will understand the role of orchestral excerpts in auditions and develop the skills necessary to identify, interpret, and perform standard excerpts for their instrument, using professional-level tools like the Accoladi Excerpt Directory.

Why This Matters:
Most high school students don’t realize that orchestral excerpts are not just “extra” practice—they are essential to many college auditions, youth symphony opportunities, and future professional success. By introducing these excerpts now, we prepare our students not only to compete, but to stand out. This teaching moment reinforces the idea that mastering short, high-impact segments of music is as important as learning full pieces.

Assignment Description:
You’re preparing for more than your next concert—you’re preparing for your future. This week, you’ll dive into the world of orchestral excerpts, just like college music majors and professional musicians do. But first, read the article “Cracking the Code: Why Orchestral Excerpts Matter for Music Auditions” on Accoladi.com.

Instructions:

1. Access the Accoladi Excerpt Directory:
   Go to Accoladi.com and find the Excerpt Directory. Locate the standard orchestral excerpts for your instrument. Select two that are commonly used in auditions.
2. Research & Listen:
   • Use YouTube, Spotify, or your school library to find recordings of your selected excerpts performed by a professional orchestra.
   • Take notes on what you hear: tempo, tone, style, dynamics, and phrasing, and especially which orchestra is performing this composition.
3. Analyze the Music:
   • Print your excerpts. (Resource: OrchestraExcerpts.com)
   • Mark the key challenges (rhythmic patterns, tricky fingerings, dynamic markings, etc.).
   • Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) describing why you think this excerpt is used in auditions and what it reveals about a musician's ability.
4. Practice Log:
   • For the next 5 days, practice each excerpt for 15 minutes per day.
   • Keep a log of what you focused on each day (intonation, articulation, tempo control, etc.).
5. Performance & Reflection:
   • At the end of the week, be prepared to perform both excerpts for the class and video yourself performing both. Email the video and reflection to the instructor.
   • Write a short reflection: What was hardest? What improved the most? What would you do differently with another week of practice?

A Note from the Podium: Why We’re Starting Small to Dream Big 🎶

Dear __________ Parents,

This year in the music room, you might notice something new: your child spending time with just a few lines of music—sometimes just eight or ten measures. You might wonder, “Why are they only working on that little part?”

The answer? We’re planting seeds.

In the professional music world—and even in high school and college—auditions often come down to something called orchestral excerpts. These are short but mighty passages pulled from famous pieces, and they’re used to test a musician’s precision, musical expression, and poise under pressure. They’re kind of like the “pop quiz” of the music world—only they count a lot more.

Now, while most middle schoolers aren’t quite ready for full audition packets yet, they are ready to start developing the habits that lead to success later: careful listening, focused practice, and the courage to polish something until it shines.

There’s a wonderful article on Accoladi.com called “Cracking the Code: Why Orchestral Excerpts Matter for Music Auditions.” It explains this concept in a way that I think every parent will find inspiring. Even if your child is just beginning their musical journey, it’s helpful to see what’s ahead—and how we’re laying the foundation now.

In our rehearsals, I’m emphasizing that every note matters, not just the big solos or concert pieces. The ability to bring beauty and expression to even the smallest musical moment is a skill that will serve them for years to come—onstage and off.

Thank you for continuing to support your child’s music education. Whether they become a professional musician or simply grow in confidence and creativity, every day spent making music is a day of growth.

Warm Regards,
___________________________________________
[Director’s Name and Position]
___________________________________________
[School Name]

Why Just a Few Bars of Music Could Shape Your Child’s Future

Dear __________ Parents,

If you’ve ever peeked into your child’s practice time and thought, “Why are they playing the same 10 seconds of music over and over again?”—you’re not alone.

There’s a reason behind that repetition. And it’s a powerful one.

Our latest recommended read on Accoladi.com—“Cracking the Code: Why Orchestral Excerpts Matter for Music Auditions”—dives into something we music educators talk about all the time: orchestral excerpts. These short, sometimes deceptively simple sections from famous symphonies are the “gold standard” of audition prep, and they carry more weight than most people realize.

In just a few bars, these excerpts reveal a student’s musical maturity, discipline, technical precision, and emotional connection to their instrument. College audition panels, youth orchestras, summer institutes, and yes—even professional ensembles—use these tiny passages to make big decisions.

As your child begins preparing for auditions or summer festival applications, you’ll likely hear a lot of repetition. Please know; that’s a good thing. They’re not just practicing—they’re training to stay focused under pressure and to bring expression to music that’s been played thousands of times before.

What’s more, resources like the Excerpt Directory on Accoladi.com give students a roadmap for what to expect and how to prepare, organized by instrument. It’s a game-changer for serious young musicians.

I encourage you to take five minutes to read the full article on Accoladi.com——“Cracking the Code: Why Orchestral Excerpts Matter for Music Auditions”. It’ll give you a better understanding of what your child is working toward—and just how impressive it is.

Thank you for supporting your child’s musical journey. Every measure counts—and so does your encouragement.

Warmly,

___________________________________________
[Director’s Name and Position]
___________________________________________
[School Name]