Building Friendships
Auditions

2012-2013 Auditions

Auditions are held once a year only each spring for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony (AYS - grades 9-12), Albuquerque Youth Orchestra (AYO - grades 9-12), Albuquerque Junior Symphony (AJS - grades 7 - 9), the Albuquerque Junior Orchestra (AJO - grades 6-8) and the Prelude String Orchestra (PSO - grades 6 - 8).

AYS Concerto Auditions will be held on May 19, 2012.
Any 11th grade member in good standing of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony is eligible to audition. Three winners will be selected and will perform a concerto with the AYS at one of the regularly scheduled concerts.

Any music student in Albuquerque and the 50-mile radius surrounding areas may audition. Audition information is available on the AYS Program website (www.aysmusic.org). Audition results will be posted on this website and sent to all orchestra and band instructors in May.

Auditions are competitive. All students must audition each season, regardless of prior participation in the AYS Program. Acceptance and placement in an AYS Program orchestra is competitive and is based on the audition. Decisions of the audition panel are final and may not be appealed. Students are not allowed to re-audition for a current season. During the audition, students will be judged on intonation, interpretation, tone, rhythm, technique and proficiency.

The high school auditions (for next year's students entering grades 9 - 12) will be blind, i.e. anonymous, with the judging panel consisting of the AYO and AYS Conductors and a guest judge (an instrumental specialist) hearing the auditions with their backs turned. The Music Director (or a designee) will ask as a moderator. The high school auditions will consist of (1) a randomly picked scale, each note as a quarter note at metronome marking 72, (2) required excerpts (3) a solo piece of the student's choice. Vibrato is encouraged on the scale. Next year's 9th graders must audition as high schoolers, and may be placed in the AYS, AYO or AJS.

The middle school auditions (for next year's students entering grades 6 - 8) are not blind, and will consist of (1) a scale of the student's choice, (2) a solo piece of the student's choice (3) a short sight reading exercise. Vibrato is encouraged on the scale. All of next year's 6 - 8th graders must audition as middle schoolers, and may be placed in the PSO, AJO or AJS.

If accepted and placed into and AYS Program orchestra, students must be enrolled as a regular member of their school band or orchestra, if offered. Enrollment will be verified with the school in the fall.

If accepted and placed into and AYS Program orchestra, the student must plan to attend all scheduled rehearsals and concerts. If an emergency occurs and your child must miss a rehearsal, it is your responsibility to notify the appropriate conductor as per the AYS Program Handbook procedures. Please refer to the AYS Program Handbook for the details of our attendance policies.

All students accepted into the AYS Program will be required to pay a tuition fee as established annually by the AYS Program Inc. Board of Directors. Need based financial aid awards are available.

The Albuquerque Junior String Orchestra (AJSO - grades 3-5) does not hold auditions, but a letter of recommendation is required from the child's private instructor with the child being able to play at an appropriate level. For more information and to receive registration information, please contact the AYSP office.