Navy Music Program Audition

Question

I am interested in auditioning to be a guitar player in the Navy's Music Program and I was wondering has anyone ever auditioned (on any instrument) or been accepted to the program?

I am looking for info on the audition itself. I have reviewed all the websites but I am trying to get the inside scoop on how the audition goes down.

Answer 1

I just auditioned on guitar a few days ago. It goes like this: You play your 2-3 prepared pieces, Scales and triad arpeggios covering the major scale form the tonic and all 3 modes of the minor scale (N.M., M.M., and H.M.) You will have to perform w/ drums and bass; 3 pieces in different styles from lead sheets carrying the melody with the chords underneath. (I had "foggy day", "someday my prince will come" and a funk piece I cant remember.) There is big band rhythm chart reading, single note melodic reading with 8th and 16th note anticipations, 3 and 4 voice sight reading, and 2 part (staff) reading. All of this is done in front of two MU's scoring you on paper. Let me tell you - this thing is no joke. I have a Bachelor of Music from Berklee College of Music and have been playing for my paycheck from Maine to Nashville for 5 years. The Navy Audition is maybe the toughest thing I have ever done. The Chief MU that auditioned me and all of the other folks involved were very nice and went out of their way to make me feel at home but It was still nerve-wracking. I have not received my results yet (it takes about a week) but I will probably have to try again in 6 mos. because I was not as prepared as I could have been. Take your time while preparing, and don't rush through the pieces in the audition. There is no time limit. I wish you the best of luck.