What the hell is that instrument???
Your EFM Counselors' Instrument
Classical Music Meme Culture
That's your "Theory"
A Day at an Orchestra Audition
100
If i saw this slither into my instrument case, I would run for the hills.
What is a serpent?
100
Four of your EFM counselors play this large brass instrument. Carter and Nelson are pursuing Music Ed degrees on it. Josiah is about to start marching season on a variation of it. Avery is even playing it professionally, recently winning an audition with the Navy Fleet Band.
What is the tuba?
100
An OG troll moment, Haydn's 45th Symphony has this apt nickname, where one by one the instruments stop playing until no one but two violins are left.
What is "Farewell"?
100
The most controversial syllable in solfege is what sits at scale degree 7. Based on what system you believe in it's one of these two syllables.
What is si and ti?
100
An audition never starts with an in-person round, but rather the submission of this document, usually one page and preferably with professional experience first.
What is a resume?
200
This rhyming instrument is a rising star amongst the ren faire crowd.
What is the hurdy gurdy?
200
Alaire is a multi talented musician, recently finishing a degree in music where she played cello, and also sang as this voice type which gives its namesake to a classic HBO series.
What is soprano?
200
Images like this did NUMBERS on TikTok in 2025, always coupled with the song "Symphony" by this Swedish singer going through a pop culture renaissance.
Who is Zara Larsson?
200
Of the 3 main augmented 6th chords, it is the only one comprised of 3 unique notes.
What is the Italian 6th?
200
The dreaded two words you never want to hear when you play an audition. This means you have to stop and leave the stage, regardless of how far you are down that list.
What is "thank you"?
300
Believe it or not, you can get this alien sounding contraption on Amazon for 400 dollars.
What is a theremin?
300
Na'Zja has been preparing for an audition with the military band while she's been here. I guess she should be prepared to play nothing but the Stars and Stripes Forever...forever.
What is flute/piccolo?
300
Remixes of classical pieces with the noises of this rapper and singer always catch me off guard.
Who is Cupcakke?
300
It is the name of the counterpoint technique seen here.
What is a cambiata?
300
I'm sorry ladies, gays, and the ghost of J. Edgar Hoover: we added this to the stage so the committee couldn't hear your heels click-clacking about from behind the screen.
What is carpet?
400
Contrary to its name, this instrument is played more like a banjo or a guitar. And I guess it also doesn't play itself.
What is the autoharp?
400
Ace started playing this instrument in only their senior year of high school, but is now pursuing a Music Ed degree at Kutztown University. Perhaps in the next year they'll master the solos in Till Eulenspiegel.
What is horn?
400
In the 2014 viral video "When mom isn't home", a trombone player dad played an interesting duet with his son, playing this...instrument(?)
What is an oven?
400
Of Heinrich Schenker's 12 master composers, these two are the only non-Austro-Germans to make the list. And it makes sense that they are mainly piano composers.
Who are Chopin and Scarlatti?
400
Even after a semi-final and final, an audition committee can still prolong the audition these two ways, one which occurs on the audition day, and the other occurring during a normal concert cycle.
What are superfinals and trial weeks?
500
This oboe of bassoony origins is featured in Strauss's Alpine Symphony.
What is the Heckelphone?
500
Nadeem is the only counselor who is currently not playing an instrument, but I don't think he has time considering he's double majoring in Computer Science and Finance AND is the student body president at this liberal arts school.
What is Guilford College?
500
Throw yourself a pity party with this record breaking instrument
What is the world's smallest violin?
500
This seminal counterpoint work is written as a dialogue between teacher Joseph and student Aloys.
What is Gradus ad Parnassum?
500
If you're not ready to tackle the big bad world of professional orchestra auditions, why not take a year or two in a training program, such as New World Symphony in Miami or this program based at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York?
What is The Orchestra Now?