OUR MISSION IS STUDENT SUCCESS…ACADEMIC, ARTISTIC, AND HUMANISTIC 

                   45 Prince Street at University                 Rochester, NY  14607                                 

  Phone: 585- 242-7682                           Fax:  585-256-6580               Website: www. sotarochester.org

Dear Parents and Students,

This letter provides important information about the School of the Arts (SOTA) and our application and audition process. All students interested in attending SOTA must complete an audition in one of the following arts disciplines: Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Music (Band, Choir, Strings, or Piano), Theatre Technology, or Visual Arts.

To apply, complete the School of the Arts Application included in this mailing or online at www.sotarochester.org. The deadline to submit the application is December 19, 2025. Once your application is received, your child will be scheduled for an audition on January 20, 21, or 22, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. Families will receive their assigned audition date during the week of January 6, 2026.

We invite all prospective students and families to attend our School Selection Open House on Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. This event offers the opportunity to meet SOTA staff, learn more about the audition process, tour our facility, and enjoy student performances.

Each student auditioning must be available on all audition dates, as auditions cannot be rescheduled. Students must select one arts discipline in which to audition. All applicants should bring a short essay (5–7 sentences) explaining why they wish to attend SOTA and their chosen art area, a Confidential Applicant Snapshot from a current or former teacher (available online), and any discipline-specific materials listed in the enclosed audition requirements. Each audition will be scored on a 1–10 scale.

Audition guides and informational videos for each arts area are available on our website under “Apply to SOTA.” A QR code of our 2025–2026 performance calendar is included in this mailing. Many of our performances are free and open to the public, and we encourage families to attend.

In addition to the SOTA application, families must complete the RCSD School Selection Process at www.rcsdk12.org/schoolselection and choose SOTA as their first choice. The application is now open and will officially close January 16, 2026. Due to auditions starting on January 20th, please make every effort to complete and submit your application by December 16th to allow us time to schedule and communicate audition times with schools and applicants. Families must also identify alternative school choices in the event that a student is not accepted. More information about this process will be provided by the Office of Student Equity and Placement.

If you have questions about School of the Arts, please email SOTAINFO@rcsdk12.org. For questions about the RCSD secondary school selection process, contact the Office of Student Equity and Placement at (585) 262-8241. We look forward to meeting your child and sharing the spirit of SOTA.

Warm regards,

Alan A. Tirré                         Lukas Wilson
Principal                                Assistant Principal
School of the Arts                 School of the Arts