JOIN THEE SONIC BOOM

Your playing ability (how well you play) and our instrument needs. We want to help as many students financially as possible however, they have to be able to meet the standards of our program.

No. In fact, the majority of our members are not music majors.

Auditions start in January. Round 1 is due by March 15 (don’t wait to submit Round 1- we offer on a first come basis) and Round 2 will be in April. Auditions will be done by May 1. 

Yes, you can audition if you haven’t been admitted but your scholarship (if awarded one) will not be valid until you are enrolled at JSU.

In order for our program to maintain and improve in quality, we have to assess students properly to make sure they are great musicians and good people.

We consider collegiate bands as the pro-level so we prefer students, with proper guidance and training, to have an immediate impact/contribution to our program.

You are strongly encouraged to play the material that we provided in the etude folder however, if you have pieces that are the same level or above, you can use those etudes. You have to have both a technical and lyrical piece.

There are two facets of the band, 1) what you can do musically and 2) what you can do physically. 

Round 1 shows us how you play while Round 2 shows us whether you are physically able to meet the demands (marching, etc.) of our program and further assesses you musically. 

Round 1 (March 17, 2024- Deadline) will be you submitting your scales and etude (all provided on this site) depending on the level you choose. This can be submitted through video or in person (if a staff member visits your school or if you visit campus).

Round 2 (April 7, 2024) is when you successfully pass round 1 and you will be invited to come to campus for a day to meet the staff, interact with student leadership, get a campus tour and get a free meal (lodging and additional meals will not be provided). If you are not able to attend in person, you can complete round 2 online. “A Day With the Boom” will be the day before (Apr. 6) so you can attend that as well (not mandatory)!

After Round 2 has been concluded and you successfully pass, your scholarship will be fully executed.

Audition on your primary/strongest instrument! That will determine your scholarship amount. You can play your secondary instrument in concert bands.

It is not recommended that you play your secondary instrument in the marching band. The only exception is double reed instrumentalist (you can play your secondary instrument if your primary is a double reed instrument).

Percussion– you should audition on the instrument you’d like to play in the marching band.

We do prefer students to audition on French Horn to ensure our concert groups are adequately instrumented however, we do understand that some students have very limited access to French Horns.

If you’re not familiar with the French Horn, because it is vastly different from the mellophone, you may audition (scales and etudes) on the mellophone. 

Some students can receive scholarship offers the same day they audition however, it’s standard that they receive an offer 5-10 business days after the audition.

You can receive a scholarship offer after Round 1 of your audition however, your scholarship will not be fully executed until the following:

• You’ve been admitted to JSU
• You successfully pass Round 2

Your scholarship will be applied to your account during the summer before band camp.

Scholarships are used to help students pay for tuition and fees. Often times students are confused about what they owe from institution to institution. Depending on your award, it can cover a small part of your tuition up to covering your full college expense (tuition, room, and board). It is highly preferred that students apply for a federal pell grant (FAFSA), and apply for additional scholarships (information located on this page) to help offset costs. 

If a student receives a scholarship their out-of-state fee ($500 per semester) will be waived. 

Visit this link to review tuition and fees.

We typically lock students in for the original amount they were offered after their initial audition because of the high volume of students that audition (we don’t hold money). However, depending on the circumstance we do allow students to re-audition.

In the digital age, any and all students can audition virtually so they do not have to wait until we visit their school. Know that we want to interact with students in person however, that’s not always possible due to scheduling. We do plan to visit major cities in MS, GA, LA, TN & AL. Again, if you do not see your state, you can still audition for the best band in the land!

Sure! Here are some basic tips:

• Practice!
• Ask your band director for help
• Know your scales/rudiments
• Develop your tone 
  • Listen to professional musicians
  • Do long tones (Remington Exercises) and lip slur
• Develop your technicality/dexterity
  • Practice scales at speeds Allegro and above
  • Find/purchase technical studies/method books
• Percussion- work form! Our drumline has a unique form
  • Student the “Moeller” technique
  • Watch WT (drumline) videos
• Percussion- work on memorization and retention
• Although nerve-racking, try to stay calm and confident during auditions
• Be respectful and humble during your audition

We hold true to our overall mission of educating those that may have not had the resources to learn adequately. If you truly desire to be a member of the Boom and are willing to work, we (staff & student leadership) are willing to assist you to grow as a musician! In full transparency, it’s not probable that you will receive a scholarship if you’re still an emerging musician.