Admissions
The information posted directly below is for prospective students who have “pending audition” listed in their portal for their GAMP application. Please contact the Office of Student Placement at the School District if you have questions about your application status.
Congratulations on your invitation to audition for the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) for the 2025-2026 academic school year. The audition will be held on January 6th at 1:15 PM.
Auditions will consist of ALL students being assessed for vocal ability. In addition, any student that has studied an instrument for at least one year should bring their instrument to the audition with a prepared music piece (GAMP has pianos/keyboards and drums to audition on). Please remember that all students will be required to sing.
NEXT STEPS:
Email lessery@philasd.org to confirm you will attend the audition on January 6th.
Audition Requirements:
Vocal Audition – ALL STUDENTS perform a vocal audition. Each student should prepare 32 measures of a piece of music. This is typically a verse and chorus of a popular song. Any genre is acceptable. You can sing to a karaoke track, accompany yourself on piano or guitar, bring sheet music for the school’s accompanist to play, or you can sing a cappella.
Instrumental Audition – If you play an instrument, please bring a prepared piece to play. You will also be asked to play scales and perform sight reading as well.
All auditions will take place at GAMP. There is only street parking available. Please enter through the glass doors to sign in for your audition. More info about the auditions is on our website: gamp.philasd.org/admissions/
This is an invitation to audition only and not a letter of acceptance to the school. All notifications of acceptance will be provided by the School District of Philadelphia.
If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Essery at lessery@philasd.org
Best of luck with your audition!
Decisions about admissions eligibility are made through the Office of Student Placement and not GAMP. Please visit their website below, and scroll down to “APPEALS PROCESS” to request another review of your student’s application. GAMP is unable to provide any information as to why an application did not meet the application criteria.
Applications to GAMP take place through the Office of Student Placement.
Please visit this page for information about the application process: https://www.philasd.org/studentplacement/services/school-selection/
All applicants to GAMP must meet the criteria below for admission, regardless of whether the candidate attends public or non-public school. These criteria are the same for both middle and high school applicants:
- Report Card Grades – As and Bs, with the exception of one C
- Exemplary attendance record – 90% or greater
- PSSA scores (or other standardized test scores) – 50th percentile for ELA and math
- Completion of an audition (see below for guidelines)
Audition invitations are not sent out until after the application window for school selection closes. Specific information about audition invitations will be forthcoming – please check back soon!
Audition Requirements:
- Vocal – ALL applicants are required to perform a vocal audition, since all of our students are required to participate in our choirs, which is a major component of our music program. Applicants should prepare 32 measures of a piece of music (typically a verse and chorus of a popular song – any genre is acceptable). You may bring sheet music for an accompanist to play, or you may sing a cappella. Applicants may also be asked to sing short, simple vocal exercises in order to further assess their abilities.
- Instrumental – Students who have played an instrument for more than one year are encouraged to audition. Students auditioning for instrumental are required to prepare any piece of their choosing to perform for their audition. Applicants will be asked to play scales and demonstrate sight reading skills as well. Those auditioning on piano, harp, drum set, or upright bass may use GAMP’s instruments. All other instruments must be brought to the audition by the applicant.
Questions? Here are the most common ones we receive…
The audition process may take up to one hour. Each student is given individualized attention during their audition. We suggest that students bring a book to read or schoolwork to complete while they are waiting. Electronic devices are not permitted during auditions. Please keep in mind that professional behavior is expected from all applicants throughout their audition, including in the waiting rooms.
Parents/Guardians will remain in our theater while their student is auditioning. Representatives from GAMP will be available to answer questions about our school or the admissions process. Parents/Guardians are NOT permitted to enter the audition areas with their student.
Excused absence notes can be provided by GAMP at the conclusion of the audition.
YES! All GAMP students participate in our choir. The human voice is an instrument that we all possess, and through singing in choir, students experience collaborative music making and working together as an ensemble.
Please prepare ANY song of your choosing. Any genre is acceptable, and the length should be approx. a verse and the chorus of the song. Please select something that is meaningful to you, and avoid “simple” songs like Happy Birthday or Jingle Bells. If you sing in a choir at your current school or place of worship, you may use a song you’ve performed there.
You will complete your audition one-on-one with a teacher. There will be no other students or parents in the room with you. This allows for a calm environment, free of distractions, where the teacher can ask you about your musical interests and hear your skills.
Students who play an instrument will do that portion first, and then will complete their vocal audition either with the same teacher, or will be moved to a different room and heard by another teacher.
If you play piano or guitar and would like to accompany yourself while you sing, you are welcome to do so! The teacher listening to your audition may still ask you demonstrate any scales or other technical skills that you know on the piano or guitar.
Students auditioning for instrumental and playing a band or orchestra instrument, or guitar, must provide their own instrument for the audition.
Students auditioning on piano, harp, upright bass, or drums may use GAMP’s instruments.
You should definitely continue studying and practicing your new instrument! However, we ask that only students who have been learning an instrument consistently for over a year to audition.
Please note: being able to play an instrument does not give any advantages over students who do not.
YES! If you audition on an instrument, are accepted and choose to attend GAMP, then you will automatically be enrolled in band or orchestra when the school year begins, and expected to continue studying that instrument.
Students who audition vocal-only and are interested in learning a new instrument will have the opportunity when the school year begins.
No! We are interested in students who have a serious interest in learning music, whether they already play an instrument, or if their instrument is their voice.
Likewise, taking private lessons or having some background in music theory knowledge does not give an advantage either. Many of our accepted students have no prior background in music – just an interest and willingness to learn!
Individual/small group guitar and piano lessons are NOT offered at GAMP. We encourage students to continue studying these instruments privately on their own. All of our students have the opportunity to learn basic piano and guitar skills through their music theory and music elective classes. Students with an experienced background in piano or guitar may be interested to participate in our jazz band, musical theater pit orchestra, or sometimes be able to accompany our choirs.
We also encourage students who already play piano or guitar to consider learning a band or orchestral instrument at GAMP so that they can participate in an instrumental ensemble.
The Office of Student Placement reviews applications and determines who qualifies for an audition based on the initial application requirements. Please contact their office for additional information – GAMP does not review any applications.
Last modified: December 20, 2024
