I recently received an email from a colleague guitar educator on the topic of auditioning guitar students for each level of their program. The resulting discussion led me to write this short opinion article of the topic.

The guitar stands as one of the most accessible and engaging instruments for classroom music education. Its portability, affordability, and widespread cultural appeal make it ideal for introducing students to the world of music and musicianship. However, successfully implementing a guitar program in the classroom, school, and education setting requires careful planning, appropriate methodology, and an understanding of both group dynamics and individual learning needs.

The first challenge in teaching guitar in a classroom setting is creating an environment where students of varying skill levels can thrive simultaneously. Guitar programs often comprise students with widely disparate experience levels. Some may have never held a guitar before, while others might already play in bands, hum and strum their favorite tunes, or may have had some classical training.  Some students will be able to read standard music notation (not necessarily for guitar), and some may be experienced with tablature or chord diagrams.

Tiered Track Programs

To address this diversity, successful programs often implement a tiered learning system.  A review of programs across the nation show a standard tendency to divide between courses in Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Guitar.  Most national and district level curricula are also divided in this manner.  Beginning students focus on fundamental skills like proper posture, basic chord shapes, simple strumming patterns, melody/accompaniment, note reading, and low-stakes (mock or classroom-based) performance opportunities.  Intermediate curriculum tends to pivot to more performance-based activities and responsibilities, along with collaborative elements (ensembles, groups, duos, trios, etc.).  Advanced curriculum extends the student performer into a music leader along with refining and advancing their skill set through rigorous practice, rehearsal, and performance.  Generally, a student advances the tiers as they demonstrate competency, skills, and mastery of the earlier level.   To see specific curriculum, visit the article A DOK Framework of Guitar Education, along with the National Association for Music Education Guitar Best Practices for Year 1-4.

To Audition or To Not Audition

Some programs institute an audition requirement between tiers or even at entry.  This policy is varied wildly across the nation, with some programs auditioning each level including entry and others allowing for natural progression regardless of competency.  There are solid arguments on either side for these policies.  In a program with auditioning requirements, prerequisite skills are guaranteed in incoming students, assisting with instruction planning because the students skill level and prior knowledge are known and measured.  Further, in an auditioned program, high-quality performance and high expectations can be maintained.  On the other side of the coin, one of the great reasons for guitar programs in schools—student engagement, especially in populations that are ignored by other elective areas—leans to the argument that including those students  

Author Recommendations on Intra-Program Auditions

[The paragraphs in this section my opinions/recommendations only.  All educational settings and student populations are unique.  A program director/teacher will need to assess their own setting, needs, and teaching styles to make the most effective decisions.]

I have had success with a system wherein any student successful in the Beginning level is invited/recommended to the Intermediate level with no audition.  However, between the Intermediate and Advanced level, the student must audition and demonstrate certain skills, knowledge, and performer standards (including, of course, audition preparation). 

In this way the student is given fundamental skills, given a second year to develop them, and are introduced to performance opportunities.  A system where the student is immediately auditioned in the year that they are learning the basics is detrimental to program success by excluding individuals that may develop as stronger musicians later. 

The audition between Intermediate and Advanced provides an opportunity for the student who has now developed skills and had experience performing to prepare a proper audition.  Further, every student in an upper-level music course should be prepared to engage the audition process as it is a professional norm and a gateway process to jobs/gigs and college music programs.  Students who do not pass the audition remain in Intermediate level (be sure that your school district allows the students to repeat the course for credit).

I would particularly recommend against an entry-to-program audition unless it is for instructional needs assessment use only; using the data for instructional decisions as opposed to student admission.  

A final note would be that a transferring mid-program student or student entering the program with prior experience should always be auditioned upon entry to ensure they are tiered appropriately (according to the curriculum) and set up for success based on their incoming skills and knowledge.  Design your program’s audition requirements based on what a student should be able to do at the end of each level/course.