The Young Artist Orchestra & Philharmonic Auditions
Audition Requirements
All GCYO auditions for the 2020 – 2021 season will be performed via video recording. Please follow these directions.
All video auditions are due by August 28.
Record your Audition:
- Whether using a cell phone or video camera, make sure that there is adequate light in the room in which you are recording.
- Make sure that you are standing or sitting far enough away from the camera that the judges can see you adequately. The video should clearly record both your left and right arms/hands. Your torso should be visible for accurate assessment of posture and playing position.
- Record in a quiet environment so that judges hear you well.
- Start the recording by saying: your full name, your instrument, and the name of the orchestra for which you are auditioning (YAO, Philharmonic, Sinfonia, Intermezzo or Prelude).
- Record in this order:
- Scale(s)
- Solo (string only) must be no longer than 2 minutes (make cuts and eliminate repeats as needed)
- Excerpts: say the name of the excerpt before you play it.
- Please record all of the above in one take (DO NOT SUBMIT MULTIPLE VIDEOS).
- There will be No Sight Reading for this audition.
For more ways to make a great audition recording, see the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Submission:
- All auditions must be submitted to Acceptd. You will receive an email from Acceptd with directions.
- Remember, the deadline to submit videos is August 28.
Winds & Brass Auditions
Woodwind and brass students trying out for the Young Artist Orchestra or Philharmonic should be prepared to play scales and designated orchestral excerpts.
Students will be asked to play all 12 major scaled from memory over the range of the instrument (i.e. SC Senior Band Scale requirements, which can be found here.
Wind and Brass Excerpts
- Bolero – Ravel
- Menuet – Bizet
- Procession of the Nobles – Rimsky-Korsakov
- William Tell Overture – Rossini
- Overture to L’Italiana in Algeri – Rossini
- Symphony IV, 2nd Movement – Tschaikowsky
- Capriccio Espagnol, Mov’t III (entire) – Rimsky Korsakov
- Scenes Alsaciennes (7 Ste) – Sous Les Tilleuls (entire) – Massenet
- Russian Sailor’s Dance – Gliere
- The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Dukas
- Symphony IV, 2nd Movement – Tschaikowsky
- Symphony 5, op. 64 – Tschaikowsky
- Till Eulenspiegel, op. 28 – Strauss
- Procession of the Nobles – Rimsky Korsakov
- Pini Di Roma – Respighi
- The Valkyrie – Wagner
- Symphony No. 4 – Tschaikowsky
Percussion Auditions
Percussion auditions for both orchestras will consist of specified orchestral excerpts and sight reading. Please prepare as much of the excerpts as you are able.
