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Commercial Music & Recording Arts -- Lamar State College-Port Arthur -- Port Arthur, Texas -- A Member of The Texas State University System Photograph of the buildings and facilities at Lamar State College-Port Arthur
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LAST CHANCE TO AUDITION FOR FALL SEMESTER!
The last set of audition dates have been set for JULY 22nd, 23rd, and 24th to major in Commercial Music Performance on Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Piano, or Vocals. Auditions will be held at the Performing Arts Center on campus. This is the last opportunity to audition for the Fall semester so call now at 409.984.6520 to schedule your audition. For information regarding what you need to prepare, please click on "Audition Information for Performance Majors" at the bottom of the page.
New Degree in Commercial Music Performance!
Lamar State College-Port Arthur Commercial Music Department is proud to announce the offering of an Associate of Arts Degree in COMMERCIAL MUSIC PERFORMANCE with a specialty in SESSION MUSIC, beginning in the Fall of 2008. This opportunity is open to musicians and vocalists. If you have pretty good chops on guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, or you sing up a storm, this may be the opportunity you've been seeking! Call 409.984.6520 for more information.(Admission by audition only - See "audition information for performance majors" link at bottom of home page)
LSC-PA Studio Facilities Offer Multiple Platforms
It is primary to our mission here at LSC-PA that our students graduate into the real world with hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of recording platforms. Studio A is oufitted with a Mac-based Pro Tools and Nuendo control. Studio B offers PC-based Pro Tools and Cubase 4. Studio C avails our students to 10 IMac workstations with Pro Tools LE. Finally, Analog has joined the family of LSC-PA Recording Studio platforms with the addition of a MCI-JH24 Analog 24 Track Tape Recorder, a MCI-Autolocator III, and a Peavy AMR 1600 Audio Console. Students now have the opportunity to learn how to record by tape, and digitally via Pro Tools (both Mac and PC), Nuendo, and Cubase 4.
Aaron Horne Joins Commercial Music Faculty
We are proud to announce the addition of Aaron Horne to our full-time Commercial Music faculty! Aaron comes to us with a long list of credits as an Audio Engineer, Editor, Sound Designer, and Film Composer. We are thrilled to have Aaron on board!

AUDITION & INTERVIEW GUIDELINES

All interested candidates for Commercial Music, both for sound technology and music performance, are asked to interview, either in person or by phone. Commercial Music Performance majors (musicians) must also audition on premise. Below is information regarding the audition procedure.

Each entering class of Commercial Music Performance majors is selected by audition.  The audition experience is designed to help you show your strengths while helping us assess your talent and potential to succeed in Lamar State College - Port Arthur’s performance environment.  While there is a general format for the audition, each experience is unique - just like you.

The audition is formatted to assess your overall musicianship, as well as technical proficiency on your instrument.  Applicants accepted into our Commercial Music Degree Program will be taking music classes including harmony, ear training and arranging classes, in addition to private instrumental studies and ensembles. We take a holistic approach in our evaluation process where each component of the audition helps the audition team assess your overall abilities as a musician and your potential for success in the music industry as a performer in live venues, as well as with the recording session environment.

While each component is important, we recognize it is common for applicants to have imbalances in their playing abilities. We realize many applicants may not have advanced skills in improvisation, reading, ear training or multiple musical styles, but our curriculum materials are designed to help students build skills in these areas.

You should come to your audition & interview prepared to show us what you've got.

Logistics
Please plan to arrive at the audition site no later than 30 minutes before your warm-up time in preparation for your audition and interview. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to accommodate any delays caused by traffic or getting lost along the way.

The Checklist
The following checklist will help to remind you of items you may need for your audition:

  • All acoustic and electric bass players are required to bring their instrument to the audition.
  • Bass players and guitarists are reminded to bring a tuner, an instrument cable(s) and any effects needed for their prepared piece.
  • Amplifiers for guitarists and bass players will be provided.
  • Vocalists may choose to bring their microphone and a cable for their prepared piece.
  • Drummers should bring their sticks and a practice pad for use in the warm-up room.  There will not  be a drum set for your warm-up.
  • A standard 4 or 5 piece drum set with 2 cymbals will be provided for drum set players. Double-bass

Scheduling your Audition
You must call to schedule your audition at least 2 weeks in advance.  Auditions will be scheduled Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm.  Call Mike Judy at (409) 984-6520, Jeff Sturms at (409) 984-6343, or Aaron Horne at (409) 984-6345.

The Audition
Click on the link below to the appropriate PDF file below to see the audition requirements. NOTE: You will need Adobe Reader to view the files. This software is probably already on your computer, but if it isn't, you can download it free from the Adobe website.

  • Guitar Audition Requirements - PDF
  • Bass Guitar Audition Requirements - PDF
  • Drums (Set) Audition Requirements - PDF
  • Piano (keyboards) Audition Requirements - PDF
  • Voice Audition Requirements - PDF

Prior to your audition, you will have 15 minutes to warm-up on your instrument or your voice and review the reading material. The audition will be 15 to 30 minutes in length.

Music You Will Need
Anyone auditioning on GUITAR, DRUMS, PIANO, or BASS GUITAR will be required to play four songs.  Download the appropriate ZIP file below, which includes the printed music (chord charts) and MP3s for these songs. 

  • Guitar Audition Requirements - ZIP (13.24MB)
  • Drum Audition Requirements - ZIP (14.33MB)
  • Piano Audition Requirements - ZIP (15.17MB)
  • Bass Guitar Audition Requirements - ZIP (15.18MB)