Audition Information (old)

AUDITION for SALEM YOUTH SYMPHONY (OLD INFORMATION)

We are now accepting audition applications for the upcoming 2024-2025 season!

Public, private, and home school students through 22 years old are welcome to audition!

To schedule an audition, please fill out the Online Audition Application Form.

NOTE: Mozart Players is a non-audition, preparatory string group. Teacher recommendation and the Online Audition Application Form is the only requirement for first time Mozart Players.

Audition Music can be found HERE.

SPRING AUDITION DATES

Saturday June 1, 2024 – Howard Street Charter School

  • Youth Symphony 
  • Philharmonia: Winds, Brass and Percussion ONLY

Sunday, June 2, 2024 – Howard Street Charter School

  • Philharmonia: STRINGS ONLY – current, new, & Amadeus musicians wanting to move up

FALL AUDITION DATES

Saturday, September 21, 2024 – Howard Street Charter School

  • Amadeus Players: All Strings – current, new, and Mozart musicians wanting to move up
  • Philharmonia: NEW MEMBERS ONLY
  • Youth Symphony: NEW MEMBERS ONLY

Monday, September 30, 2024 – Online

  • Mozart Players: Teacher Recommendations and online applications due

SYS ensemble placement for Amadeus Players, Philharmonia, and Youth Symphony are by audition. (Mozart Players is a non-audition, preparatory string group. Teacher recommendation is the only requirement for first time Mozart Players)

  • Auditions are held in early June for Philharmonia and Youth Symphony musicians and mid September for Amadeus Players musicians.
  • All new and returning Amadeus Players, Philharmonia and Youth Symphony members MUST audition each year.
  • Auditions will consist of scales, excerpts (provided in packet) and sight reading. 
  • Mozart Players is a non-audition group, teacher recommendation is required for first year Mozart Players.

RE-AUDITIONS: All new and current Amadeus Players, Philharmonia, and Youth Symphony members are required to re-audition each year. Auditions are held in early June for Philharmonia and Youth Symphony and mid September for Amadeus Players. These auditions determine orchestra placement. Mozart Players is a non-audition ensemble. Teacher recommendation is required for first-time Mozart Player musicians.

If string players are not recommended to be enrolled in or promoted to Philharmonia, their audition will apply towards enrollment in the Amadeus Players ensemble. For musicians auditioning for Philharmonia or Youth Symphony, all positions are open to new and returning members. Returning members are not guaranteed a position for the following year.

SYS consists of four groups

Click on each orchestra for more information on skill level:

  • Mozart Players: a non-audition, preparatory string ensemble co-conducted by Rachael Anderson. Mozart Players engages primarily students in grades 4-7. Teacher recommendation is required for first time Mozart Players.
  • Amadeus Players: a mid-level string ensemble conducted by Mac Mayer. Amadeus engages primarily students in grades 5-9. Audition required.
  • Philharmonia: an advanced full symphony orchestra conducted by Danny Hunt. Philharmonia comprises talented student musicians who want to develop orchestral performance skills.
  • Youth Symphony: the premier full symphony orchestra conducted by Musical Director Jon Harris-Clippinger. Youth Symphony comprises the most talented and dedicated student musicians through age 22.

School Music Ensemble Participation Requirements

Salem Youth Symphony, in support of public and private school music programs, requires students to be enrolled in a musical ensemble offered at their school for their instrument.  Wind and percussion instrumentalists will participate in their school band program.  String instrumentalists will participate in their school orchestra program.  The policy does not apply to students whose educational setting does not offer a musical ensemble for their instrument.  

​​2024 AUDITION SCALES and EXCERPT PACKETS

YOUTH SYMPHONY PHILHARMONIA AMADEUS & PHILHARMONIA
Violin  Flute Violin
Viola  Oboe Viola
Cello  Clarinet Cello
Bass  Bassoon Bass
Flute French Horn
Piccolo Trumpet
Oboe Trombone
Clarinet Tuba
Bass Clarinet Percussion
Bassoon
French Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion

Audition Preparation Suggestions

1. We recommend that you print out all excerpts and scales for your respective instrument. Play through them, take them to your classroom or private teacher, and decide which excerpts you want to prepare for your audition. Selecting excerpts is no guarantee that you will qualify for that orchestra. If you are unable to demonstrate proficiency on your chosen excerpts, you will be placed in an ensemble that is a better fit.

2. It is important that you prepare/select the excerpts that you are going to be able to play with great intonation, rhythmic precision, a steady tempo (at the metronome markings indicated), and all dynamics, articulations, style, and bow stroke considerations.

3. Avoid picking excerpts that are too difficult for you. You might have big goals to be in a certain ensemble, but if you pick music that is beyond your abilities, it only shows us that you are not ready to play the level of music which that ensemble plays. We want everyone to have a solid confident audition.

4. Play all excerpts and scales within the tempo range indicated on the page. Playing excerpts too slowly or with hesitations/tempo changes will significantly affect your audition results. If you start an excerpt below or above the tempo range indicated, you might be stopped and asked to start over again within the indicated range.  Be sure to practice with a metronome.

5. Be sure to adhere to all bowings marked in the excerpt. Fingerings are suggestions and are not mandatory, but the marked bowings are required.

6. For sightreading we will provide you with an excerpt. You will get a short, specified amount of time to look at the passage. Check the key signature, time signature, markings, and scan the passage for any trouble spots before performing it.