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). Audition registration will open in early May. Excerpts and registration links will be available here at that time.
2024-2025 season audition information and requirements will be announced here. Please review the information below for reference. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
The 2024-2025 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.
2024-2025 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 violinists, violists, cellists, and bassists will play an in-person seating audition at Emory on Wednesday, August 21 (the sign up form to schedule an audition will be sent to all accepted string players on Monday, August 19)
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 auditionees may choose 2 of the required excerpts.
Required 2024-2025 Audition Excerpts for all auditionees:
Flute & Optional Piccolo | Beethoven Symphony No. 7
Oboe | Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3
Clarinet | Beethoven Symphony No. 6
Bassoon | Rimsky Korsakov Scheherazade
Horn | Strauss Till Eulenspiegel
Trumpet | Mahler Symphony No 5
Trombone | Hindemith Mathis der Maler
Bass Trombone | Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Tuba | Prokofiev Symphony No. 5
Percussion | [multiple]
Harp | Stravinsky Firebird Suite
Piano | Copland Appalachian Spring
Percussionists
In choosing your solo works, in addition to the required orchestral excerpt above (you will choose one out of two options), please 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