MCYO Ensemble Requirement Overview for Auditions
There are specific requirements for each orchestra and each instrument.
Please click through and find the requirements for the orchestras that you can audition for.

Consideration for Multiple Ensembles: You will need to audition for BOTH Ensembles. You will have an option to allow this in the registration system.
The only exceptions are Future Stars and Preparatory Strings. If you are auditioning for Chamber Strings and Preparatory Strings, you do NOT need to audition twice to be considered for Future Stars and/or Preparatory Strings.

  • Young Artists (Full Orchestra)
    – Grade in School: Strings- 6 – 8th / Winds, Brass & Percussion- 6 – 9th
    – Click for Requirements for Young Artists
    – Click for Orchestral Excerpts
  • Symphony (Full Orchestra)
    – Grade in School: Strings- 8 – 9th / Winds, Brass & Percussion- 8 – 10th
    – Click for Requirements for Symphony
    – Click for Orchestral Excerpts
  • Kamerata! (String Only Orchestra)
    – Grade in School: Strings- 9 – 12th
    – No separate requirements. All string musicians auditioning for Chamber Ensemble and Philharmonic will be considered for Kamerata!
  • Chamber Ensemble (String Only Orchestra)
    – Grade in School: 9 – 10th
    – Click for Requirements for Chamber Ensemble
    – Click for Orchestral Excerpts
  • Philharmonic (Full Orchestra)
    – Grade in School: Strings- 11 – 12th / Winds, Brass & Percussion- 10 – 12th
    – 10th Grade Strings- Can audition for PHIL, ONLY IF you were in Chamber Ensemble in previous season as a 9th grader.
    – Click for Requirements for Philharmonic
    – Click for Orchestral Excerpts
  • Percussion and Percussion Ensemble
    – Percussionists will need to audition for the orchestras and accepted percussionists will be asked to join percussion ensemble. (If any percussionists would like to join just Percussion Ensemble, please contact the office)
    – Musician will need to prepare a solo or etude for snare drum, mallets or timpani (Goldenberg, Podemski, Cirone, Delecluse, Firth, Peters, Schinstine, Whaley, Houliff, Wessels, Aleo, or equivalent) and the orchestral excerpts for the other two instruments (I.E. a mallet SOLO plus snare drum and timpani EXCERPTS).  The student should be prepared to sight read on all three instruments as well as to demonstrate timpani tuning and basic snare drum rudiments (long concert roll, 5, 7 and 9 stroke rolls, flams, flam taps, flam accents, paraddidles and double paradiddles).
  • Small Ensembles (Flute Choirs, Clarinet Choirs, Harp Ensemble)
    – Click for Requirements for Small Ensembles