CYSO Audition Requirements by Instrument: 2023-2024 Season
In order to audition for CYSO, students must have a minimum of two years of experience. Violists who are switching from violin must have at least two years of combined experience on violin and viola. Please keep in mind that the majority of our members do have three or more years of experience.
The audition process involves the following:
1. Playing scales and arpeggios as specified below. All scales and arpeggios must be played from memory. Harpists do not need to play scales.
2. Playing a short piece or excerpt that you have prepared (no more than 2 minutes long). It does not need to be memorized. If you have an extra copy of the sheet music, please bring it for the judge; otherwise, the judge can just look over your shoulder when you play. Percussionists do not need to prepare a piece.
3. Playing the required prepared excerpt(s) for your instrument. Please see our CYSO Audition Excerpts page to download the appropriate excerpts.
4. Sight-reading an excerpt from an orchestral piece that is of the level expected of CYSO musicians.
Minimum requirements by instrument are listed below. Please note that these are only minimum requirements. If you are more advanced, please demonstrate your level of ability in your prepared piece; if you wish to play 3-octave scales and/or arpeggios, you are welcome to do so. All members of CYSO must be able to tune his/her own instrument.
Flute: Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major and G major, slurred and tongued. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C, slurred and tongued. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in F major and G major, slurred and tongued.
Piccolo: Play two 2-octave scales up and down in keys of the student's choosing. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on note of the student's choosing. Play two 1-octave arpeggios up and down in keys of the student's choosing.
Oboe: Play 1-octave scale up and down in C major, F major, and G major, slurred and tongued. Play 1-octave arpeggios in C major, F major, and G major. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on F or G, slurred and tongued.
B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet: Play 2-octave scale up and down in C major, G major, and D major. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on low C, slurred.
Bassoon: Play a scale of student's choosing in as large a range as is comfortable (1-octave minimum). Play a prepared piece or excerpt of student's choosing, no more than 2 minutes long. Ability to read both bass and tenor clefs is a plus.
French Horn: Play 1-octave scale up and down in F major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major and F major.
Trumpet: Play 2-octave scale up and down in G major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave scale up and down in B-flat major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, F major, and B-flat major. For double-tonguing demonstration, play 1-octave scale up and down in C major with each tone of the scale repeated as 16th notes at a tempo of quarter note = 88.
Trombone: Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, G major, and B-flat major, tongued and slurred. Ability to read both bass and tenor clefs is a plus.
Tuba: Play 1-octave scales up and down in G major and E-flat major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in G major and E-flat major.
Harp: Play one prepared piece. Harpists must play pedal harp, not lever harp.
Percussion: Must be able to play snare drum, timpani, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, and tambourine. On snare drum, do long roll (slow to fast to slow), flam, drag, and four-stroke ruff. On timpani, know how to tune and do smooth roll. On suspended cymbal, do roll. On crash cymbals, do soft crashes as well as fast and loud crashes. On tambourine, do a thumb roll. If you are comfortable playing mallet percussion as well, please let us know.
Piano: Play 4-octave scales up and down in C major, E major, A harmonic minor, and C-sharp harmonic minor. Play 4-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, E major, A minor, and C-sharp minor.
Violin: Play 2-octave scale up and down in A major and B-flat major, 4 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Play 2-octave scale in D natural minor, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in A major and B-flat major, 3 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down.
Viola: Play 2-octave scale up and down in D major and E-flat major, 4 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in D major and E-flat major, 3 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Ability to read both alto and treble clefs is a plus.
Cello: Play 2-octave scale up and down in D major and E natural minor, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in D major and E minor, 3 notes to a bow. Ability to read either tenor or treble clef in addition to bass clef is a plus.
String Bass: Play 1-octave scales up and down in F major, A major, and C major, 2 notes to a bow. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in F major and A major.
The audition process involves the following:
1. Playing scales and arpeggios as specified below. All scales and arpeggios must be played from memory. Harpists do not need to play scales.
2. Playing a short piece or excerpt that you have prepared (no more than 2 minutes long). It does not need to be memorized. If you have an extra copy of the sheet music, please bring it for the judge; otherwise, the judge can just look over your shoulder when you play. Percussionists do not need to prepare a piece.
3. Playing the required prepared excerpt(s) for your instrument. Please see our CYSO Audition Excerpts page to download the appropriate excerpts.
4. Sight-reading an excerpt from an orchestral piece that is of the level expected of CYSO musicians.
Minimum requirements by instrument are listed below. Please note that these are only minimum requirements. If you are more advanced, please demonstrate your level of ability in your prepared piece; if you wish to play 3-octave scales and/or arpeggios, you are welcome to do so. All members of CYSO must be able to tune his/her own instrument.
Flute: Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major and G major, slurred and tongued. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C, slurred and tongued. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in F major and G major, slurred and tongued.
Piccolo: Play two 2-octave scales up and down in keys of the student's choosing. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on note of the student's choosing. Play two 1-octave arpeggios up and down in keys of the student's choosing.
Oboe: Play 1-octave scale up and down in C major, F major, and G major, slurred and tongued. Play 1-octave arpeggios in C major, F major, and G major. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on F or G, slurred and tongued.
B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet: Play 2-octave scale up and down in C major, G major, and D major. Play 2-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on low C, slurred.
Bassoon: Play a scale of student's choosing in as large a range as is comfortable (1-octave minimum). Play a prepared piece or excerpt of student's choosing, no more than 2 minutes long. Ability to read both bass and tenor clefs is a plus.
French Horn: Play 1-octave scale up and down in F major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major and F major.
Trumpet: Play 2-octave scale up and down in G major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave scale up and down in B-flat major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave chromatic scale up and down, starting on C. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, F major, and B-flat major. For double-tonguing demonstration, play 1-octave scale up and down in C major with each tone of the scale repeated as 16th notes at a tempo of quarter note = 88.
Trombone: Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, G major, and B-flat major, tongued and slurred. Ability to read both bass and tenor clefs is a plus.
Tuba: Play 1-octave scales up and down in G major and E-flat major, tongued and slurred. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in G major and E-flat major.
Harp: Play one prepared piece. Harpists must play pedal harp, not lever harp.
Percussion: Must be able to play snare drum, timpani, suspended cymbal, crash cymbals, and tambourine. On snare drum, do long roll (slow to fast to slow), flam, drag, and four-stroke ruff. On timpani, know how to tune and do smooth roll. On suspended cymbal, do roll. On crash cymbals, do soft crashes as well as fast and loud crashes. On tambourine, do a thumb roll. If you are comfortable playing mallet percussion as well, please let us know.
Piano: Play 4-octave scales up and down in C major, E major, A harmonic minor, and C-sharp harmonic minor. Play 4-octave arpeggios up and down in C major, E major, A minor, and C-sharp minor.
Violin: Play 2-octave scale up and down in A major and B-flat major, 4 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Play 2-octave scale in D natural minor, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in A major and B-flat major, 3 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down.
Viola: Play 2-octave scale up and down in D major and E-flat major, 4 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Play 2-octave scale up and down in F major, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in D major and E-flat major, 3 notes to a bow and using no open strings when coming down. Ability to read both alto and treble clefs is a plus.
Cello: Play 2-octave scale up and down in D major and E natural minor, 4 notes to a bow. Play 2-octave arpeggios up and down in D major and E minor, 3 notes to a bow. Ability to read either tenor or treble clef in addition to bass clef is a plus.
String Bass: Play 1-octave scales up and down in F major, A major, and C major, 2 notes to a bow. Play 1-octave arpeggios up and down in F major and A major.