Audition Schedule
Entry to the Greater Miami Youth Symphony is by auditions held every year. All students between the ages of 5 and 18 can audition with the following instruments: bassoon, cello, clarinet, double bass, flute/piccolo, French Horn, oboe/English horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba, viola, violin, harp, piano, drums, percussion, saxophones (alto, tenor and baritone), euphonium, jazz guitar and string bass (electric and upright).
The 6 main ensembles to audition for are:
- Young Mozarts Orchestra (training orchestra) – Requirements
- String Orchestra (beginning orchestra) – Requirements
- Young Sousas – (beginning band) – Requirements
- Concert Orchestra (intermediate orchestra) – Requirements
- Concert Band/Jazz Band (intermediate band) – Requirements*
Concert Band members will also participate in full orchestra with the Concert Orchestra - Symphony Orchestra (senior orchestra) – Requirements
Returning GMYS Young Mozart, Strings, Concert Band/Jazz Band and Concert Orchestra members who are not planning to move up to a different orchestra are not required to audition. You do not need an appointment.
Young Mozarts, Young Sousas, Strings, Concert Band/Jazz Band and Concert Orchestra auditions will take place at:
Miami Dade College Kendall Campus
11011 SW 104 ST
8000 Building
Young Mozarts, Young Sousas, Strings, Concert Band/Jazz Band and Concert Orchestra auditions will take place Saturday August 27th and Sunday August 28th.
Symphony Orchestra Community auditions will take place Saturday, August 27th at Miami Dade College Kendall Campus, 8000 Building.
The time is determined by the first letter of your last name as follows:
A-F 1:00PM G-L 2:00PM M-R 3:00PM S-Z 4:00PM
Failure to appear at the correct audition time can result in a significant delay of the audition.
Symphony Orchestra seating auditions and move-up auditions will be by appointment only. Please contact us at info@gmys.org , or 305-667-4069 to schedule your appointment on one of the following days:
Location and Times for Symphony Seating/Move-up Auditions
For Strings
September 3rd and 4th
GMYS Office – 5275 Sunset Drive
For Wind/Brass/Percussion
August 28th
University of Miami Frost School of Music Fillmore Hall
Audition Requirements
Preparatory Program
No previous instrumental experience is required. No audition is required.
Young Mozarts
Violin: 2 octave G major scale , D-major , A major one octave (Starting on open a). A piece from Suzuki Book 1 from Bach minuets on, or equivalent difficulty.
Viola and Cello: 2 octave C major scale required, Same piece requirements from Suzuki books.
Bass: F major and C major one octave scales. 1 prepared piece.
Young Sousas
B flat concert scale and F concert scale 1 octave
1 prepared piece, more than 8 measures long
Students will be asked to sight-read
String Orchestra
2 Octave Scales: Violin, Viola, Cello
A Major, G Major, C Major, Bb Major, and One octave F Major
1 Octave Bass:
A Major, G Major, C Major, Bb Major, and F Major
2nd Violin:
Piece from middle of Suzuki Bk. 2 or equivalent
1st Violin: Book 3 Suzuki
Viola, Cello and Bass: Middle of Suzuki book 2 to book 3
Concert Orchestra
String instruments:
Prepared solo: a short solo piece demonstrating mastery of instrument . Violins, violas, and cellos should play a piece at or above the Suzuki Book 4 level. Basses should play an etude or piece at or above the Sturm 110 Studies level.
Scales:
Violins – Any 2 octave major or minor scale, 3 octave scales (at least 2)- G major, A major, C major, and D major
Viola – Any 2 octave major or minor scale, 3 octave scales (at least 2)- C major, D major, F major, G major
Cello – Any 2 octave major or minor scale, 3 octave scales (at least 2)- C major, D major, F major, G major
Double Bass- any 1 octave major or minor scale, 2 octave scales(at least 1)- F major, E major, G major
Concert Band/Jazz Band
Winds, Brass, Percussion- 2 contrasting pieces, one 2 octave chromatic scale, one 2 octave B flat major scale or F major scale
Concert Band students will also perform in full orchestra with the Concert Orchestra.
Students may be asked to sight-read.
GMYS Concert Orchestra/Band students that want to audition to move-up to Symphony must also audition on Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens and Die Meistersinger by Wagner, as well as the scale requirements below. Please contact GMYS if you do not have the music for Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens and Die Meistersinger by Wagner.
Symphony Orchestra
All returning Symphony Orchestra students must audition for seating on Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens and Die Meistersinger by Wagner, as well as the scale requirements listed below.
String instruments
Scales (Violin, Viola, Cello): All major and minor scales, 3 or 4 octaves where possible.
Scales (Bass): All major and minor two octave scales.
Sight Reading : students will be asked to sight read a short orchestral excerpt
Winds, Brass, and Percussion
Scales: All major and minor scales, 2 or 3 octaves where possible. One chromatic scale covering the range of instrument.
Sight Reading : students will be asked to sight read a short orchestral excerpt
