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Audition Invitation 2011 - 2012 Season

Dear ASCYO Families and Friends:

Welcome to The Academy of Saint Cecilia Youth Orchestra (ASCYO)!  The ASCYO is an outreach music ministry of Damascus United Methodist Church to youth and their families in the greater Washington, D.C. area and is celebrating 10 years of musical excellence! There are six ensembles under the umbrella of ASCYO: three orchestras, flute choir, one band and a beginning woodwind and brass program. This fall, a seventh ensemble, a new intermediate level band, will be added to help round out the ASCYO.
 The ASCYO will hold all band and orchestra auditions for the 2011-2012 season on August 23-24.  Auditions will be held at Damascus United Methodist Church, 9700 New Church Street, Damascus, MD 20872. (The Beginning Woodwind and Brass program will start in September.) The auditions will be10 minutes in length from 4:30 pm – 9:00 pm each evening. The 2011-2012 audition requirements, by ensemble and instrument, are attached.
The ASCYO auditions are held only in the fall of each year. Outside judges will be a part of the string auditions process.  Seating assignments for all instruments will be part of the initial audition. Seating placement is for the mutual benefit of the musicians and each ensemble.  If you would like to participate in multiple ensembles, please notify us at the audition. 
Be sure to bring your completed Audition Form (download from the website, www.ascyo.org) and the required audition music to the audition. (Please note: scales with arpeggios are required. See audition requirements). Audition results will be posted before the first rehearsal in September.
The annual fee is $155.00 per student (with the exception of the Beginning Band, which the fee is $100.00 per student). This fee is fully refundable until the first rehearsal of the fall season, after which there will be no refunds, except in cases of extreme family hardship.
Please mark your calendars: Tuesday evening, August 30 is the ASCYO Orientation meeting for all ASCYO perspective and returning families.  The Orientation meeting will be held at Damascus United Methodist Church. Look for more details soon.

All orchestra and band rehearsals begin on Tuesday, September 6.  The Instrument Petting Zoo for the Beginning Band will be held on September 6 and 13 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Classes begin September 20.

The Academy of Saint Cecilia Youth Orchestras and Bands rehearse weekly on Tuesday nights at Damascus United Methodist Church, September through May. Each ensemble performs two series of concerts: one in December and one in April or May.  Attendance and proper concert dress is required.

To schedule an audition, sign up for the Beginning Band Petting Zoo, or get additional information about the ASCYO, please call Lerna May-Frandsen, Executive Director at (301) 821-1162 or contact her by email at talenthntr@aol.com. When emailing, please put ASCYO Auditions in the subject line. Please share the enclosed fliers with your students, friends, families and encourage them to audition.  We need your help to continue to make the Academy of Saint Cecilia a success. The Academy of Saint Cecilia’s mission is to serve the community by providing opportunity for young musicians to grow spiritually and attain musical excellence through instruction, rehearsal and public performance of the great musical compositions of the past and present. Admission is open to qualified musicians without regard to sex, race, religion or country of origin.