JOINING OUR GROUP - AUDITIONS:
The Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra holds annual auditions for the upcoming season at the end of summer, to place students in the Sinfonietta and Senior Orchestra. Placement in Debut is by teacher recommendation and does not require an audition. Auditions for the 2022-2023 season will be held on September 11 & 12 at Bethany Lutheran Church - please check back later this summer for a link to an audition sign-up. Students wishing to join an orchestra after the start of the season may request an audition with the conductor. Please [email protected] for further information.
The Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra holds annual auditions for the upcoming season at the end of summer, to place students in the Sinfonietta and Senior Orchestra. Placement in Debut is by teacher recommendation and does not require an audition. Auditions for the 2022-2023 season will be held on September 11 & 12 at Bethany Lutheran Church - please check back later this summer for a link to an audition sign-up. Students wishing to join an orchestra after the start of the season may request an audition with the conductor. Please [email protected] for further information.
Preparing for Your Audition:
General Information:
Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestras (BIYO) holds annual auditions to place students in one of two orchestras, the Sinfonietta and the Senior Orchestra. All students, new and returning, are required to audition each year. Below are the items students should prepare for auditions.
Please prepare the following for the audition:
1. Scales:
- Sinfonietta: 2 octave D major scale and a 1 octave minor scale of your choice. Woodwinds and Brass: Two scales of your choice, one major and one minor.
- Senior: 3 octave major scale of your choice and 2 octave minor scale of your choice.
- Scales should show your best tone, intonation and consistency of tempo.
2. Solo - strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion:
Prepare up to four minutes (2-3 minutes for Sinfonietta) of a solo of your choice. You can choose to play a piece from the Suzuki books, a sonata, a concerto or any other piece of music that best displays your technical ability and the depth of your musical expression. No accompanist is needed and your solo does not need to be memorized.
3. Sight reading - strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion:
A short excerpt will be provided at the audition. Suggested minimum requirements to play in the Sinfonietta:
- Be at a level equivalent of Book 3 of Suzuki.
- Be able to read notes in the keys of C, G, D, A.
- Be able to play in tune in first position. Experience in third position and beyond is recommended.
- Be able to sight-read simple rhythm patterns in common meters such as 4/4, 3/4 and 2/4.
- Ability to shift into 3rd and 4th positions with notes in tune. Extended position work highly recommended.
- Ability to play in tune in keys with four or more sharps or flats.
- Ability to play different articulations, bowings and performance styles.
- Ability to sight-read simple melodies with dotted rhythms and syncopation.
