Ohio Music Education Association All-State Ensembles thumbnail

Ohio Music Education Association All-State Ensembles

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Start an Application

Narrow your Search

OMEA All-State Ensemble Audition Information 2025
OMEA Professional Development Conference Columbus, Ohio •
January 29-31, 2026

2026 ALL-STATE APPLICATIONS ARE EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE THROUGH ACCEPTD

All applicants must be currently enrolled as members of their school’s performing ensemble and must continue their participation during the 2025-2026 academic year (ex. All-State Band applicants must be members of their school band, All-State Choir applicants of their school choir, All-State Jazz applicants of their school jazz ensemble, All-State Orches- tra applicants of their school orchestra, or for wind/percussion of their school band ensemble). Home-school students may apply if sponsored by their private teacher (who must be an OMEA member). A parent/guardian of the home-school student will serve as the school administrator. Students must be enrolled in grades 9-12 for the 2025-2026 academic year. Failure to observe these regulations will void the student’s All-State eligibility.

OMEA is using the Acceptd Online Digital Audition Platform for all 2026 All-State Ensemble auditions. Please be aware that the online application should not affect how recordings are made--only how applications/recordings are submitted. Students will need the following items in order to apply:

  1. Student and parent email
  2. Digital recordings of required etudes/solos/scales/warm-up (as listed in the following). Recordings must be audio-only. The following formats are acceptable: MP3, OGG, M4A, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC.  Each vocalization, etude, and movement may be a separate recording.
  3. The school ensemble director’s contact
  4. The school ensemble director’s 9-digit NAfME membership
  5. A credit card for the $20 application fee (paid to Acceptd).
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
  • March 1 - Audition material
  • April 2 - Acceptd Opens
  • May 31 - Deadline for all applications to be Please carefully note the specific etude and performance requirements. They are different for 2026.
  • August 31 - Notification of results to applicants and directors
  • September 30 - Acceptance forms and membership fee of $225

HOUSING (new in 2025):

The Ohio Music Education Association will not be responsible for housing All-State participants. To reduce fees for participants and address member concerns with group housing requirements, the responsibility for lodging will rest with the students’parents/guardians and/or school district official(s). Students may stay at their own home with the filing of proper releases. Students are not permitted to house on their own.

2026 CHOIR RECORDING REQUIREMENTS:

Each student should record a vocalization (any vocal warm-up exercise) of the student’s choice that best demonstrates the extent ofhis/her range from bottom to top. Next, record a solo from the OMEA Class “A” or “B” list.  It is strongly recommended that solo recordings be done with their piano accompaniment.  Individual vocalists should not submit recordings for multiple parts as strong auditions will be considered for different parts as needed.  For example, a vocalist who normally sings an alto 1 part does not need to submit separate auditions for S2 and A2. 

2026 BAND & ORCHESTRA WIND-PERCUSSION RECORDING REQUIREMENTS:

Each student will record all required etudes as listed on the following pages and then record a solo from the OMEA Class “A” or “B”list.  It is strongly recommended that solo recordings be done with their piano accompaniment (if applicable).   

Percussionists are required to record all three etudes (mallet, snare, and timpani), and record a solo (OMEA Class “A” or “B on a keyboard instrument (xylophone, vibraphone, or marimba). Two- or four-mallet solos are acceptable, and the solo may be accompanied or unaccompanied.

2026 ALL-STATE BAND & ORCHESTRA WINDS-PERCUSSION-PIANO ETUDE REQUIREMENTS:

FLUTE: Selected Studies for Flute by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 16 (including DC al Coda) and p. 40 (without repeats)

OBOE: Selected Studies for Oboe by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 15 and p. 41

BASSOON: Method for Bassoon by J. Weissenborn: 50 Studies section in back of book (Catalogue #CU96) - #15 (pp. 122-123, without repeats) and #26 (pp. 132-133, without repeats but including DC al Fine)

Bb CLARINET: Selected Studies for Clarinet by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 5 and p. 48

BASS CLARINET: Advanced Studies from the Works of J. Weissenborn, arr. Rhoads, published by Southern - #2 (p. 1, without repeats) and #12 (p. 8, without repeats)

SAXOPHONE: Selected Studies for Saxophone by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 8 and p. 48

TRUMPET: Selected Studies for Trumpet by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 17 (Vivace) and p. 36

FRENCH HORN: Preparatory Melodies to Solo Work by Pottag, published by Belwin - #25 (p. 9), #46 (p. 18) and #84 (p. 33)

TROMBONE AND EUPHONIUM: Selected Studies for Trombone by Voxman, published by Rubank - p. 15 (Vivace) and p. 36

BASS TROMBONE: 50 Etudes for Bass Trombone and Tenor Trombone with F Attachment by Grigoriev, ed./arr. by Randall Hawes, published by Encore - #9 (p. 12) and #44 (p. 42)

TUBA: 70 Studies for BBb Tuba by Blazhevich, Volume No. 1, published by Robert King - #18 (p. 17) and #27 (p. 26)

PERCUSSION: Be sure to record all three etudes as well as the solo (see details above).

Mallets: Fundamental Method for Mallets by Mitchell Peters, published by Alfred – Reading Study #3 in D Minor (p. 95)

Snare: Advanced Snare Drum Studies by Mitchell Peters, published by Try Publishing Company – Etude #1 (pp. 2-3) 

Timpani: Fundamental Method for Timpani by Mitchell Peters, published by Alfred – Etude No. 48 (p. 180) 

PIANO (New in 2026!): Little Pianist op. 823 (complete) by Carl Czerny, published by G. Schirmer – book 2, #45 (Allegretto), no repeats, at 112-120 bpm. 

2026 ORCHESTRA STRINGS RECORDING REQUIREMENTS:

  • All students will record the two scales and technical
  • If a student is only auditioning for Region Orchestra, they will record the Regional Orchestral Excerpt only. The regional audition is now complete.
  • If a student is auditioning for the All-State Orchestra, they will record BOTH the Regional and All-State Orchestral Excerpts. Should the student be accepted to All-State, they are still required to participate in Regional Orchestra.

VIOLIN:

  VIOLA:

CELLO:

BASS:

HARP:

Orchestral String Musicians please visit https://app.getacceptd.com/omearegional for your application site 

2026 JAZZ ENSEMBLE RECORDING REQUIREMENTS

  • Some Other Blues and Naima are from “Jamey Aebersold Jazz Volume 27 – John Coltrane”
  • April Recall, Relaxin’, and Runnin’ and Gunnin’ are from “Jamey Aebersold Jazz Volume 114 – Good Time!”
  • Technology note for bass and drums: If you are using digital audio files for the play-along, you will need to find balance settings on your device or in your app. See “Adjusting Balance Settings for bass and drums” at the bottom of this page.

SAXES:

  • Perform a chromatic scale evenly up and down to demonstrate range and tone quality.
  • With the play-along, record the head to Naima – play head ONCE.
  • With the play-along, record the head to Some Other Blues – play head TWICE. OPTIONAL: After playing the head, improvise TWO choruses (required for solo chair; recommended but not required for other chairs).

BRASS:

  • Perform a chromatic scale evenly up and down to demonstrate range and tone quality. If interested in playing lead, please play up to at least a high C (trumpet) or high Bb (trombone).
  • With the play-along, record the head to Naima – play head ONCE.
  • With the play-along, record the head to Some Other Blues – play head TWICE. OPTIONAL: After playing the head, improvise TWO choruses (required for solo chair; recommended but not required for other chairs).

VIBES, PIANO, & GUITAR:

  • With the play-along (USE CD #1), record each of the following:
    • April Recall (Medium): Play the head ONCE and comp one (OPTIONAL: Improvise one chorus following the comping chorus). *PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THE LATIN/SWING SWITCHES!
    • Relaxin’: Play the head ONCE, comp for one chorus, improvise two

BASS:

  • With the play-along (use CD #4 – RIGHT channel), record each of the following:
    • Relaxin’: Improvise/walk a bass line with the recorded piano/drums for TWO choruses (OPTIONAL: Improvise a solo for one chorus following the two required choruses of walking.)
    • April Recall (Medium): Improvise a bass line with the recorded piano/drums for ONE *PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THE LATIN/SWING SWITCHES!
  • Include a recording of you performing a swing chart with your home jazz ensemble or

DRUMS:

  • With the play-along (use CD#4 LEFT Channel), record each of the following:
    • April Recall (Medium) – Play ONE chorus of *PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE THE LATIN/SWING SWITCHES!
    • Runnin’ and Gunnin’ – Play TWO choruses.
  • Include a recording of you performing a swing chart with your home jazz ensemble or a combo. This chart should include a drum solo of at least 4 bars.

 

Adjusting Balance Settings for bass and drums: 
Windows
1.     Right-click on the speaker icon in the Task Bar (lower right of your screen)
2.     Open Sound Settings
3.     Click to select your output device in the Output window (should be the top section)
4.     Click to expand Volume settings in Output Settings
5.     Drag the Left or Right slider  

Mac
1.     Applications Folder
2.     Utilities
3.     Audio MIDI Setup
4.     Choose your output device
5.     Drag the Balance Slider  

iOS
1.     Settings
2.     Accessibility
3.     Hearing
4.     Audio & Visual
5.     Balance   

Android
1.     Settings
2.     Search Bar
3.     Audio Adjustment
4.     Balance

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact

Rob Cebriak, All-State Coordinator at

allstate@omea-ohio.org.



For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.