2025-2026 auditions will be held Friday, August 15th (8th grade strings), Saturday, August 16th (9th-12th grade), and Sunday, August 17th (9th-12th grade). Please register for an audition time slot here. Excerpts are available below.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
The 2025-2026 EYSO Season features comprehensive orchestral performance and educational activities- including full orchestra rehearsals, concerts, masterclasses, and pre-college seminars.
All auditionees will be considered for placement in either EYSO or EYCO. Auditioning for the program comprises both entrance auditions (for both EYSO and EYCO) and string seating auditions (for EYSO only). Entrance auditions take place each August, and string seating auditions take place twice per season: in August, following entrance auditions, and in January, preceding rehearsals for our Winter Concert Cycle.
2025-2026 Audition Requirements & Information
Audition repertoire requirements
- required orchestral excerpts (string auditionees, please be sure to prepare the excerpt for the entrance audition, not the seating audition)
- sight-reading
- solo repertoire of your choice (4-6 minutes)
- string players – accepted 9th-12th grade violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists will play an in-person seating audition at Emory on Wednesday, August 20 (the sign up form to schedule an audition will be sent to all accepted string players on Monday, August 18)
The appropriate required orchestral excerpts can be found below and will be provided to each auditionee immediately via email when they register for their audition online. Solo repertoire should be 4-6 minutes of music of the student’s choosing including two contrasting excerpts (technical and lyrical) from standard solo literature. A single solo work with contrasting sections is also an acceptable option. Memorization is not required.
Please note: EYSO auditionees must perform all excerpts. Rising 8th grade EYCO string auditionees should only prepare the entrance excerpts.
Required 2025-2026 Audition Excerpts for all auditionees:
Flute & Optional Piccolo | Dvorak Symphony No. 8 / Rossini, Semiramide
Oboe | Haydn Symphony No. 96
Clarinet | Beethoven Symphony No. 6
Bassoon | Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Horn | Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Trumpet | Mahler Symphony No. 5
Trombone | Berlioz, Hungarian March
Bass Trombone | Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis
Tuba | Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Percussion | [multiple]
Harp | Verdi, Forza del Destino Overture
Piano | Copland Appalachian Spring
EYCO 8th grade Strings | Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
EYSO Strings | Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass
Percussionists
In choosing your solo works, in addition to the required orchestral excerpt above (you will choose one out of three options), please also prepare material on two out of three of: snare drum, timpani, mallets. Should you have any questions, please contact EYSO Staff: youthsymphony@emory.edu
Auditionees are evaluated on the basis of tone quality, intonation, rhythmic accuracy, musicianship, expressiveness, and reading ability.
Students will receive information on how to pay their audition registration fee via Emory’s IRIS system when they register.
Questions regarding auditions should be directed to Samantha Frischling, Orchestra Manager: youthsymphony@emory.edu