- Who may submit an audition?
- What organization do I (the director) have to be a member of in order to participate?
- Is there an application/submission deadline?
- When are results posted?
- When and where does All-State take place?
- How much does it cost to participate?
- What if I can’t afford the participation fee?
- How do I submit the paperwork and payment?
Who may submit an audition?
- Students with an instrumental music program at their school:
a) Auditions must be submitted by the school director.
b) All fees must be paid. These include the membership dues, the school fee, and the student fee.
c) The student must be in their school program to be eligible to audition. - Students with no instrumental music program at their school:
a) Private Instructor or parent must join as an Associate Member.
b) All fees must be paid. These include the membership dues, the school fee, and the student fee.
c) A letter on school letterhead, signed by the school principal, confirming that there is no instrumental music program at the school must be included with the All-State Application. - Home school students:
a) Parents must join CBDA as an Associate Member.
b) All fees must be paid. These include the membership dues, the school fee, and the student fee.
c) Proof of home school enrollment must be submitted with the All-State Application.
What organization do I (the director) have to be a member of in order to participate?
You must be a member of CBDA to submit wind or percussion auditions for All-State. You must be a member of CAJ to submit jazz auditions for All-State. You must be a member of CODA to submit string auditions.
Is there an application/submission deadline?
All High School auditions must be uploaded, approved, and submitted for judging by the director by 11:59 PM on October 15, 2024.
All Junior High School auditions must be uploaded, approved, and submitted for judging by the director by 11:59 PM on November 2, 2024.
There are no exceptions to this rule. The audition system automatically closes at that time and will not reopen until the following year’s auditions open. If paying by check, it must be postmarked by Nov 2, 2024 for all auditions.
When and where does All-State take place?
All-State takes place at the California All-State Music Education Conference (CASMEC). There are new dates for CASMEC 2025. CASMEC 2025 will be held January 15-19 in Sacramento, CA. All-State Jazz Students arrive and begin rehearsals on January 15. All other All-State students arrive and being rehearsals on January 16. All-State concerts will be held over several days at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St, Sacramento, CA 95814. All-State concerts are free and open to the public. A schedule of concerts will be available at CASMEC.org closer to the event.
How much does it cost to participate?
If you are a junior high or high school student who is selected to participate in one of our 2025 All-State ensembles, there is a non-refundable participation fee which is due once the audition results are posted. All students will be CASMEC-housed. There are no exceptions. For reference, the participation fee for 2024 was $610. For 2025, this cost will likely increase slightly due to the increased costs for housing and food. This fee will be due mid-late November 2024.
Other audition costs are as follows:
- Application Fee for Students (non-refundable) – $55.00 per audition (fee waived for certain double-auditions. See application)
- Director Membership (non-refundable) – $50.00 ($25.00 Retired; $10.00 College Student)
- School Fee, if sending students to audition for honor ensembles (non-refundable) – $55.00
Other optional costs for directors attending the conference January 15-19, 2025 are:
- Conference Registration – Registration fees for CASMEC 2025 will be posted soon.
- Conference Registration and Cancellation Policies
What if I can’t afford the participation fee?
Contact your school’s booster program, your school, the ASB at your school, your school district, or community organizations like Optimists, Lions, Elks, etc. Many of these organizations are willing to help students that have earned a place in an honor program.
How do I submit the paperwork and payment?
Auditions: All audition payments can be submitted through the CBDA Digital Audition System. Audition paperwork is submitted electronically. Please check the Recording Instructions and/or Directors Instructions for more information.
Participation for Accepted Students: Information for submitting participation paperwork and fees will be shared with accepted students, directors, and parents via email closer to the event. This information will also be posted on the CASMEC website.
Questions? Please email Trish Adams at tadams@cbda.org