Skip to main content Skip to footer

Youth Orchestra

Auditions

Auditions are due by July 31, 2023

Results will be announced by August 14th, 2023

Register & Submit

Auditions will be submitted this year as a video recording. Videos may be recorded in any format, including cell phone videos. All audition submissions must be uploaded as one video per audition.  Please upload your audition video to an online file hosting service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive, etc. A link to this file will be needed for the audition form.

Students will be informed of their orchestra placement after all auditions have taken place and the conductors have deliberated.  Conductors will place students into the ensemble they feel will prove most beneficial to the student.

Each student’s season placement audition will be used to determine their section chair placement for the first concert cycle of the regular season, so it is important that students play their very best when auditioning.  Students will be informed of their section chair placement at the first regular rehearsal in September.

Students will have the opportunity to re-audition for chair placements at the beginning of each concert cycle during the SDSYO season.

 

*All auditions are recorded for conductor’s use.
*All decisions concerning placement and participation in the SDSYO are at the sole discretion of SDSYO staff.
*All placement decisions are final.

Youth Orchestra

Conducted by Thomas Fortner

STRING EXCERPTS

String students interested in participating in Youth Orchestra will be asked to play the following:

  • 2 octave chromatic scale, starting on A
  • D Major scale – 3 octaves for violin, viola, and cello, 2 octaves for bass
  • G Melodic Minor scale – 3 octaves for everyone
  • The selected Bach etude for their instrument below.
  • All selected excerpts for their instrument below, marked in brackets, from Gustav Holst’s The Planets (Mars and Jupiter)
WIND EXCERPTS

Wind and brass students interested in participating in Youth Orchestra will be asked to play the following:

  •  2 or 3 octave scale of their choice (depending on instrument logistics)
  • A chromatic scale showing your range
  •  A portion of a solo (approximately 1 minute; may be from an etude, an excerpt from standard orchestral repertoire, or from personal repertoire)
  • All selected excerpts for their instrument below, marked in brackets, from Gustav Holst’s The Planets (Mars and Jupiter)

**The trumpet and trombone parts have two versions (different clefs / transpositions). Using either version is acceptable.**

PERCUSSION EXCERPTS

Percussion students interested in participating in Youth Orchestra:

**PLEASE NOTE, Percussion auditions will not be held at this time, and will be scheduled a few weeks prior to the season launch this fall.**


Philharmonia

Conducted by Jeffrey Paul

 

STRING EXCERPTS

String students interested in participating in Philharmonia will be asked to play the following:

  • 3 Octave Scale of your choice
  • A portion of a solo (three minutes or less; a solo comparable to the end of Suzuki Book IV)
  • All selected excerpts for their instrument below, marked in brackets, from Sleepers, Wake by J.S. Bach, arranged by Jerry Brubaker.
WIND EXCERPTS

Wind and brass students interested in participating in Philharmonia will be asked to play the following

  • 2 octave major or minor scale of choice
  • A chromatic scale demonstrating fluidity and range
  • A portion of a solo (three minutes or less)
  • All selected excerpts for their instrument below, marked in brackets, from Sleepers, Wake by J.S. Bach, arranged by Jerry Brubaker.
PERCUSSION EXCERPTS

Percussion students interested in participating in Philharmonia:

**PLEASE NOTE, Percussion auditions will not be held at this time, and will be scheduled a few weeks prior to the season launch this fall.**


 

Sinfonia

Conducted by Thomas Fortner

Students interested in participating in Sinfonia will be asked to play the following:

  • A two octave scale of your choice
  • A portion of a solo (no more than three minutes)

Camerata

SDSYO Chamber Ensembles
Coaches: Drew Carlson, Dr. Beverly Gibson, Sarah Richter, Sue Sidoti

Students interested in participating in Camerata will be asked to play the following:

  • TWO pieces of contrasting style