orchestral pre-audition requirements

[elbobogrande]

At the websites of most of the major orchestras I've visited, under "audition info" or some such, they'll say something along the lines of "some committee deep within the bowels of the orchestra hall reserves the right to immediately dismiss (not even consider for audition) any potential auditionees who don't meet the professional requirements of the organization."

To even get an audition for one of these major orchestras (CSO, LA Phil, NY Phil, Boston, etc...), what might they require? Would someone with only academic experience (college/grad school) even be considered? Would they only consider applicants from the "top" schools (whatever those are)?

I'm not personally planning on auditioning anywhere or anything. I just wanted to get a feel for the way orchestral politics work.
Thanks,
John
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"What? You mean to tell me that Rimsky and Korsakov were both named Nicolai?"

[walter]

Usually the net is cast pretty wide, so that almost anyone who wants to audition can audition. In the spectrum of applicants, there will be some people who obviously lie at one end or another. So if you're Phil Smith, and you want to audition for the Chicago Symphony along with 10,000 other players, you won't be made to come on day 1 and wait for 9.990 players before the next rounds. On the other hand, if you've just completed first year trumpet in your elementary school, you may receive a letter strongly questioning your level of skill.

The better the gig, the more the search committee will send out letters questioning the level of skill. In the example above, probably 9,900 letters would go out. It's up to an individual to assess his/her own skills as a pre-audition requirement. There are undoubtedly some very fine players who are completely unknown: read the stories of Herseth and Voisin.

Once a player has reached a certain level of playing, he/she knows that major league playing is within his/her abilities. Such a player will also know if he/she is off their game, and the audition will surely go to someone else that day. Even the best players aren't always in top form. Self-evaluation, with honesty, is a skill that we should apply to ourselves every day. It's how we improve and grow.

[Williams]

Even in an orchestra sends a letter declining your audition, if you show up they will probably hear you anyway, you simply won't be on the list of those schedualed to audition.
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Music!!!

[MrClean]

Goodbye.

[Bartok]

All orchestras have different policies regarding the audition process. In Chicago, they will hear anybody. They will also offer you a chance to send a tape (pre-prelim) and they will then tell you based on the tape whether or not they feel you should spend the money to come to the prelims. The tape is NOT in place of a prelim.

NY Phil will hear anyone......this is not true with all instuments in the NY Phil. Each section has different policies

Boston doesn't even want to bother hearing anyone. They will invite 15 or so who start in the semis or finals. They will basically turn anyone away if you don't have a substantial gig already. I took the audition a few years back and there were only 20 people in the prelims. There were already 7-8 in the semis and 2-3 in the finals...before the prelims began....so...needless to say, they only passed on 2 prelim auditioners.

So...all orchestras do it very differently.

[robert_white]

I think the jist of it is "don't come unless you could really play this gig."
Or maybe, "don't be surprised if you're cut off after two excerpts".

[smithwatkinsguy]

That's probably the easiest way to put it - if you know you shouldn't be there, then don't go and waste the audition committee's time!
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Aaron G.
Bach Strad Bb 37G bell/Stork 1
Bach Strad C 229G bell, 25H pipe/Stork 1
Rhode Island All-State Orchestra
The Hartt School of Music