All students will be assessed based on their performance of:

  • Prepared Solo
  • Orchestral Excerpts
  • Selected Scales (and Arpeggios for strings)

More detailed information of guidelines/general audition can be found on our Audition Information page.

*Conductors will determine orchestra placement and seating for the mutual benefit of the musicians and the orchestras.

Please click on the PLUS (+) below to see the requirements.

Eligibility for Symphony

Grades in School:
Strings: 8 – 9th Grade
Winds/Brass/Percussion: 8 – 10th Grade

Prepared Solo

Minimum Solo Level (MMEA grade level or ASTADC):
Difficulty grade level 4-5 and higher

Musicians will be required to play a 3-5 minute excerpt from a solo of their choice. You are encouraged to choose a section or two that displays your musical and technical fluency. Solos must be played without piano accompaniment. Memorization of solos and excerpts is not required.

Orchestral Excerpts

Download the Orchestral Excerpts Here.
*Some excerpts may be multiple pages.

To be considered for MULTIPLE ensembles, you must prepare ALL excerpts required for the older ensemble plus ONE excerpt (of musician’s choice) from the younger ensemble’s required excerpts.

Scales/Arpeggios for Strings

  • Must record all the scales listed for your instruments (scales, arpeggios, etc)
  • Tempo, articulation, and style of the scale should reflect the ability of the musician (Please refer to musician’s private teacher for advice)
  • All scales/arpeggios are to be played ascending and descending

Violin: 3-Octave F Major / 3-Octave D Melodic Minor
Viola: 3-Octave D Major / 3-Octave C Melodic Minor
Cello: 3-Octave E Major / 3-Octave D Melodic Minor
Bass: 2-Octave G Major / 1 or 2-Octave E Melodic Minor

Scales for Winds/Brass

  • Must record BOTH Chromatic and Major scales
  • Tempo articulation, and style of the scale should reflect the ability of the musician. (Please refer to musician’s private teacher for advice)
  • All scales are to be played ascending and descending

Chromatic Scale: 1 or more Octave scales

Flute: 2-Octave A Major
Oboe: 2-Octave Eb Major
Clarinet: 2-Octave A Major
Bassoon: 2-Octave D Major

French Horn: 2-Octave F Major
Trumpet: 2-Octave A Major
Trombone: 2-Octave G Major
Tuba: 2-Octave G Major

Percussion and Harps

Percussion: 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).

Harps: Musicians will need to enroll in to Harp Ensemble (Part of the Small Ensemble).
– Please prepare a solo that best represent your playing level/skills. If you are also interested in performing with the orchestras, you should also prepare an orchestral excerpt that reflects upon current ability.