RSYO Auditions

The next auditions for the RSYO are:

Winter 2013

Auditions are scheduled by appointment only.

For further information, or to schedule an audition call (815) 972-2939, Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Auditions for the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra take place annually in the spring for the next concert season. However, students may audition by appointment between semesters for admission in the spring semester.

Auditions take place at the Riverfront Museum Park located at 711 N. Main St. in Rockford, IL 61103.

General Information

Auditions are accepted on the following instruments:

 

Flute/Piccolo	Trumpet	Piano
Oboe/English Horn	Trombone	Violin
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet	Tuba	Viola
Bassoon/Contrabassoon	Percussion (all instruments)	Cello
French Horn	Harp	Bass

 

Audition Guidelines

The RSYO is an advanced ensemble intended for young musicians who have been playing for a minimum of three years.  The typical RSYO member has been playing for five years or more, and is taking private lessons on the instrument that they play in the orchestra.

Each audition will last approximately 10 minutes.  Musicians will be asked to play:
1) two contrasting solo pieces (concerto movement, etude, etc.) of 3-5 minutes length.  One piece should be fast and demonstrate virtuosity and technical skill, the other should be slower to show the applicant’s musicality and quality of tone.
2) scales— from memory preferred—  Major and minor 0-4 flats and sharps, plus chromatic scale.  At least two octaves, 3 preferred.
3) sight-reading- will be provided.

Auditions are judged according to six categories:  Musicality, Intonation, Technique, Tone Quality, Scales, and Sight-reading

Additional Audition Criteria

Strings

Violin: Demonstrate shifting ability through fifth position.
Viola: Demonstrate shifting ability through third position, comfort reading treble clef.
Cello: Be familiar with tenor, bass and treble clef, have some introduction to thumb position, and shifting through sixth position.
Bass: Be familiar with positions up through fourth, up to the half string harmonic.

Woodwinds

Flute: ability to double on piccolo
Oboe: ability to double on English Horn
Clarinet: comfort with transposition (A, C clarinets, etc.); ability to double bass clarinet
Bassoon: comfort reading tenor clef

Brass

French Horn and Trumpet: ability to transpose at sight from original-key parts
Trombone: comfort reading tenor clef

Percussion

Comfort with a variety of instruments, including mallet keyboard instruments, snare drum, crash cymbals, and timpani, including tuning.

The Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO) is an exceptional orchestral training available for young musicians in the area. RSYO is comprised of students from all across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, including Belvidere, Rochelle, Dixon, Pecatonica, Freeport, Beloit, and Rockford, who have a love of classical music and a desire to improve their skills while performing as an ensemble. The program, founded in 1965, is a challenging and fun music education experience for qualified students. The RSYO rehearses weekly on Sunday afternoons from 1:45-4:15 PM and performs for the public periodically throughout the year.