Levels and Audition Info

General Overview of Castillero's Orchestra Program

Level Beginning/Ionian Indigo Avant Chamber
Who can join? Anyone; no music background required Previous Ionian students; some music background required Previous Indigo students; some music background required Previous Indigo students; some music background required
Audition required? No Yes, but only if new to Castillero Yes Yes
Audition requirements? None
  • C, G, D, and A two-octave major scales
  • a solo piece demonstrating your technical ability
  • sight-reading
  • C, G, D, A, F, B♭, E♭, and A♭ two-octave major scales
  • a solo piece from book 3 Suzuki or higher
  • sight-reading
  • C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯, C♯, F, B♭, E♭, and A♭ two-octave major scales
  • a solo piece from book 4 Suzuki or higher
  • sight-reading
Minimum Practice Time? 15-20min per day 20-30min per day 30min per day 30-60min per day
Performances?
  • Winter Concert
  • Past, Present, and Future Concert
  • Spring Concert
  • MegaConcert
  • Winter Concert
  • Four Seasons
  • MegaFestival
  • Spring Concert
  • Premier Performance
  • MegaConcert
  • Winter Concert
  • Holiday Concert
  • Four Seasons
  • (*) Homestead Festival
  • (*) Skywalker Ranch
  • Los Alamitos Art Show
  • LA Tour
  • Spring Concert
  • Premier Performance
  • MegaConcert
  • Winter Concert
  • Holiday Concert
  • Four Seasons
  • (*) Homestead Festival
  • Past, Present, and Future Concert
  • Electives Preview Night
  • (*) Skywalker Ranch
  • Los Alamitos Art Show
  • LA Tour
  • Spring Concert
  • 8th Grade Awards Ceremony

 

(*) May not occur every year

 

Auditions will be held in spring semester!

  • Dates, times, and locations, when known, will be announced in class by Mr. Krijnen for current students.
  • Students new to the school and/or Mr. Krijnen: please contact Mr. Krijnen at skrijnen@sjusd.org to schedule an audition.

Beginning orchestra

No audition requirement and no experience necessary! Any and all are welcome to the beginning string class where we provide the instrument FREE of charge, teach and review note reading, and teach all the basic techniques and musicianship for the instrument the student chooses. Free and equal access to all!

Indigo Orchestra

The Indigo orchestra is by audition and is generally the best place for students that have played a string instrument for at least one year, but more often two or three. We work as an ensemble learning two octave scales, how to tune, and vibrato and shifting. We also perform five times throughout the course of the school year.
Audition requirements: C, G, D, and A two-octave major scales, a solo piece demonstrating your technical ability, and sight-reading

Avant Orchestra

The Avant Orchestra is an audition class primarily for students who have been playing a string instrument for three or more years. It is a large ensemble experience that has an extensive concert season. Besides the school performances, the Avant orchestra normally travels to southern California for recording sessions and performances at Disneyland, as well as clinics at a Cal State University. The Avant orchestra will also sometimes compete in music festivals at CMEA, Homestead, and Mitty High School, and also perform an array of community outreach concerts.
Audition Requirements: C, G, D, A, F, B♭, E♭, and A♭ two-octave major scales, a solo piece from book 3 Suzuki or higher, and sight-reading

Chamber Orchestra

The Chamber Orchestra is an ensemble for the top string players at Castillero Middle School and is by invitation and audition. This course is for students that want more opportunity to perform chamber music and literature on the advanced high school and collegiate level.

Audition Requirements: C, G, D, A, E, B, F♯, C♯, F, B♭, E♭, and A♭ two-octave major scales, a solo piece from book 4 Suzuki or higher, and sight-reading