School of Rock Band – auditions

The Characters

The creative team will consider all genders for the below 4 listed band roles

Zack Mooneyham (Plays Guitar) – “Zack” is the band’s lead guitarist and also a talented songwriter. They desperately want to impress their father, who is too busy to take an interest in his family. Zack has a passion for music ready to burst out from inside them. They are a pop/rock singer who moves well. Must be able to “shred” on guitar with exceptional solo skills.

Freddy Hamilton(Plays Drums) – “Freddy” loves a bit of rowdiness & noise, making them a great drummer. They are not as posh as some of their classmates & lots of energy. Constantly belittled by their father & reminded of how lucky they are to be at a great school. Killer drummer with loads of personality. A pop/ Rock singer who also moves well.

Katie (Plays Bass) – “Katie” is a quiet & serious child who keeps mainly to themselves. They used to play the cello but switched to Bass to fill out the band. A pop/ Rock singer who also moves well.

Lawrence (Piano/Keyboard) – “Lawrence” is shy and lacking in confidence. They are hesitant about doing something ‘cool’ like joining a band. But they soon turn out to be a fantastic keyboard player. A pop/ Rock singer who also moves well and Great piano skills are a must.

Audition Requirements – S.O.R. Band

Band roles are open to children age 10-14 (15 or 16 year olds may audition if they are small in stature and can pass for a younger student.)  For children who wish to apply for a role in the “Band” there are 2 main audition stages.

Along with your application, you will need to also submit a Video of you performing a set piece on your chosen instrument, 30 seconds of you singing an own choice song and an own choice joke/monologue/poem audition. The instrumental piece will be set (provided below). Your song can be accompanied or unaccompanied. You should attempt an American accent for your spoken piece. It is important that the video be taken showing your entire body including your hands. “Drumming” videos should be taken from above.

The creative team will then review the videos and INVITE applicants to the 2^nd stage of the band audition. These will be held from 9am-11am on Sat 30^th April and will also include a VOCAL audition and a MOVEMENT Audition. At the vocal audition you will sing a set song with harmony. You are encouraged to learn all parts, but if you can only manage one that is acceptable.  

Further callbacks will be held on 2^nd May. For children also wishing to be considered for the “General Class” children’s ensemble, please ensure that you indicate this on your form and follow the application process for this as well. Also, as the children are portraying “Elementary School” students, they will not be able to be too tall. Please list their height accurately on the application form and make certain you include with a FULL body length photo as well as a headshot.

Audition Material

Download music here.  Included is music for each instrument part for a section of song No 28 from the show. Also included for reference is the section from the Piano/Vocal Score, and audio tracks – one with a click track and one without.  

Video Requirements

When setting up your video recording:

• Choose a monologue/poem/joke that is about 30 seconds long and a section of a song that is also about 30 seconds long. The panel will not be able to listen to your whole piece if it extends this time. Instrumental players should record their whole set piece.
• Choose an enclosed space (not a staircase, hallway, outdoors)
• Check you have good lighting, so you are clearly visible in the video
• Make sure your whole body is visible (especially your hands if you have chosen to submit an instrumental audition. Drummers should film from above)
• Set up the camera on a tripod or a flat surface – not handheld
• Do some tests to check the audio level. Make sure you are audible when singing quietly and don’t distort when singing loudly. Check that your voice is louder than any accompaniment. You may need to move the camera/microphone a few times to get this right
• Check for background noise which may interfere with your recording. You may need to plan for a suitable time of day or location for making your recording without background noise
• Record yourself a minimum resolution of 720p and in one of the following file format: MP4, MOV, AVI. (Many mobile phones can achieve these technical requirements.)

When recording your video:

• Clearly announce at the start of the video: “My name is [first name, surname] and today is [date]. I am [age] and I am auditioning for [band or general class]. The song I will be performing is [title] by [composer].”
• The video must be in one continuous take, with no editing (titles, cuts, cropping, etc). Applicants who submit separate pieces for each task will be asked to resubmit their videos

When uploading your video:

• Make sure it is a MP4, MOV, or AVI file
• The file name must be “firstname_surname_SchoolofRockAuditionBand” or “firstname_surname_SchoolofRockAuditionChildren”
• Upload your file to the link tin the checklist box above.