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Auditions

Thanks for your interest in the orchestra! We're very excited about the upcoming year, and we hope you can join us. Before auditions will be held, we encourage everyone to join us at our open rehearsal to be held in early September (date to be announced), where you will have the opportunity to get to know the orchestra better, as well as sign up for an audition in person.

All new and returning members are required to audition. Auditions are an opportunity for you to play music and show us your talent. We will be holding auditions in early September, shortly after the open rehearsal. Since we often have more people interested in playing some instruments than we can accomodate, auditions give everyone a fair shot at the available spots. We use auditions to select performing members of the orchestra, as well as to seat members within the orchestra.

We have only one request of you, once you sign up for an audition: show up for it! We are dedicating our time to listening to you during audition week, and we ask that you make sure our time is not wasted. If you find out that you won't be able to make it to your audition, please let us know by cancelling your audition more than a day in advance on our website.

Audition quick tips:

  • Show up 15 minutes in advance
  • Bring your instrument and your music
  • Your audition will consist of technique, repertoire, sight reading, and a piece of your choice
  • Have fun!

If you have any other questions, just e-mail us directly or use the contact form on the left. We're looking forward to hearing you play!

Audition Requirements

We will ask you to play some excerpts from parts we have available at our members' area (sign up for an account). In addition to the excerpts, you will have to play some major and/or minor scales. You may be also asked to sightread some simple parts.

It is highly recommended that you also prepare one or two pieces of your own choice to play, anywhere between 30 seconds to 2 minutes per piece. It's up to you to decide one or two - it won't affect the result - but if you're preparing two pieces, please pick two with a contrasting style (e.g. fast and slow, flashy and lyrical).

Don't worry if your scales are a bit rusty, or your chops aren't what they used to be. We know what it's like to dust off an instrument from the corner of your room and play.

String auditions

String auditions will be 10 minutes in duration. String auditions are not as competitive as wind auditions - we're looking for as many as 26 violins, 10 violas, 8 cellos, and 6 basses.

Wind auditions

Wind auditions will be 15 minutes in duration. Due to the number of wind instrumentalists in the university and the needs of the orchestra, the following positions are available:

  • Flute / Piccolo (3)
  • Clarinet / Bass Clarinet (4)
  • Oboe (3)
  • Bassoon (3)
  • Horn (4)
  • Trumpet (3)
  • Trombone / Bass Trombone (3)
  • Tuba (1)

Percussion auditions

We are looking for strong percussionists for the orchestra, but the percussion auditions will be held separately. Please contact us directly if you are interested in playing a percussion part!

Sign Up

Online signup for auditions will be available soon, you can e-mail us in advance if you are interested.