The PCCA Admission Process
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Are you a current 8th or 9th grade student who is interested in Dance, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Musical, Performance or Technical Theatre/Design Technology?
The PCCA Application and Admission Process
How to Apply to the Pinellas County Center for the Arts:- The districtwide late application process opens on Tuesday, March 19. Apply online at https://reservation.pcsb.org/
- After you submit your application, complete a placement interview with the program at Gibbs High School. You may set up a placement interview by contacting the appropriate department head listed below.
BE SURE TO BRING THE RECOMMENDED SUPPORTING MATERIALS TO YOUR INTERVIEW.
NOTE: If your student has earned a Golden Ticket by being accepted to FMEA All-State, Pinellas All-County Band, Orchestra, Choir, or through a placement interview during Rising Star Shadow Day, you will NOT need to complete a placement interview. Students who attended John Hopkins Middle School Arts Magnet will also be automatically accepted into the arts area in which they focused, providing the student was in the JHop magnet during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
For more information please contact the PCCA office at 893-5452 Ext. 2337.
You may also email us at gilbertla@pcsb.orgRecommended Items to Prepare for the Placement InterviewDance
Thank you for your interest in interviewing for the PCCA Dance Department. If you are an 8th grader or a high school transfer student who is interested in learning more about PCCA Dance, let us know how to get in touch with you and your parents.
Once the PCCA faculty receives your Interview Request Form you will receive follow up instructions for completing your interview by email.
Format 1 – Recorded Upload
Format 2 – Virtual Interview
Format 3 – Faculty Master Classes: Virtual or Face-to-Face
For Recorded Upload
This format is available for immediate submissions. Email Ms. Paige at paigep@pcsb.org.
The faculty understands that making an video adds an extra challenge to your application process. Please know that you will not be considered on the quality of the video recording itself. Our goal is to view simple, clean articulated movement so that your work can be reviewed by the PCCA Dance faculty.
Part 1 Bio or Resume with the following information
- Name, address, phone number, grade level, email
- Dance Education/Training (including your current school, studio, classes and teachers)
- Performance Experience (include all types of performance – not only dance)
- Summer Intensives or Workshops (not required for admissions)
- Choreographic Experience (not required for admission)
- Awards and Honors (include all types) (not required for admission)
- Other: Interests, Hobbies, Special skills (not required for admission)
Part 2 Technique Photos (Professional photos are not required)
- 1 Image: facing front, pointe tendu in second with arms in second
- 1 Image: in first or second arabesque
Part 3 Technique Performance
Ballet (simple combinations, only performed on one side)
- At the barre or center – plié (from first and second with simple port de bras), tendu or degage (straight and with plie from first or fifth), passé développé (front, side and back), grand battement and a balance on one leg in first arabesque.
- pirouette - in center or that travel across the floor
- petit allegro - small jumps with assemble and jeté
- grand allegro - any combination including tour jete, etc.
Note: Music is suggested but not required for this demonstration.
*Pointe work is NOT REQUIRED in order to be considered for admission but may be performed for Technical performance and Solo Performance
Part 4 Solo Performance
Prepare a solo that demonstrates your best performance quality.
Note: If you have a solo recording from a competition or performance, we will accept your submission.
- It can be any genre or style that you feel most comfortable. Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, African, Ballet and pointe variations, Swing, Hip Hop, Folk and Dances are encouraged.
- Length should be one minute to 1 ½ minutes max.
- Student choreography or dances created by your teacher/artist (state the name of your choreographer)
- Only Solo Competition Performances are permitted. (No groups)
- Music – All genre/styles with appropriate lyrics
Your entire body should be in view at all times. Refrain from close-ups.
What Should You Wear?
- Wear dance practice clothes: Leotard and tights. No particular leotard color is required.
- Wear Ballet slippers for the ballet portion and appropriate shoes or bare feet for the contemporary portion.
- Do not wear jewelry.
- Wear your hair securely up, off of the face/neck.
Virtua Interview by Teams or Zoom
Students who are not able to audition in person may also complete a virtual interview for the PCCA Dance program. Once the PCCA faculty receives your email, you will receive follow up instructions to schedule your date and time via Teams or Zoom.
Students will prepare Parts 1 – 4 for demonstration with the PCCA faculty through Teams or Zoom. This should take approximately 15-20 mins. to complete.
Part 1 – Bio or Resume
Part 2 – Technique Photo (2)
Part 3 – Technical Performance
Part 4 – Solo Performance
Please use the link provided to complete the Audition Request Form
Master Class Participation: Virtual or Face-to-Face
Information will be available soon for our January Master Class date
Patricia Paige Parks, PCCA Dance Chair
Instrumental Music
NOTE: If your 8th grade student is accepted to All-State or Pinellas All-County Band or Orchestra, they will be offered acceptance to PCCA without an interview!
Recommended material to prepare for your interview:
Band & String Instruments
All wind and percussion instruments should prepare the Pinellas Middle School All-County Band audition material, found at http://www.pcmea-fl.org/ms-band-all-county.html. (Be sure to locate your instrument.)
String instruments should prepare the Pinellas Middle School All-County Orchestra audition material, found here. Scales- String Scales Excerpt- String Excerpt (Scroll through the file to find your instrument.)
PianoThere are three components:
• Scales and Skills
You will be asked to play two scales from the following keys: C, G, D, F and B-flat. Play your scales hands together or separately in two octaves with the corresponding major arpeggio (LH cross-over or individual hands with thumb under).
• Sight-Reading
We will provide a short piece for you to sight-read.
• Performance
Prepare two contrasting selections from memory. Pieces should be from the four major periods of piano literature (Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary). Pieces can be chosen from these collections: “First Lesson in Bach” – Schirmer Edition, “Sonatina Album” – Schirmer Ed., “Preludes” by Chopin, “Album for the Young” by Schumann, “24 Pieces for Children” Opus 39 by Kabalevsky, or “Progressive Pieces, Op. 100” by Burgmüller. More advanced pieces are also welcome. Bring your sheet music with measures numbered.
If you have any questions about the PCCA instrumental audition, please contact Ann Adair at adaira@pcsb.org.
Guitar
Major scales in G, A, and D
Prepared pieces:
Any beginning classical guitar piece from composers such as Carulli, Giuliani, Mertz, et al., or any prominent anonymous or traditional piece such as Greensleeves, Packington’s Pound or Spanish Pavin.
(A great selection of suitable grade 1-3 pieces can be found at http://thisisclassicalguitar.com/sheet-music-for-classical-guitar )
Any jazz standard as appearing in irealpro or the real book. Student will play the chord progressions and separately demonstrate the melody either solo or along with a track (recording or irealpro is acceptable).
Chord-melody interpretations are also welcome.
Any pop or rock song or piece of music that demonstrates two of the following:
Knowledge of fretboard position (barred and closed position chords, inversions, or funk-style triads, etc.)
Competent soloing/phrasing ability
Competent fingerpicking ability
Competency playing melodic patterns
Suggested List of pop/rock
Stairway to Heaven-Led Zeppelin
Over the Hills and Far Away-Led Zeppelin
Michelle-Beatles
Blackbird-Beatles
Yesterday-Beatles
Landslide-Fleetwood Mac
Under the Bridge-Red Hot Chili Peppers
I’m Coming Out-Diana Ross w/Chic
Super Bad-James Brown and the JBs
Icky Thump-White Stripes
Gravity-John Mayer
Stop this Train-John Mayer
Street Spirit (Fade Out)-Radiohead
Black Magic Woman-Santana
Purple Rain-Prince
Prospective students are encouraged to contact Mr. Martin at martinmichae@pcsb.org for more information or clarification.
Vocal Music
NOTE: If your 8th grade student is accepted to All-State or Pinellas All-County Choir, they will be offered acceptance to PCCA without an interview!
Recommended Prepared Selection:
One prepared selection is required for the audition. This selection should be an art song, folk song, sacred song or spiritual. If you are participating in FVA Solo and Ensemble MPA, we encourage you to use this song for your interview. Songs may be in a foreign language, but it is not required.
Some examples of suggested songs:- The Water is Wide, arr. Clear FREE DOWNLOADS: The Water is Wide- Low Key Download The Water is Wide- High Key Download Link to Teaching Video for "The Water is Wide"
- Amazing Grace, arranged by Jay Althouse (from Folk Songs for Solo Singers, vol. 1, published by Alfred)
- All Through the Night, arranged by Ruth Elaine Schram (from Folk Songs for Solo Singers, vol. 2, published by Alfred)
- Caro Mio Ben by Giuseppe Giordani (from Twenty-Four Italian Songs and Arias, published by G. Schirmer)
Most middle school choral teachers have access to these books and other appropriate selections.
Pop music is not recommended. We strongly discourage a cappella or singing with a prerecorded accompaniment track. An accompanist will be provided so please have copies of your music available for them. While it is preferred, the selection does not need to be memorized.Vocal Music interviews will occur in-person and online. To schedule your online vocal music interview, click here.
If you have difficulty obtaining an appropriate song or have any other questions about the audition, please contact Matthew Clear at clearm@pcsb.org.Performance Theatre
Performance Theatre: please note that if a student is interviewing for Musical Theatre, that will count for both auditions—they do not need to submit a second set of videos to be considered for Performance Theatre
- Two contrasting monologues (45-60 seconds each) from any published play
- One pantomime (45-60 seconds)—topic: you are waking up and getting ready for school in the morning and something goes horribly wrong
If you have difficulty obtaining appropriate audition material or have any other questions about the audition, please contact Dustin Hinzman at hinzmand@pcsb.org.
Musical Theatre
Musical Theatre:
- Two contrasting song cuttings (45-60 seconds each) from any Broadway musical. You must bring a copy of the music for our accompanist to play.
- One monologue (45-60 seconds) from any published play
- OPTIONAL Dance—this portion should only be completed and submitted by students with some dance experience. Not submitting will not affect your chances of being accepted into the musical theatre program. This is used to simply place students into the correct level of dance. If you do not submit a dance audition, you will simply be placed in level 1 / beginning dance techniques as a freshman. If you have dance experience, please watch this short video, learn the combination, and send that in with the two songs and monologue for consideration: https://youtu.be/3a5Xhej8FgI
If you have difficulty obtaining appropriate audition material or have any other questions about the audition, please contact Dustin Hinzman at hinzmand@pcsb.org.Theatrical Design & Technology
The interview process for The Pinellas County Center for the arts Design Technology Department has three parts. Each part relates to one of the areas of concentration in technical theatre.
PART I: Drawing/Craftwork
It is recommended for students to submit three pencil drawings.
Drawing 1: Draw a corner of a room…This drawing shows the students understanding of perspective.
Drawing 2. Draw a draped piece of fabric…This drawing shows the students ability to render organic forms, shade using mid-tones and demonstrates the student’s ability to “draw what they see”.
Drawing 3. Draw a household appliance…This drawing shows the students ability to render non-organic forms, use highlights and deep shadows and demonstrates the student’s ability to “draw what they see”.
Other (optional): Students should also submit photographs of other examples of their art or craft work. These may include projects they have built, Artwork they have created including sculpture and painting as well as artistic photos or digital work.
PART II: Practical and Problem Solving
- Measuring Exercise: Students are asked to complete the attached work sheet where they demonstrate their ability to measure and change scale. Please print it out, measure and write your answers and photograph it to return to Ms. Kelley by email. Link: Measuring Exercise PCCA
- Cat and Dog Problem: Students are given a brief story in which a problem is presented and asked to suggest a solution. Link: Cat & Dog Problem
PART III: Interview
If you have any questions about the audition, please contact Patricia Kelley at kelleyp@pcsb.org.Visual Art
Step 1 – Submit application through District Application Program (DAP)
Step 2 – Upload Student Portfolio (see details below)
- Visit pccavisualarts.com to upload your portfolio
Step 3 – Schedule an interview by visiting pccavisualarts.com
Recommended Artworks for Student Portfolio:
- From direct observation (not photography) 3 drawings. These drawings should take at least 2 hours apiece to complete.
- self-portrait drawing
- shoe(s) drawing
- still-life drawing (objects of their choosing)
- Finished artworks from middle school classes, sketchbook pages, artworks done independently etc.
Uploading your Digital Portfolio:
- All artworks should be photo-documented for digital submission.
- All photos should be saved as a jpeg file no more than 1mb.
- Parents/students should use good lighting and steady camera to capture the best possible image to represent the artwork. Poor lighting, awkward perspective, blurry images can affect the review.
- The Visual Art Department will conduct the oral interview portion through a live meeting.
Visit the PCCA Visual Arts Department at www.pccavisualarts.com
If you have any questions about the audition, please contact Brian McAllister at mcallisterj@pcsb.org .