Middle School Auditions

Fall 2025 Admissions

Here are the key dates for this year's middle school application process:

  • Tuesday, October 15: Middle School Application Opens
  • Friday, November 8: Deadline to register for Mark Twain / D21 Talent Tests
  • Friday, December 20: Middle School Application Closes
  • Wednesday, April 9: Middle School Offers Available

Updates for the upcoming admissions process:

  • Families can now list any New York City public middle school on their application!  
    • Zoned schools will continue to prioritize zoned students for seats. 
    • Most programs will also have a district priority, which means that seats will first be filled by students and residents of the district. 
    • If seats remain, students and residents from other districts will be considered.
  • A strong middle school application: 
    • Includes programs in the district(s) where your child lives or goes to school.  
    • Includes some programs with an average level of demand (1-2 applicants per seat) 

Audition Information

Interested in applying to middle school arts programs? The information on this page is provided to give students time to practice and prepare for auditions in advance.

  • Applicants can submit virtual audition videos and materials for middle school arts programs directly through MySchools––learn how in the video tutorial below.
  • The deadline to submit auditions is Friday, December 20. 
  • Click the links below to learn more about the admissions process and audition components for various arts programs. 

Mark Twain IS 239/District 21 Admissions and Auditions

There are six District 21 schools that offer 10 talent-area programs. Testing and auditions are conducted by Mark Twain, located in Coney Island, Brooklyn. 

  • The following programs will rank applicants based on talent test: Computer/Math, Creative Writing/Journalism, Science. 
  • The following arts programs will virtually audition applicants, and admissions will be based solely on the audition: Art, Dance, Drama, Media, String Instruments, Vocal, Wind Instrument.
  • Applicants may apply to one or two admissions programs across the six schools. This may include two programs using talent tests, two programs using auditions, or one of each.
  • Visit Mark Twain's website to learn more about auditions for this school's programs.

Audition components by discipline are as follows:

Art  

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website 

Dance

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website

Drama

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website

Media

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website

Strings Talent

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website

Winds Talent

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website 

Vocal Music

  • Learn about what this program requires by visiting their website

Professional Performing Arts School Auditions

Professional Performing Arts School has one program, Theatrical Arts, that requires the two following audition components:

  • Acting: Students perform a one-minute monologue from memory. Choose characters that you relate to and decide to whom your characters are talking and why. Students select their own monologue to perform but are welcome to review and select a monologue from a pool of several suggested diverse pieces available here.
    • Before performing, briefly introduce yourself, and provide the following information:
      • Your name
      • Your Student ID number (OSIS number)
  • Singing: Students sing 16 bars of a memorized song of any genre. Songs can be performed acapella or with accompaniment. Choose a song performed by a character you relate to and decide to whom your character is addressing and why.
    • Before perfoming, briefly introduce yourself, and provide the following information:
      • Your name
      • Your Student ID number (OSIS number)

Special Music School Auditions

Prepare and submit BOTH videos specified below. The following instruments are permitted for an audition at Special Music School: Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, Bassoon, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba. 

Saxophone, Voice, Harp, Drums/Percussion, Composition, and Recorder are NOT permitted.

Video #1 

Perform ONE prepared solo selection without accompaniment.

  • Select a piece you feel confident performing that shows your skill level and musicality.
  • Before playing, briefly introduce yourself, and provide the following information: 
    • Your name
    • Your Student ID number (OSIS number)
    • Title of the piece you will be playing
    • Why did you choose this piece? How does this piece speak to you as a musician? (30 seconds or less) 

Video #2

Perform ONE scale of your choice at a tempo (speed) you find comfortable.

  • This is another opportunity for reviewers to learn more about how:
    • low and how high you can play.
    • comfortably and quickly you can move from note to note.
    • clean and precise your playing is.
    • well you are able to play in tune.
    • well you know what notes make up your selected scale.
    • playing the correct notes is most important.
  • Before playing, briefly introduce yourself, and provide the following information:
    • Your name
    • Your Student ID number (OSIS number)

For help preparing a scale or rudiments, please see this folder.

 

 

Ballet Tech Auditions

Eligibility: Open to NYC residents (Priority is given to current Ballet Tech students, THEN to NYC residents)

All applicants to Ballet Tech must complete and submit an audition video. 

Applicants must learn and perform a pre-recorded series of dance steps. The video will be used to assess the following criteria: familiarity with ballet technique, physicality, flexibility, placement, coordination, and accurate demonstration and retention of the ballet combinations The video then needs to be uploaded into the applicant’s MySchools account. Click here to view the pre-recorded instructional video and the recording instructions.

Recording Instructions 

  1. The student should first familiarize themselves with the pre-recorded video. 
  2. Set the camera up in a well-lit area where the student can be seen from head to toe. 
  3. Record the video. The student can watch the pre-recorded video and follow along while they are recording their own video. At the start of the video, be sure that the student states their name, their current elementary school, and their student ID number (OSIS number). 
Call Backs 
Ballet Tech may ask applicants to come in for an in-person call-back audition. 

District 21 Program Admissions and Auditions

Students can apply to one or two types of D21 talent programs across all schools including Mark Twain. For example, a student can apply to the Science and Vocal programs at Mark Twain, and also at Bay Academy.

  • Students may not have more than two types of D21 talent programs on their application. For instance, a student cannot apply to Science and Vocal programs at Mark Twain, and Athletics and Vocal programs at Bay Academy.
  • All D21 talent areas are using the Mark Twain audition process. Therefore, if an applicant is applying to a talent area at any D21 school, they should submit a virtual audition using the Additional Materials option in MySchools. For example, if an applicant is applying to the String Instruments program at Seth Low, the applicant should submit a virtual audition to Mark Twain / District 21 Talent Test String Instruments.)
  • Learn more in the "Mark Twain IS 239" section above.

Theatre Arts Production Company School 

THEATRE ARTS PRODUCTION COMPANY 

Students auditioning for Middle School must submit ONE of the following and upload the file to MySchools:

  • DANCE: Record a 30-45 second solo (any style).
  • THEATRE: Record a monologue (1 minute).
  • VOCAL MUSIC: Learn a song and record yourself performing it.
  • VISUAL ARTS: Upload a photograph of a self-portrait (use graphite drawing pencil and paper) OR one photograph of a still life (with at least 2 items).
  • INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC: Record a video playing an instrument without accompaniment (playing by yourself) OR perform one scale of your choice tempo.

Remember to include your Name and OSIS# at the beginning of your video and name of all files uploaded (videos and photographs).

For more information on Admissions, please visit TAPCo.

Bronx Dance Academy

M.S. 180 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams

MS 113 Ronald Edmonds Learning Center

MS 936 Arts Off 3rd

JHS 157 Halsey – Performing Arts Program