Independent exam preparation · Free orientation
All-State String Audition Preparation: State and Year Checklist
All-State is not a single national string exam. The state, audition year, instrument and school division determine the task. Begin with the current association document supplied by your director. An impressive performance of last year’s cut may still be the wrong submission.
Arco preparation range: Middle/high school. Requirements belong to your institution and audition year; this is not a standardized syllabus.
Before you build a plan.
- Write the state association, audition year, instrument and division at the top of the plan.
- Check required cuts, errata, technical details, deadlines and allowed recording conditions.
- Obtain restricted music through your director or the authorized association.
- Ask who confirms updates and check again before the final rehearsal.
Original exercise · No account needed
Start from the actual cut
- Locate the first note of the official cut and the preceding rest or pickup, if any.
- Without playing, count the preparation pulse and imagine the articulation of the first note.
- Play the opening phrase once, then note whether the first entrance and tempo matched your plan.
Check your work
A prepared start combines the correct entry point, a clear pulse and the intended articulation. Practising from an earlier familiar passage can conceal an insecure official opening.
Arco wrote this supporting exercise. It is not a specimen board question, published syllabus requirement or official scoring rubric.
A common mistake
Using a generic national checklist as the final authority. Arco’s preparation framework is not the association’s rules or a placement forecast.
Choose the actual pathway, level and instrument.
Monthly prices for one selected package. Board entry fees are not included. These links preselect a package on the signup form; they do not purchase it. Existing members can manage packages in their account.
| Level | Monthly price | Select an instrument |
|---|---|---|
| Middle school | $25 | |
| High school | $25 |
What is included, and what is not
Arco is independent of the exam boards and institutions. Packages provide preparation planning, requirements links and weekly task tracking, not exam entry, teacher assessment, official papers or a guaranteed result. Only published original knowledge-support collections are scored in question sessions; no question bank is promised for other selections. Instrument learning is a separate $15/month package. Each selected package is billed separately; review its terms before purchasing.
Question-session answers can be scored against the published answer key. Arco does not assess your playing or certify practical readiness from these exercises.
Keep the official source beside the plan.
NAfME: student opportunities directory (opens in a new tab)
A discovery directory, not the requirements for your audition. Your named institution or director and current audition-year documents are authoritative. Arco has not verified a particular institution’s audition rules here.
Content updated . Requirements can change after this check. No protected repertoire lists or official exam questions are reproduced here.