CYSO- Auditions

Auditions for the 2008-2009 Season

Auditions will be held May 17th & 24th 2008

Click here to download the audition registration form as a word doc.
(you will be able to e-mail this one back)

Click here to download the audition registration form as pdf. (this one is a "print-and-fax-back" form)

Chair Auditions

Philharmonia (all sections) Monday, March 17th, 2008

Symphony Strings Monday, March 17th, 2008

Auditions for CYSO
CYSO auditions are generally held in April and May. Auditions may also be held throughout the season, depending upon the positions available in each orchestra. Auditions are 7 minutes in length and consist of a scale, and solo or etude piece of the candidates choosing that should display both tone and technique, sight-reading, and demonstrations of the student's knowledge of key signatures (and for string players) bow-arm technique.

The audition fee is $25.00, check or credit cards only. The judges consist of CYSO conductors and the Music Director.

Auditions for the 2008–2009 Season

(1) Auditions will be held on Saturday, May 17th and Saturday, May 24th 2008

(2) Auditionees will be expected to play the following

a. scales appropriate to your level (Sinfonia, Philharmonia, Symphony)
b. sightreading excerpt appropriate to your level (to be provided at the audition)
c. prepared excerpt of candidate's choice.
NOTE: THIS SOLO PIECE IS CHOSEN BY THE APPLICANT. CYSO WILL NOT MAIL YOU MUSIC, YOU WILL CHOOSE AND PLAY FROM YOUR OWN MUSIC.
d. Auditionees will also be quizzed on key signature recognition appropriate to your level

(3) Please complete an application and email or fax it to the office.

Click here to download the audition request sheet.

Auditions for New Students
There will be open auditions for new students all year as long as space allows. We are particularly in need of wind instruments for the symphony. If you know of any interested students, please have them call the CYSO office at 303-871-6365

Audition Guidelines

Concert attire is not required for auditions. Dressing respectfully for the ocassion is encouraged. Scoring will include the following categories; basic set-up (form, facility, intonation, rhythm, tone quality & quantity, vibrato, bow-arm demo, musicality (character, dyamics, phrasing, etc.), sight reading, theory. Guidelines for violin, cello and percussion are below.

VIOLIN

Sinfonia:
scales: be prepared to play 1 octave C, F and D and 2 octave B flat, G and A
familiar with all key signatures through 3 sharps and 2 flats
can sight read all notes in 1st position
can use whole bow
beginning to play in 3rd position
has little or no ensemble experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Philharmonia:
can tune their own instrument well
scales: be prepared to play all of Sinfonia requirements PLUS 2 octave D and C, 1 octave E and E-flat and 3 octave G and A
familiar with all key signatures through 4 sharps and 3 flats
sight-reads in 1st and 3rd positions
beginning to play with vibrato
can play off the string
plays well in 3rd position and beginning to play in 4th and 5th positions
has at least 1 - 2 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Symphony:
scales: be prepared to play any 3-octave major or minor scale through 4 sharps and 4 flats
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
sight-reads in 1st - 5th positions
plays with a mature vibrato
plays off the string well and is familiar with more advanced bowing techniques
plays well in 1st through 6th positions
has at least 2 - 3 years of orchestra experience
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
plays prepared excerpt well

VIOLA

Sinfonia:
be prepared to play 1 octave B-flat, F and G and 2 octave E flat, C and D
familiar with all key signatures through 3 sharps and 2 flats
can sight read all notes in 1st position
can use whole bow
beginning to play in 3rd position
has little or no ensemble experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Philharmonia:
can tune own instrument well
scales: be prepared to play all of Sinfonia requirements PLUS 2 octave G and F, 1 octave A and A-flat and 3 octave C and D
familiar with all key signatures through 4 sharps and 3 flats
sight-reads in 1st and 3rd positions
beginning to play with vibrato
can play off the string
plays well in 3rd position and beginning to play in 4th and 5th positions
has at least 1 - 2 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Symphony:
scales: be prepared to play any 3-octave major or minor scale through 4 sharps and 4 flats
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
sight-reads in 1st - 5th positions
plays with a mature vibrato
plays off the string well and is familiar with more advanced bowing techniques
plays well in 1st through 6th positions
has at least 2 - 3 years of orchestra experience
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
plays prepared excerpt well

CELLO

Sinfonia:
scales: be prepared to play 1 octave B-flat, F and G and 2 octave E flat, C and D
familiar with all key signatures through 3 sharps and 2 flats
can sight-read all notes in first position
can use whole bow
has little or no ensemble experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Philharmonia:
can tune own instrument well
scales: be prepared to play all of Sinfonia requirements PLUS 2 octave G and F, 1 octave A and A-flat and 3 octave C and D
familiar with all key signatures through 4 sharps and 3 flats
sight-reads in 1st through 4th positions
beginning to play with vibrato
can use whole bow and play off the string
plays fluently in 1st through 4th position, can play in higher positions
is beginning to play in tenor clef
has at least 1-2 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Symphony:
scales: be prepared to play any 3-octave major or minor scale through 4 sharps and 4 flats plus 4-octave C Major
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
sight-reads in bass and tenor clefs
plays with vibrato
plays off the string well and is familiar with more advanced bowing techniques
plays easily in bass, tenor and treble clefs (plays easily in thumb position)
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
has 2 -3 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

BASS

Sinfonia:
scales: be prepared to play a 1 octave C Major scale
familiar with all key signatures through 3 sharps and 2 flats
can sight-read all notes in first position
can use whole bow
has little or no ensemble experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Philharmonia:
can tune own instrument well
scales: be prepared to play a 1 octave C Major and a 2 octave E Major scale
familiar with all key signatures through 4 sharps and 3 flats
beginning to play with vibrato
can use whole bow and play off the string
has at least 1-2 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Symphony:
scales: be prepared to play the Philharmonia scales plus 2 octave G, A-flat, and A scales
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
plays with vibrato
plays off the string well and is familiar with more advanced bowing techniques
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
has 2 -3 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

WOODWINDS/BRASS

Sinfonia:
displays good facility, tone and intonation
scales: be prepared to play any 2 octave major scale (8th notes at quarter note = 80)
familiar with all key signatures through 3 sharps and 2 flats
has little or no ensemble experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Philharmonia:
scales: be prepared to play any 2 octave major scale (16th notes at quarter note = 60) plus a 2 octave chromatic scale with varying tempos
displays good tone, intonation & facility
familiar with all key signatures through 4 sharps and 3 flats
has at least 1 - 2 years of orchestra experience
plays prepared excerpt well

Symphony:
scales: be prepared to play any 2 octave major scale (16th notes at quarter note = 80) plus a 2 octave chromatic scale (16th notes at quarter note = 80)
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
has at least 2 - 3 years of orchestra experience
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
plays prepared excerpt well

PERCUSSION

Symphony:
familiar with all key signatures (major and minor)
has at least 2 - 3 years of orchestra experience
displays musical sensitivity (dynamics, phrasing, tone, etc.)
plays prepared excerpt well (timpani, mallets, snare)