Audition Information for NEW Students

Photo courtesy of John Rudoff, MD

The purpose of the audition is to determine the level at which a student plays, for proper placement.
Placement is dependent on the number of available positions in each ensemble. Orchestral wind and brass positions will be offered to the best applicants in each section. All auditioning students should have at least one year of experience before auditioning for MYS, and musicians up through college age can audition. Our goal is to make the audition as fair and stress free as is humanly possible.

MYS auditions take place in June, late August and early September for students beginning in the fall, and in January for students beginning mid-season.

UPCOMING AUDITION DATES for new students
Friday, June 11 -- 4:00-9:00
Saturday, June 12 -- 9:00-4:00
Mon/Tues, June 14/15 -- 4:00-9:00
Wed-Fri, June 16-18 -- 10:00-6:00

HAVE QUESTIONS?
Production Manager Diane Chaplin can help you out. Call or email her: 503-239-4566 or diane@playmys.org.

READY TO SIGN UP for an audition?
Mail your Registration and Medical forms and a $40 NON-refundable registration fee to MYS, 4800 SW Macadam Ave, Suite 105, Portland, OR, 97239. Visa and Mastercard acceptable. After we receive your $40 NON-refundable registration fee, registration and medical forms, we will contact you to set up an audition time. Audition dates and times will not be assigned until May; call us if you need to reserve a

LOCATION
St. Catherine Hall at Marylhurst University. Get driving directions. St. Catherine Hall is letter G on the Campus Map.

COST
Non-refundable audition fee is $40 per person and must be paid prior to scheduling an audition time. Review the season's fees.

TIMES
A 6-minute audition time will be assigned. Exact times may vary by instrument and level.

ADJUDICATORS
The adjudication panel consists of MYS conductors and Portland area professional musicians; they will determine the placement of the musicians. The panel's decisions are final and non-appealable.

Audition Requirements

Photo courtesy of John Rudoff, MD

SCALES

As appropriate to the player's instrument and level, always demonstrating best tone and vibrato, if appropriate.

• winds & brass, 1-2 octaves: 1 major & chromatic scale of musician's choice; 1 major of panel's choice
• Symphony level winds and brass demonstrate a two-octave range

strings
• Overture: Any one-octave scale, vibrato not expected
• Interlude: Major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, F, B-flat; third position (for violins) and vibrato are expected
• Vivaldi Strings: Two-octave major scales in the keys of C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat
• Concert Orchestra: Major and minor scales up to 4 sharps or 4 flats; three-octave scales for violins, violas and celli; two-octave scales for basses. Spiccato and hooked bowings. Facility in positions one through six.
• Symphony Orchestra: All Major scales, all harmonic and melodic minor scales, in three octaves. Advanced bowing styles, including spiccato. Facility in all positions.

SOLO

All musicians will play a solo of their choice, no longer than 3 minutes, that demonstrates the musician's musical and technical abilities. (It may be an excerpt from a longer solo.) This piece does not need to be memorized and must be played without accompaniment.

Percussionists should prepare a snare drum study and any other additional instrument they wish to demonstrate.

Violinists: If you wish to be considered for Concert Orchestra or Symphony Orchestra, also prepare the Mazas Etude at the marked tempo. Click on the links to download the PDF files - complete etude is both pages.

Violinists intending to audition for Concert Orchestra are expected to be able to play up to the first eighth rest of: Mazas Page 1
Violinists intending to audition for Symphony are expected be able to play the entire etude.
Page 1 and Page 2
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Jazz: Students need to prepare a jazz piece, including either a transcribed solo or a piece they have learned. The will be asked to play a 2-octave chromatic scale and to sightread. They may improvise if they desire, but it is not required. All students must audition (even returning students).

SIGHT-READING

Sight-reading material will be provided at the audition by the adjudication panel. Expected skill level increases for each higher ensemble.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR:

Concert Orchestra:

Cellists must be able to read and play in tenor clef.
Bassoonists must be able to read and play in tenor clef.
Clarinetists should have basic transposition skills.
Trumpet and horn players should have basic transposition skills.

Symphony Orchestra:

Violists must be able to read and play in treble clef.
Cellists must be able to read and play in tenor clef.
Bassoonists must be able to read and play in tenor clef.
Clarinetists should have transposition skills.
Trumpet and Horn players MUST have strong transposition skills.

AUDITION TIPS

Help with how to prepare for an audition are in audition tips.
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