Northern Utah Youth Symphony
Audition Requirements
The Northern Utah Youth Symphony provides motivated high-school-level musicians with advanced symphonic experiences.
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Northern Utah Youth Symphony is a great place for committed musicians to grow as they reach for their potential!
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All new and returning musicians audition each year.
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Musicians have played their instruments for at least three years; many have private lessons, but private instruction is not required. (Looking for a private teacher? Here's our list!)
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We request & encourage musicians to participate in their school music programs. Anyone with extenuating circumstances may contact us.
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We rehearse Saturdays, 8:30 to 11:00 am, from mid-September through April, with 3 concerts per year. Rehearsals are at Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning.
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Audition dates for the current season are available on the calendar.
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For questions or information, please contact Jayme McKenna, info@northernutahyouthsymphony.org.
If you are looking for info on our Concerto Auditions, they will be August 12th. See our Concerto Audition page for more info.
How to Audition
Important Notes:
- Some schools don't start until after the audition date! Students who did not hear about the auditions soon enough are still encouraged to audition! We will not exclude you for missing the audition deadline.
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We work with musicians who have marching band conflicts but they MUST communicate at the *beginning* of the season about *all* their conflicts, filling out the attendance form for every anticipated absence, and talking with the manager.
Step 1: Click here to fill out our membership form:
We require all returning and prospective members to fill out our membership form before auditioning.
Step 2: After submitting this form, on the final screen, you will also be given a link to order your t-shirt. Collecting this info early will help with our ordering process. If you missed the link, here is the NUYE T-shirt link for your convenience.
Step 3: Sign up for an in-person audition, choose a time on one of the following spread sheets:
Strings OR Winds, Brass, Percussion
Scroll Down For Audition Requirements!
Step 1: Click here to fill out our membership form:
We require all returning and prospective members to fill out our membership form before auditioning.
Step 2: After submitting this form, on the final screen, you will also be given a link to order your t-shirt. Collecting this info early will help with our ordering process. If you missed the link, here is the NUYE T-shirt link for your convenience.
Step 3: Make a video recording of yourself, and upload it to YouTube, Google Drive, One Drive, Dropbox, Google Photos, or some other place in the cloud.
Step 4: Send us your link using this form, as soon as possible, even if it's after the priority deadline. Because multiple people will view your video, be sure your sharing settings allow anyone with the link to view.
Your video must be unedited, and 5 minutes or less, and should be recorded in one take.
Here is a sample video script, if you need one.
We accept new video auditions ongoing throughout the year, but depending on the timing of your audition, we may ask you to wait to join rehearsals until after a concert performance, or sit in the back of the section until seating is adjusted.
In Person
Online
Audition results will be posted via email and online.
This can take some time, so please be patient.
While you wait, click here to download and read through our Handbook and fill out the required forms.
Audition Requirements
Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Harp
Scales: Scales must be played at least as quarter notes, MM=92 per note, although a faster tempo is encouraged. All scales are to be played ascending and descending (up and down).
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Any 3-Octave Major Scale (Bass: 2-Octaves)
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Any 2-Octave (or higher) Melodic Minor Scale
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Harp:
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Any Major Arpeggio, full range
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Any Major 7th Arpeggio, full range
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Solo: A one minute (or slightly less) excerpt of a prepared solo, etude, orchestral excerpt of your choice. If you don't have a solo, reach out to us for resources. Please choose something that really shows off your skills.
Orchestral Excerpt: These excerpts are suppose to be challenging, so just do the best you can. These excerpts will not make or break you audition! Tempos are listed, but not required. If you are having a hard time with a section, go online and listen to it a few times.
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Violin 1 - Auditioning with the Violin 1 part, you will be considered for both the first and second violin sections.
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Violin 2 - Auditioning with the Violin 2 part, you will be considered for only the second violin section.
Woodwinds: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon
Scales: Scales must be played at least as quarter notes, MM=92 per note, although a faster tempo is encouraged. All scales are to be played ascending and descending (up and down).
Flute
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2-1/2 Octave Chromatic Scale Low B to High F (Full Range)
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Any 1-Octave Major Scale with its relative Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor Scale
Oboe
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2-1/2 Octave Chromatic Scale Low Bb to High F (Full Range)
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Any 1-Octave Major Scale with its relative Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor Scale
Clarinet
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3 Octave Chromatic Scale Low E to High F (Full Range)
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Any 1-Octave Major Scale with its relative Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor Scale
Bassoon
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3-1/2 Octave Chromatic Scale Low Bb to High A (Full Range)
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Any 1-Octave Major Scale with its relative Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor Scale
Solo: A one minute (or slightly less) excerpt of a prepared solo, etude, orchestral excerpt of your choice. If you don't have a solo, reach out to us for resources. Please choose something that really shows off your skills.
Orchestral Excerpt: These excerpts are suppose to be challenging, so just do the best you can. These excerpts will not make or break you audition! Tempos are listed, but not required. If you are having a hard time with a section, go online and listen to it a few times.
Brass: French Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba
Scales: Scales must be played at least as quarter notes, MM=92 per note, although a faster tempo is encouraged. All scales are to be played ascending and descending (up and down).
French Horn
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2-Octave Concert Bb (F) major scale
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1 Octave of any Major Scale
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Chromatic scale from Concert F (middle C) to as low as you can play and from Concert C (G in the staff) to as high as you can play
Trumpet
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2-Octave Concert F (G) and Ab (Bb) Major Scales
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1 Octave of any Major Scale
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Chromatic scale from Concert E (F#) (lowest – 1, 2, 3 valves) to as high as you can play
Trombone
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2-Octave F and Ab Major Scales
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1 Octave of any Major Scale
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Chromatic scale from E (lowest – 7th position/trigger 2nd) to as high as you can play
Bass Trombone
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2-Octave F and Ab Major Scales
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1 Octave of any Major Scale
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Chromatic scale from E (lowest – 7th position/trigger 2nd) to as high as you can play
Tuba
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2-Octave F and Ab Major Scales
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1 Octave of any Major Scale
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Chromatic scale from E (lowest) to as high as you can play
Solo: A one minute (or slightly less) excerpt of a prepared solo, etude, orchestral excerpt of your choice. If you don't have a solo, reach out to us for resources. Please perform something that really shows off your skills.
Orchestral Excerpt: These excerpts are suppose to be challenging, so just do the best you can. These excerpts will not make or break you audition! Tempos are listed, but not required. If you are having a hard time with a section, go online and listen to it a few times.
Percussion
Scales/Rudiments: Scales must be played at least as quarter notes, MM=92 per note, although a faster tempo is encouraged. All scales are to be played ascending and descending (up and down).
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Any 1-Octave major scale on bells
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Any 1-Octave melodic minor scale on bells
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10 Basic Snare Rudiments (your choice, i.e. rolls, flams, paradiddles, etc.)
Solo: A one minute (or slightly less) excerpt of a prepared solo, etude, orchestral excerpt of your choice. If you don't have a solo, reach out to us for resources. Please choose something that really shows off your skills.
Orchestral Excerpt: Do the best you can with these. If you are having a hard time with a section, go online and listen to it a few times. It will come more easily.