Auditions

All participating students, including returning students, are required to audition in August. Be sure to consult your private teacher before scheduling an audition. The Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras program highly encourages students to participate in their local school band or orchestra program. If a student attends a public or private school that has a band or orchestra program, then that student must register through that school for MTSBOA/TNMEA Mid-State and All State Honors Orchestra/Band auditions. Homeschool students and students that go to a school without a band or orchestra program may sign up for these events through Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras.

To schedule an audition for the Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras program, click HERE to schedule an audition.  Please note: auditions for Curb Youth Symphony are only open in August.  

For additional questions, please contact Craig Madole.

Curb Youth Symphony and Philharmonia Auditions

To schedule an audition click HERE.  

For additional questions, please contact Craig Madole.

Audition Requirements

  • Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Harp
    • A prepared solo
    • All major scales and arpeggios (strings 3-8va except basses are 2-8va) Student picks this scale.
    • All melodic minor scales and arpeggios (strings 3-8va except basses are 2-8va)   The scale and arpeggio will be selected at random during the audition.
    • Sight-reading
    • An audition for Philharmonia/Curb Youth Symphony is a also an audition for Repertory Orchestra and YSO, if such is deemed the appropriate placement for a student.
  • Percussion

    You may choose to audition on snare drum, snare drum and timpani, or snare drum, timpani and marimba/xylophone.

    Snare Drum

    • A prepared solo or etude
    • Sight-reading

    Timpani

    • A prepared solo or etude
    • Sight-reading

    Marimba/Xylophone

    • A prepared solo
    • All major scales and arpeggios
    • All melodic minor scales and arpeggios
    • Sight-reading

Repertory Orchestra

To schedule an audition click HERE.  

For additional questions, please contact Tiffany Turner.

Audition Requirements

  • Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Harp
    • A prepared solo
    • Major scales AND arpeggios (Up to three flats or three sharps - C, G, D, A, F, B flat, E flat, with strings playing at least two octaves. Students auditioning for First Violin should play three octaves.)

    • Sight-reading

    • An audition for Repertory Orchestra is a also an audition for YSO, if that is deemed the appropriate placement for a student.
  • Percussion

    You may choose to audition on snare drum, snare drum and timpani, or snare drum, timpani and marimba/xylophone. 

    Snare Drum

    • A prepared solo or etude
    • Sight-reading

    Timpani

    • A prepared solo or etude
    • Sight-reading

    Marimba/Xylophone

    • A prepared solo or etude
    • Sight-reading

Youth Strings Orchestras and Reading Orchestra

For more information, contact Aurora Foster.

To schedule an audition, click HERE.    

Audition Requirements

  • Strings
    • Audition requirements

      • A prepared solo
      • Scales: C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, E-flat
        • YSO - (Two octaves)
        • Reading Orchestra (One octave)
      • Sight reading

Beginning Reading Orchestra

To schedule an audition, click HERE.  

For additional questions, please contact Aurora Foster.

Audition Requirements

  • Strings
    • Audition Requirements

      • A prepared solo
      • Scales (One octave - C, G, D, A)
      • Sight reading