Symphony Orchestra Audition Requirements
Open to grades 8 and up
---------------------------
All Brass, Wind & String Students Must Prepare
3 Scales (2 major, 1 minor) with Arpeggios
2 Prepared Solo Excerpts (see specific guidance for strings, flute, clarinet & trumpet)
Percussion: See specific requirements below
A sight reading excerpt will be given at the time of your audition on all instruments
---------------------------
All Brass, Wind & String Students Must Prepare
3 Scales (2 major, 1 minor) with Arpeggios
2 Prepared Solo Excerpts (see specific guidance for strings, flute, clarinet & trumpet)
Percussion: See specific requirements below
A sight reading excerpt will be given at the time of your audition on all instruments
STRINGS
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All string candidates must prepare the Sr. District Audition Solo Excerpt* from either the 2024, 2025 or 2026 Festivals from any MMEA district such as Central or Eastern. If your private teacher has been working with you on a comparable work to the Sr. District Audition Excerpt, please email us as we will accept an alternative with prior permission. This is in addition to one solo excerpt of their choice, see below. Questions? Email us
General Guidance
1) Ability to play in all keys.
2) Violins & Violas readily shifting past 5th position, command of harmonics.
3) Cello & Bass thumb position and harmonics.
4) Violas, ability to read and play in treble clef.
5) Cellos, ability to read and play in tenor clef.
6) For the solo excerpt, a good frame of reference is late Suzuki Book 4 and above.
Required Audition Components
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least three octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) One excerpt of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude which you feel shows your best playing. We advise you consult with your teacher.
AND
4) The Sr. District Audition Excerpt* from either 2024, 2025 or 2026 from any MMEA district. Please email us if you need help finding this excerpt. If your private teacher has been working with you on a comparable work to the Sr. District Audition Excerpt, please email us as we will accept an alternative with prior permission.
Note:
All Concertmaster & Principal Chairs are determined in August when accepted students are sent a string hearing excerpt to prepare.
------------------------------
WOODWINDS
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All Flute & Clarinet candidates are required to play a prepared excerpt, please see the download link below.
Flute:
New for 2025: All flute players must demonstrate some knowledge of piccolo at their audition, either through a scale and/or solo excerpt of their choice. This is required.
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios on Flute
1 Scale of your choice (major or minor), plus arpeggio on piccolo. (Required)
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Bizet: L'Arelesienne Suite No. 2, Mvt III, Click Here To Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
3) Optional piccolo solo excerpt of your choice.
Clarinet:
Knowledge of both A and Bb transpositions is desirable.
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, Mvt. III (Trio) Click Here To Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
Optional: Bass-Clarinet & E-Flat Clarinet
In addition to the clarinet requirement, please prepare 1 scale/arpeggio of your choice, and 1 additional solo excerpt of your choice. All bass clarinet/e-flat clarinet players must also play clarinet as not all orchestral repertoire has bass clarinet parts.
Oboe & Bassoon:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts
Two contrasting solo works of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition)
------------------------------
BRASS
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All Trumpet candidates are required to play a prepared excerpt, please see the download link below.
General Notes
Trombone - Should be able to read alto and tenor clef.
Trumpet:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Gershwin: An American in Paris, Excerpt 1 Click Here to Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
Horn, Trombone & Tuba:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts
Two contrasting solo works of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition)
All Principal Seatings are determined in August when accepted students are sent a hearing excerpt to prepare.
------------------------------
PERCUSSION
General Guidance:
1) Candidates must bring their own sticks appropriate for Snare, Mallets & Timpani
2) Candidates must bring their own snare drum.
1) 1 Snare Excerpt from a rudiments or method book. Please bring your own snare with you
2) 1 Mallets Excerpt for either Glock, Xylophone, Marimba or Vibes.
3) 1 Timpani Excerpt from a rudiments or method book.
Percussionists should have experience with:
- Timpani: Knowledge of tuning, ability to play on at least three drums
- Ability to play the standard orchestral percussion: Snare, Bass, Cymbals (Crash & Suspended), Triangle and a mallet instrument (Vibraphone, Xylophone, Glock).
Percussion Policy:
WYO provides all major instruments such as timpani, bass drum, crash, suspended cymbal, mallets (Vibes, Xylo, Glock & Chimes) and auxiliary percussion. All students are expected to provide their own snare with sticks, as well as sticks for mallet instruments, timpani and suspended cymbal. WYO will provide sticks for bass drum and gong.
WYSO Percussionists are assigned their parts by the Music Director and Percussion Ensemble Coach on a rotating basis.
PIANO/KEYBOARD
On a case by case basis, we accept one orchestral pianist each season. Please email us prior to signing up for audition specifics and if there is an opening. Keyboardists are expected to play in the percussion section when the repertoire does not call for keyboard.
HARP
1) Two contrasting solo works of your choice (one must demonstrate knowledge of glissandos)
------------------------------
RESOURCES
Scale Sheets (these do not include arpeggios, remember your audition requires them)
Oboe Scale Sheet
Bassoon Scale Sheet
Flute Scale Sheet
Clarinet Scale Sheet
Bass Clar. Scale Sheet
Trumpet Scale Sheet
Trombone Scale Sheet
Bass Tbne Scale Sheet
Fr. Horn Scale Sheet
Tuba Scale Sheet
Violin Scale Sheet
Viola Scale Sheet
'Cello Scale Sheet
String Bass Scale Sheet
------------
MMEA Central Districts Senior Festival Information
MMEA Western Districts Senior Festival Information
MMEA Eastern District Senior Festival Information
MMEA North Eastern District Senior Festival Information
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All string candidates must prepare the Sr. District Audition Solo Excerpt* from either the 2024, 2025 or 2026 Festivals from any MMEA district such as Central or Eastern. If your private teacher has been working with you on a comparable work to the Sr. District Audition Excerpt, please email us as we will accept an alternative with prior permission. This is in addition to one solo excerpt of their choice, see below. Questions? Email us
General Guidance
1) Ability to play in all keys.
2) Violins & Violas readily shifting past 5th position, command of harmonics.
3) Cello & Bass thumb position and harmonics.
4) Violas, ability to read and play in treble clef.
5) Cellos, ability to read and play in tenor clef.
6) For the solo excerpt, a good frame of reference is late Suzuki Book 4 and above.
Required Audition Components
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least three octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) One excerpt of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude which you feel shows your best playing. We advise you consult with your teacher.
AND
4) The Sr. District Audition Excerpt* from either 2024, 2025 or 2026 from any MMEA district. Please email us if you need help finding this excerpt. If your private teacher has been working with you on a comparable work to the Sr. District Audition Excerpt, please email us as we will accept an alternative with prior permission.
Note:
All Concertmaster & Principal Chairs are determined in August when accepted students are sent a string hearing excerpt to prepare.
------------------------------
WOODWINDS
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All Flute & Clarinet candidates are required to play a prepared excerpt, please see the download link below.
Flute:
New for 2025: All flute players must demonstrate some knowledge of piccolo at their audition, either through a scale and/or solo excerpt of their choice. This is required.
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios on Flute
1 Scale of your choice (major or minor), plus arpeggio on piccolo. (Required)
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Bizet: L'Arelesienne Suite No. 2, Mvt III, Click Here To Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
3) Optional piccolo solo excerpt of your choice.
Clarinet:
Knowledge of both A and Bb transpositions is desirable.
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, Mvt. III (Trio) Click Here To Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
Optional: Bass-Clarinet & E-Flat Clarinet
In addition to the clarinet requirement, please prepare 1 scale/arpeggio of your choice, and 1 additional solo excerpt of your choice. All bass clarinet/e-flat clarinet players must also play clarinet as not all orchestral repertoire has bass clarinet parts.
Oboe & Bassoon:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts
Two contrasting solo works of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition)
------------------------------
BRASS
New For Spring 2025 Auditions
All Trumpet candidates are required to play a prepared excerpt, please see the download link below.
General Notes
Trombone - Should be able to read alto and tenor clef.
Trumpet:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts:
1) Required: Gershwin: An American in Paris, Excerpt 1 Click Here to Download
2) Concerto, Sonata or Etude of your choice which best shows your playing ability. We suggest you look at the Sr. District Festival Audition Excerpt as a guide. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition).
Horn, Trombone & Tuba:
Scales:
3 Scales of your choice (2 major, 1 minor), at least two octaves, plus the accompanying arpeggios.
Solo Excerpts
Two contrasting solo works of your choice such as a concerto, sonata or etude. Popular music excerpts are not accepted (except for a jazz audition)
All Principal Seatings are determined in August when accepted students are sent a hearing excerpt to prepare.
------------------------------
PERCUSSION
General Guidance:
1) Candidates must bring their own sticks appropriate for Snare, Mallets & Timpani
2) Candidates must bring their own snare drum.
1) 1 Snare Excerpt from a rudiments or method book. Please bring your own snare with you
2) 1 Mallets Excerpt for either Glock, Xylophone, Marimba or Vibes.
3) 1 Timpani Excerpt from a rudiments or method book.
Percussionists should have experience with:
- Timpani: Knowledge of tuning, ability to play on at least three drums
- Ability to play the standard orchestral percussion: Snare, Bass, Cymbals (Crash & Suspended), Triangle and a mallet instrument (Vibraphone, Xylophone, Glock).
Percussion Policy:
WYO provides all major instruments such as timpani, bass drum, crash, suspended cymbal, mallets (Vibes, Xylo, Glock & Chimes) and auxiliary percussion. All students are expected to provide their own snare with sticks, as well as sticks for mallet instruments, timpani and suspended cymbal. WYO will provide sticks for bass drum and gong.
WYSO Percussionists are assigned their parts by the Music Director and Percussion Ensemble Coach on a rotating basis.
PIANO/KEYBOARD
On a case by case basis, we accept one orchestral pianist each season. Please email us prior to signing up for audition specifics and if there is an opening. Keyboardists are expected to play in the percussion section when the repertoire does not call for keyboard.
HARP
1) Two contrasting solo works of your choice (one must demonstrate knowledge of glissandos)
------------------------------
RESOURCES
Scale Sheets (these do not include arpeggios, remember your audition requires them)
Oboe Scale Sheet
Bassoon Scale Sheet
Flute Scale Sheet
Clarinet Scale Sheet
Bass Clar. Scale Sheet
Trumpet Scale Sheet
Trombone Scale Sheet
Bass Tbne Scale Sheet
Fr. Horn Scale Sheet
Tuba Scale Sheet
Violin Scale Sheet
Viola Scale Sheet
'Cello Scale Sheet
String Bass Scale Sheet
------------
MMEA Central Districts Senior Festival Information
MMEA Western Districts Senior Festival Information
MMEA Eastern District Senior Festival Information
MMEA North Eastern District Senior Festival Information
School Participation Policy:
WYO ensemble and performance opportunities are intended to compliment school music programs. It is the policy of the Worcester Youth Orchestras that each student musician participates in his/her/their school music program, if offered at the musician’s school as part of the school day curriculum and/or as an after/before school activity or club.
WYO ensemble and performance opportunities are intended to compliment school music programs. It is the policy of the Worcester Youth Orchestras that each student musician participates in his/her/their school music program, if offered at the musician’s school as part of the school day curriculum and/or as an after/before school activity or club.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS
The Worcester Youth Orchestras School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, gender preference, religion, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminated on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender preference, religion, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school administered programs.
The Worcester Youth Orchestras School admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, gender preference, religion, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminated on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, gender preference, religion, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school administered programs.
