Auditions for the 2013-2014 Season

YMO

Auditions for the Young Musicians’ Orchestra, our ensemble for younger, less advanced players, will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2013. Please visit the YMO link for additional information.
To schedule an audition appointment for the Young Musicians’ Orchestra, and to receive directions, please e-mail Mr. Keith Brown at kbrown@voicenet.com.

Weekly rehearsals for the YMO are held on Thursday evenings at Strath Haven Middle School in the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. Please contact Barbara Ostroff at bro.viol@verizon.net for questions or additional information about the YMO program.

DCYO

Auditions for the Delaware County Youth Orchestra, our ensemble for older, advanced players, will be held at Proclamation Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr, PA, on Thursday, August 29, 2013 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Openings remain in the following sections: viola, bass, bassoon, percussion, and tuba. If you play one of these instruments and would be interested in auditioning, please fill in the online form below to request an appointment on August 29.

Qualifications for admission are outstanding musical ability and the desire and dedication required to perform as an orchestral musician. Most students in DCYO are in high school. Weekly rehearsals for DCYO are held on Tuesday evenings from September through May at Proclamation Presbyterian Church in Bryn Mawr. In addition to regular rehearsals, sectional master classes are coached by professional musicians each semester.

Qualified students may make an appointment for a DCYO audition by filling in the online form below. A confirmation of the appointment will be sent to you within a few days. Please read the audition guidelines for your instrument below and review them with your teacher.

We do notice your attire. We request that you dress appropriately. Your audition will be heard by Music Director Brad Smith and one member of the DCYO Board of Trustees.

A note to violin students: Because of the large number of violin students requesting auditions, we generally accept only those older than grade 7. Rare exceptions are made for very advanced players. We strongly encourage middle school violin students to audition for the Young Musicians’ Orchestra.

A note to flute students: We can only accept the most advanced players on flute. We strongly encourage middle school flute students to audition for the Young Musicians’ Orchestra.

Please contact Lisa Liem at lisaCliem@gmail.com or Lenora Hume at leehume@comcast.net for questions or additional information about DCYO auditions.


AUDITION REQUEST (DCYO ONLY)
(* - Required)

   
*Last Name:
*Gender: Female
Male
       
*Address:
*Phone:  
*Parents’ Names:
*E-mail:
*Instrument: *Years Studied:
*Private Teacher’s Name:
*Private Teacher’s E-mail:  
Other Instruments You Play:
*School:
School District:
*Grade (Upcoming September):

*Musical Experience/Activities:

 
Preferred Audition Date/Time:
Second Choice Audition Date/Time:
 
 

 

DYCO AUDITIONS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS:

1. PREPARED PIECE: Students should bring 4 minutes of prepared music that demonstrates both technical proficiency and lyrical ability. Students may choose to prepare 2 short selections that are no longer than 4 minutes total (one piece that is technical and one that is lyrical), if one piece cannot adequately demonstrate both styles. Prepared music may be taken from standard solo literature for your instrument, standard orchestral excerpts, or in some cases from advanced etudes. School ensemble selections (i.e. music from your school band concert) are not appropriate for this audition.

2. SCALES: Students will be asked to play 1 or 2 major scales chosen by the audition committee. Students may choose the tempo and manner in which the scales are played. Multiple octave scales are expected as appropriate for each instrument. The audition committee can choose any major scale up to 5 sharps and 5 flats. Please refer to the PMEA District 12 guidelines for information specific to each instrument. (Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 12 Auditions - Scales)

3. SIGHT-READING: Students will be asked to sight-read a short excerpt provided during the audition. The sight-reading excerpt is used to gauge a student's ability to quickly process and execute musical notation. Students will be evaluated based on accuracy of notes and rhythms as well as ability to follow musical indications (i.e., dynamics, etc.)

4. PERCUSSION: Percussionists should prepare a short excerpt on both snare drum and xylophone. Etudes, portions of solo literature or orchestral excerpts are all acceptable. Percussionists will be asked about their experience with other instruments (timpani, auxiliary percussion) but will not be required to play them at the audition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR WINDS/BRASS
Flutes should play or be willing to learn to play piccolo.
Oboes should play or be willing to learn to play English horn.
Clarinets should be able to transpose parts in A, or own an A clarinet.
Horns should be able to transpose.
Trumpets should be able to transpose.
(It is recommended that students own both Bb and C trumpets).
Trombones should be able to read bass clef and tenor clef, and be willing to learn alto clef.

For information on auditions for the Delaware Valley Young Musicians' Orchestra, click here.