Governor's Schools of West Virginia

How to Apply to GSA

It's like working a puzzle.You have to do it one piece at a time.

Below are detailed instructions you should read before beginning the application process to GSA.

Students

The first step to applying to GSA is to be sure you meet the proper qualifications. Please read the Qualifications (See link in navigation bar). You MUST have the qualifying grades to apply. You may apply for one and only one arts area; however, instrumentalists my audition on up to two instruments.
If you meet the qualifications, the next step is to fill out the Student Application which consists of both an online portion and a paper application. They are linked as Parts I and II. The link to the application can be found immediately to the right of this paragraph.. If you do not have access to a computer and the Internet, your guidance counselor or another teacher in your school should allow you to use a school computer.
Part I of the application is to be submitted online BY JANUARY 10. The remainder (Part II) is to be completed and submitted by traditional mail. There is a duplication of the information, but this is intentional.
Save the application to your computer as a Microsoft Word document and type directly on it. Please note that all applications are to be typed. The only exception is the counselor's check-off page.
Write the essay. This applies to all applicants. See page 1 of the application for topic.
Provide two letters of recommendation. One of the letters must come from a teacher who has worked with you in your arts area (may be a private arts teacher) or who is familiar with your work. Letters should clearly state the capacity in which the writer knows you, and the writer’s professional position. Letters should be submitted on professional letterhead and are to be typed using a 12-point Roman or Arial font. The use of fancy, italicized fonts is strongly discouraged. Writers should speak candidly about your work, talent, desire, strengths and weaknesses.
Pay careful attention to the parent/student signature page. If you have questions about the residency and no-visitation requirements, you may direct them to Sherry.L.Keffer@wv.gov.
Type the rest of the application, print it and take it to your counselor. The counselor will complete page 2 of the application and give it to your principal for his/her signature. The counselor will also attach the necessary school records and arrange the application in the correct order. Please remind your counselor that your Social Security number is NOT to be sent with your transcript. It is your responsibility to go to the Audition Schedule and Guidelines section to determine the audition requirements in your area of expertise. Start preparing NOW.
Your counselor may offer to mail your application; however, you are the one who is ultimately responsible for mailing the entire packet to the Office of the Secretary of Education and the Arts. It must be postmarked by January 20, 2012, and mailed to

Sherry Keffer
State Director of Governor’s Schools
Office of Education and the Arts
Building 5, Room 205
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East

Charleston, WV 25305

2012 GSA Audition Schedule and Guidelines

Students whose applications are complete and who meet the criteria will be invited by the first full week in February by email (traditional mail for those without email accounts) to audition. Be aware that your essay and application packet as well as your audition will be considered by the judges.

If you submit an application and are not notified of your audition date by February 8, 2012, contact Mrs. Sherry Keffer, Sherry.L.Keffer@wv.gov for assistance.

The 2012 auditions are scheduled for three Saturdays. Tentative sites, dates and the students who will audition there follow:

Saturday, February 25, Washington High School, Charles Town, W. Va.

Tucker, Grant, Mineral, Pendleton, Hardy, Hampshire, Morgan, Berkeley, Jefferson.

Saturday, March 3, 2012 South Charleston High School, South Charleston, W. Va.

Wood, Jackson, Wirt, Calhoun, Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas and all counties south of these.

Saturday, March 10, 2012, University High, Morgantown, W.Va.

Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall, Wetzel, Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Marion, Barbour, Randolph, Harrison, Lewis, Upshur, Doddridge, Tyler, Pleasants, Ritchie, Gilmer,

Although the auditions are set up regionally, there are situations that preclude a student's auditioning on a specific day. For that reason, the online aplication has a checkbox that is to be completed if he/she must audition at speciffic site other than the one for which he/she would normally be scheduled. It has come to our attention that some prospective vocal students are involved in competition all three weekends of those auditions. Those students may come to Davis & Elkins to audition during the week of their regularly scheduled audition by special arrangement. Call Mrs. Keffer for more information. This exception is made only because there is no weekend when the students are not actively involved with their school show choirs.

Students are selected by the judges at the auditions, and the decision of the judges is final. Students chosen to attend GSA will be invited by a letter from the Governor. Letters should be mailed by March 19. All other applicants will receive a letter from Mrs. Keffer regarding their status.

General Guidelines

You should start preparing for your audition/portfolio review as soon as you decide to apply! Do not wait until a week or two before auditions to begin preparations!
Your application and interview will be considered in the selection process
Only creative writing, digital media art and visual art applicants submit a portfolio.
Check website frequently for critical announcements. For example, inclement weather may require changing an entire weekend of auditions. You will NOT receive a letter or a phone call with this information. It will be posted ONLY on this site.

Acting Audition Procedures

Students interested in auditioning for Acting should prepare a 1-2 minute monologue from a published play. You are encouraged to select and prepare an audition piece that reflects your type and takes advantage of your strengths as an actor. In other words, choose a piece that you can do well and that you enjoy presenting. Also be prepared to perform your piece more than once and be ready to make adjustments as given. Your ability to respond to direction and to interact with a director will be a factor in selection for the program. You will be invited to talk briefly about your interest in acting and describe how you see it fitting into your future plans. If time permits, you may be invited to improvise with another auditionee.

Students for GSA will be judged on the basis of their acting ability, physical communication, vocal communication, stage presence, their interview and the quality of the application.

Creative Writing Audition Procedures

Selection for the creative writing program is a two-part process consistg of a portfolio of your writing and a 30-45-mirute wriiting exercise the day of auditions. When you report to your audition site, you should have your manuscripts in a manila folder. Manuscripts must meet the following requirements:

Must be from one of three categories: fiction, poetry or creative nonfiction (meditative essay/memoir /sketch or portrait). Please do not submit work in a combination of categories.
Must be typewritten and double-spaced. Twelve-point type face
Must be no fewer than six (6) and no more than eight (8) pages. The entire portfolio, excluding the cover page, must not exceed eight pages. If your submission is from a longer work such as a novel, the 6-8 pages must be consecutive. If you submit samples of two or three short stories, you may submit two or three consecutive pages from each--still no more than 8 pages.
Poetry submissions must be a TOTAL of 6-8 pages. You are neither required nor encouraged to submit one poem that is 6-8 pages long.
Must contain cover page with title of manuscript and name of student.

All students in the creative writing area will perform the writing exercise simultaneously. Individual interviews of approximately fifteen (15) minutes will be scheduled. Questions are general in nature, covering such topics as your experience with writing and reading. You will be informed of specific times in your audition letter.

Dance Audition Procedures

Students auditioning for dance will participate in a master class that includes ballet and modern dance techniques. A strong background in ballet is the basis for modern dance, so though it is not absolutely necessary to have an extensive background in modern, good ballet techniques are a must.

The audition class will consist of traditional ballet barre exercises and basic modern warm-up and dance combinations with movement phrases across the floor and improvisation. Applicants need not prepare an audition piece in advance of the audition. Assessment of the dancers will be based upon technical expertise, movement potential, spirit, performance quality and the ability to learn quickly. The audition class will last approximately 2 ½ hours. (Please wear leotards and tights, and bring ballet shoes. If you dance on pointe regularly, bring your pointe shoes. Wear you hair up. There will be a brief interview.

You will not need to bring a prepred audition piece, since selection is based upon class performance.

Digital Media Art Portfolio Review/Interview

Students are required to prepare a portfolio consisting of no fewer than five and no more than 15 works in the digital media that best reflect the range of their abilities. . The student’s work should not be a reproduction of a published photograph or other work of art unless proper credit is given on the submitted work. Students are encouraged to submit examples of their work that display versatility as well as quality.In addition to any class projects you choose to bring, please submit work that you have completed on your own as well. Criteria for judging the portfolio include the creativity and originality of the idea or concept displayed by the works and the use of photo editing software. All reviews will be done using technology such as SKYPE, so that the teacher and student can discuss the artwork without having to travel.

Instrumental Music Audition Procedures

Prospective West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts instrumental music students should have two (2) one minute pieces or excerpts prepared. Audition time is very limited; students wishing to audition on more than one instrument will be allotted one minute per instrument (limit two instruments per audition). Pieces should be diverse in style and should showcase technique as well as the ability to fluently speak the language of music.

The West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts instrumental music program utilizes a conservatory model, and students can expect an experience similar to the first year of a music major. Coursework will include music theory, composition, arranging, music technology, world music and popular styles. For this reason, students should be prepared to play major and minor scales (up to three sharps or flats) and answer questions about building basic triads.

Memorized solos are preferred but not mandatory. One score, which will be returned, must be furnished to the judges.Each student should prepare a piece that reflects the best example of his/her performance without being excessively simple.

All styles are welcome and students of all instruments will be considered. The West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts is not enrolling a performance ensemble and does not have set instrumentation requirements. The purpose of the institution is to collect the most talented young artists in the state and give them the opportunity to advance their skills through a rigorous summer experience.

Instrumentalists play without accompaniment and must provide their own instruments with the exception of the piano and a basic trap set.

During the audition, following categories will be given scores of 1-10: basic tone quality, major scales, phrasing/dynamics, minor scales, overall musicality, chord building, stylistic range and the ability to change/take directions.

Theatre Audition Procedures

Students interested in auditioning for Acting should prepare a 1-2 minute monologue from a published play. Applicants are encouraged to select and prepare an audition piece that reflects their type and takes advantage of their strengths as actors. In other words, the student should choose a piece that he or she can do well and enjoy presenting. Also be prepared to perform the piece more than once and be ready to make adjustments as given. The ability to respond to direction and to interact with a director will be a factor in selection for the program. Applicants will be invited to talk briefly about their interest in acting and describe how they see it fitting into their future plans. If time permits, there may be an invitation to improvise with another auditionee.

The audition piece should not rely on props, costumes, make-up or any other technical elements. Applicants should not plan to sing for their audition. A simple straight chair will be provided and may be used. The student will be judged on characterization, physical expression and voice projection/quality. The student may also be asked to read from a script, perform an improvisation or a pantomime and participate in a brief interview. The audition, including discussion with the instructor, will be 10-15 minutes in length, but plan for about 35 minutes, since the judge may choose to call two students at a time for some impromptu work. For example, after the 9:15 and 9:30 students have performed and had their interviews, they may go back in together for about five minutes.

All applicants should dress professionally. Females should wear dress slacks or dress shorts with tights. Dresses are not suitable. Males should wear a dress shirt.

Visual Art Portfolio Review Procedures

Students are required to bring a portfolio consisting of no fewer than five and no more than 12 works in any medium or combination of media that best reflect the range of their abilities. Although the work itself is preferred, slides or digital images may be submitted when a work is not available or if it is not practical to bring the work. The student’s work should not be a reproduction of a published photograph or other work of art unless proper credit is given on the submitted work. Students are encouraged to bring a few still life or figure drawings and a sketchbook. In addition to any class projects you choose to bring, please submit work that you have completed on your own as well. Criteria for judging the portfolio include the creativity and originality, the idea or concept displayed by the works, and the use of materials (the execution of the idea, the craft and technique displayed by the student). All portfolios will be reviewed and interviews will be conducted with the visual art applicants. Students will take their portfolios home at the end of the review.

Vocal Music Audition Procedures

Vocalists are to prepare a show tune and a selection from any other genre of their choice. Selection will be based on musicality, timing, pitch, tone and potential. Students should consider their own vocal strengths when choosing a musical selection, and they should weigh the difficulty of the pieces. Although it is not wise to pick a selection that is too difficulty to perform, it is also unwise to choose something very easy. Use your judgement!

Ask your music teacher for advice about your selection. Do not bring your own accompanist. The same person will provide piano accompanument for all students.

School records, the essay and the overall application will be considered in every discipline.