Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Orchestra Audition Requirements
- Solo work of the student’s choice, an excerpt about 1-2 minutes in length - grade 5-6 recommended. Please bring a copy of the piece to the adjudicators at the time of audition.
- Scales and arpeggios
- Sight-reading may be required
Scales and Arpeggios
Students are asked to play scales and tonic arpeggios from memory at a minimum tempo of a quarter note = 72.
Strings
- Chromatic scales may be asked - play one or two octaves starting on any note.
- Students may be asked to play with various articulations such as martelé or staccato.
Violin
- Major - (2 octaves) Dd, F, F# (3 octaves) A, Bb
- Melodic minor - (2 octaves) c#, f, f# (3 octaves) a, bb
Viola
- Major - (2 octaves) F#, Bb, B (3 octaves) C, D
- Melodic minor - (2 octaves) f#, bb, b (3 octaves) c, d
Cello
- Major - (2 octaves) E, F#, Ab, B (3 octaves) C, D
- Melodic minor - (2 octaves) e, f#, g#, b (3 octaves) c, d
Bass
- Major - (2 octaves) F, F#, G
- Melodic minor - (2 octaves) f, f#, g
Winds and Brass
All scales and arpeggios are to be played slurred and at a tempo which best shows your proficiency
- Scales and arpeggios will be played ascending and descending
- Arpeggios will be played in the common chords for the same key
Flute
- Major scales, two octaves, keys of: C, Db, D, Eb, E, F, G, Ab, A, Bb, and B
- Minor scales, two octaves, keys of a, b, c, c#, d, e, f, f#, and g
- Chromatic - 3 octaves
Oboe
- Major - (a 12th) F#, Ab (2 octaves) Bb, B Db, E, F
- Melodic or harmonic minor - (12th) g, g# (2 octaves) bb, b, c#, f
- Chromatic - (2 octaves) start on Bb, C, Eb, E
Clarinet
- Major - (2 octaves) Ab, Bb, B, Db, D, Eb (3 octaves) E
- Melodic or harmonic minor - (2 octaves) g#, a, bb, b, c# (3 octaves) e
- Chromatic - (2 octaves) start on F, A, C (3 octaves) starts on E
Bassoon
- Major - (2 octaves) Db, D, Eb, E, Ab (3 octaves) Bb, B
- Melodic or harmonic minor - (2 octaves) c#, e, g, g# (3 octaves) bb, b
- Chromatic - (2 octaves) start on E, F, A (3 octaves) start on Bb
French Horn
- Major - (2 octaves) C, Db, F#, Ab
- Melodic or harmonic minor - (2 octaves) c#, eb, g, a
- Chromatic - (2 octaves) start on E, F, F#, G
Trumpet
- Major
- All instruments (a 12th) D (2 octaves) F#, A
- Bb instruments (2 octaves) Bb
- Eb Cornet (a 12th) Bb
- Melodic or harmonic minor
- All instruments (a 12th) c (2 octaves) g#, a
- Bb instruments (2 octaves) bb
- Eb Cornet (a 12th) bb
- Chromatic - (2 octaves) start on F#, G, Ab, A
Trombone
- Major
- Bass Clef (a 12th) Bb, C (2 octaves) E, Ab
- Treble Clef (a 12th) C, D (2 octaves) F#, Bb
- Melodic or harmonic minor
- Bass Clef (a 12th) bb, c# (2 octaves) f#
- Treble Clef (a 12th) c, eb (2 octaves) g#
- Chromatic
- Bass Clef (2 octaves) start on G, Ab
- Treble Clef (2 octaves) start on A, Bb
Baritone, Euphonium
- Major
- Bass Clef (a 12th) C (2 octaves) E, G, Ab
- Treble Clef (12th) D (2 octaves) F#, A, Bb
- Melodic or harmonic minor
- Bass Clef (a 12th) bb (2 octaves) f#, g, g#
- Treble Clef (a 12th) c (2 octaves) g#, a, bb
- Chromatic
- Bass Clef (2 octaves) start on E, F, F#, G
- Treble Clef (2 octaves) start on F#, G, Ab, A
Tuba
- Major
- Bass Clef Eb tuba (a 12th) F (2 octaves) A, C, Db
- Bass Clef F tuba (a 12th) G (2 octaves) B, D, Eb
- Bass Clef Bb tuba (a 12th) C (2 octaves) E, G, Ab
- Bass Clef C tuba (a 12th) D (2 octaves) F#, A, Bb
- Treble Clef All tubas (a 12th) D (2 octaves) F#, A, Bb
- Melodic or harmonic minor
- Bass Clef Eb tuba (a 12th) eb (2 octaves) b, c, c#
- Bass Clef F tuba (a 12th) f (2 octaves) c#, d, eb
- Bass Clef Bb tuba (a 12th) bb (2 octaves) f#, g, g#
- Bass Clef C tuba (a 12th) c (2 octaves) g#, a, bb
- Treble Clef All tubas (a 12th) c (2 octaves) g#, a, bb
- Chromatic
- Bass Clef Eb tuba (2 octaves) start on A, Bb, B, C
- Bass Clef F tuba (2 octaves) start on B, C, Db, D
- Bass Clef Bb tuba (2 octaves) start on E, F, F#, G
- Bass Clef C tuba (2 octaves) F#, G, Ab, A
- Treble Clef All tubas (2 octaves) F#, G, Ab, A
Tuned Percussion and Harp
Tuned Percussion
- Major - (1 octave) F#, C# (2 octaves) D, Bb
- Melodic or harmonic minor - (1 octave) eb (2 octaves) b, g
- Chromatic - (1 octave) start on any natural
Harp (pedal)
Major - 4 octaves: all keys (no double # or b)