Applications for the 2022-2023 Academic Year Orchestra Program are now closed.
If you have any questions about the applications or audition videos please contact us at info@syso.org.
Auditions
Apply
Thank you for your interest in auditioning for Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Academic Year Orchestra Program! The audition process involves a team of adjudicators who have the opportunity to match prospective orchestra members with the learning environment most appropriate for their musical growth. Through the audition process, musicians learn important skills such as patience, preparation, perseverance, and growth mindset (just to name a few!).
We look forward to receiving your application and seeing you at auditions in August.
Before you apply, be sure to read all the information on the Guidelines & Audition Components tab.
LOCATION
Shorecrest High School (Youth, Junior, Debut, Symphonette)
Kellogg High School (Prelude, Conservatory)
If you are participating in Vivace Chamber Players this summer, please contact info@syso.org to coordinate an audition time. SYSO supports the wonderful music community and all of the programs Seattle (and beyond!) have to offer.
Dates & Timeline
Auditions will take place in person at Shorecrest High School in August.
Fri, August 12 – Application closes
Sun, Aug 14, 5pm – Audition time slot sign-ups close. Students must sign up for a time slot by this date if they want to audition this season. Information with time slot sign-ups is sent after completing the application.
Tue, August 16 — Brass
Wed, August 17 — Viola, Bass
Thurs, August 18 — Cello
Fri, August 19 — Violin
Sat, August 20 — Violin
Mon, August 22 — Clarinet, Percussion
Tues, August 23 — Bassoon, Oboe
Wed, August 24 — Flute
8/18 – 8/26 — Notification letters emailed to primary contact, on a rolling basis
Fri, 9/2 — deadline to accept/deny your placement offer
Sat, 9/17 — first day of rehearsal
(Fri, 9/10 – Youth Symphony Orchestra ONLY has rehearsal)
Audition results will be sent by email to the primary parent/guardian listed on your application in late August.
- If you are accepted into the Academic Year Orchestra Program, you are required to accept or decline your orchestra placement.
- You will be emailed a link to a form where you can accept or decline placement.
- You must respond to your placement by September 2nd to be enrolled in the program.
- If you are not accepted into the Academic Year Orchestra Program, we invite you to continue to practice and to audition again next year.
TUITION RATES
$1100 – Prelude
$1350 – Symphonette
$1350 – Debut
$1650 – Junior
$2075 – Youth
APPLICATION FEE
$60 (non-refundable)
FINANCIAL AID
Ample financial aid is available to all students enrolled in our programs who demonstrate need. The Financial Aid application is embedded in the enrollment form upon being offered a placement in one of the orchestras (offer letters are sent on a rolling basis between Aug 18-26). We encourage any families who may need assistance to apply. Please do not hesitate to reach out to info@syso.org for more information.
Eligibility
SYSO’s orchestras are opportunities for students to learn to perform music under the instruction of world-class conductors and coaches. The following students are welcome to apply to participate in SYSO’s 2022-23 Academic Year Orchestra season:
- Dedicated young musicians
- Musicians who play strings, winds, brass, and percussion instruments.
- SYSO supports public and private school music and arts programs. Participation in school arts programs is required, when available.
All students must follow SYSO’s COVID protocols found HERE. Please note that the current protocols are subject to change based on the public health guidelines for the greater Seattle area.
HARP AND PIANO STUDENTS
To account for the inconsistency of piano and harp participation in orchestral repertoire, SYSO has made the decision that students who wish to play harp and piano with our Orchestras will be invited to participate in the Seattle Conservatory of Music Chamber Music Program.
Harp and Piano students: instead of auditioning for the Academic Year Orchestra Program, you will audition and register for the Chamber Music Program instead.
During the year, piano and harp students will regularly participate in chamber music rehearsals and recitals. During orchestra concert cycles in which they are needed, they will be assigned to attend certain orchestra rehearsals and concerts in addition to their chamber music as directed for no additional charge.
The audition requirements for piano and harp students for their Chamber Music/Orchestra Audition are as follows:
- 2 scales one major, and one minor. 3-4 octaves
- Two contrasting selections from solo repertoire or orchestral/chamber music repertoire. One selection should be lyrical to showcase musicality, and one selection should showcase rhythm and technical ability.
Applications and audition video submission for the Seattle Conservatory of Music will open in August at syso.org/conservatory.
Guidelines
Guidelines by Instrument Family
Strings guidelines
Winds/brass guidelines
Percussion guidelines
Be sure to read through all of the information included in your guidelines. They provide great insight into how to prepare and what to expect for your audition.
Orchestral Excerpts
Orchestral excerpts are required only for ADVANCED musicians (those placed in Junior or Youth Symphony Orchestra for SYSO’s 2021-22 season)*. All excerpts are located in the audition guidelines linked at the top of this tab according to instrument family.
*Musicians placed in Debut Symphony Orchestra for the 2021-22 season are not encouraged to prepare audition excerpts.
Audition Components
Auditions will take place in person at Shorecrest High School in August.
Students are required to prepare multiple components for their audition, including scales, solo repertoire or excerpts, and sight reading. Click here to find detailed information on scales and solo selection, useful for all students planning to audition.
Only Advanced students (those placed in Junior or Youth Symphony Orchestra for the 2021-22 season) are required to prepare orchestral excerpts. Excerpts are located under the Guidelines tab.
Audition Tips & Tricks
Click here to read some important audition tips & tricks, useful for all students preparing to audition for any group or ensemble.
What to Expect After You Audition
Audition results will be sent by email to the primary parent/guardian listed on your application in late August.
- If you are accepted into the Academic Year Orchestra Program, you are required to accept or decline your orchestra placement.
- You will be emailed a link to a form where you can accept or decline placement.
- You must respond to your placement by September 2nd to be enrolled in the program.
- If you are not accepted into the Academic Year Orchestra Program, we invite you to continue to practice and to audition again next year.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if I am intermediate or advanced? How do I know which guidelines to follow?
A good rule of thumb is to follow the beginning/intermediate guidelines. Advanced students new to SYSO could review the excerpts for your instrument and see if those excerpts are for your level. Remember, playing a piece that is too difficult, and playing it in a sloppy manner is far worse than playing an easier piece well.
Who will be adjudicating the auditions? What is the scoring rubric like for my audition?
SYSO adjudicators consist of esteemed coaching faculty and conductors. Coach adjudicators will provide qualitative feedback and provide orchestra recommendations to conductors, and conductors will average out their quantitative results, taking the coach adjudicators feedback highly into consideration when assigning students to the different orchestras. The audition rubric consists of the following elements: intonation, rhythm, musicianship, tone, and technique.
What if I don’t know how to play arpeggios or melodic minor scales?
No worries – During the audition, please communicate to the adjudicators what you know how to play, then play that with confidence!
What happens if I miss the deadline to audition?
Orchestras have a certain amount of spots available per instrument. If there are still open spaces available, there could be an opportunity to apply late, but this is by no means guaranteed. Please know that this is usually only true for viola, bass, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion. Please contact izchel.chacon@syso.org if you have any questions.
Can I be placed into Junior or Youth without preparing excerpts? And vice versa, if I audition with excerpts and am not placed in Junior and Youth, will I still qualify for Debut/Symphonette?
Yes, but please be sure to follow the guidelines. We’d like to reiterate that ONLY students who were placed in Junior and Youth in the 21-22 season (or new advanced students) should audition with the excerpts.
Can I submit an audition video instead of auditioning in person?
No, we want every student to have an opportunity to showcase their skills in person. We do not want there to be an unfair disadvantage to a student auditing via video recording when every other student is in person.
Founded in 1942, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra is the largest youth orchestra training program in the United States.
