Rubric - Brass Instruments (Classical) Audition Rubric

A traditional 4-level, 100-point audition rubric for classical brass players, scoring tone and embouchure, intonation, rhythm, articulation and range, and musical interpretation.
4 - Exceeds Expectation 3 - Meets Expectation 2 - Approaching Expectation 1 - Below Expectation
Prepared Selection, Excerpts & Scales
100%
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Tone Quality & Embouchure
20%
20 Points
Rich, centered, resonant tone throughout the register; embouchure and air stream remain stable at every dynamic....
15 Points
Warm, generally focused tone; minor thinning or spread at extremes of the register or dynamic range....
10 Points
Tone is inconsistent, airy, or pinched in places; embouchure sags or shifts on register changes....
0 Points
Tone is unfocused, forced, or breaks apart; embouchure and air support fail to sustain a usable sound....
Intonation & Pitch Accuracy
20%
20 Points
Pitch is centered and adjusted instantly; partials, alternate fingerings and slide/valve tuning are handled expertly....
15 Points
Solid pitch center with a few slips on exposed partials or leaps that are corrected promptly....
10 Points
Recurring sharp or flat tendencies; pitch drifts on sustained notes and corrections are slow or absent....
0 Points
Pitch is unreliable throughout; wrong partials and uncorrected intonation obscure the written line....
Rhythm & Pulse
20%
20 Points
Rhythms are exact and the internal pulse is unshakable, including subdivisions, meter changes and rests....
15 Points
Rhythms are accurate with slight rushing or dragging in technical passages; pulse recovers quickly....
10 Points
Noticeable rhythmic errors and uneven subdivision; tempo fluctuates through difficult figures....
0 Points
Rhythms and pulse break down; the entrant cannot maintain a steady tempo or read the written figures....
Articulation, Range & Dynamic Control
20%
20 Points
Every articulation is clean and stylistically apt; full working range and a wide, controlled dynamic palette....
15 Points
Clear articulation and a solid range; dynamic contrast is present but not fully realized at the extremes....
10 Points
Articulations are sluggish or inconsistent; range is limited and dynamics stay within a narrow band....
0 Points
Articulation is muddy or absent, range is severely limited, and dynamics show no meaningful contrast....
Musicianship & Stylistic Interpretation
20%
20 Points
Phrasing, style and period practice are handled with authority and genuine artistic nuance; performance compels....
15 Points
Musical intent is clear and stylistically appropriate; phrasing is shaped but could be more distinctive....
10 Points
Some musical shaping is evident, though phrasing is generic and stylistic conventions are inconsistently applied....
0 Points
Playing is mechanical and unshaped, with no evident phrasing, stylistic awareness or expressive intent....