This strings-only orchestra is GBYO's youngest ensemble. Sinfonia audition components: 2 scales of the musician's choice, including at least one two octave scale. Two short works or excerpts demonstrating contrasting styles or one work with contrasting sections. Students have auditioned with pieces from or equivalent to Suzuki books 2-4. No ensemble experience necessary.

The Philharmonic is a full orchestra (strings, winds, brass and percussion) that is the middle level for GBYO. We are looking for musicians with ensemble experience that have a beautiful tone, a strong inner pulse, accurate pitch, developing vibrato, and strings players developing off the string bowing techniques.

Philharmonic audition components:

★ One scale of musician's choice demonstrating pitch, tone, technique. 3 octaves for strings, 2 octaves for double bass and winds/brass.

★ Two short works or excerpts demonstrating contrasting styles or one work with contrasting sections. Audition excerpts for festivals like All State and Honor Band/Orchestra are also appropriate.

Musicians in the Philharmonic have auditioned performing pieces such as Concerto for Two Violins by Bach through Mozart concertos for violin, Telemann concerto and movements of Bach Suites for viola, movement from a sonata or concerto by Breval and movements of Bach Suites for cello and movements from Marcelo and Vivaldi sonatas for the double bass. Wind/brass audition pieces include works by composers such as Vivaldi, Donizetti, Weber, Osborne, Bach, Strauss, Mozart, Handel, and Arban.

Past performances of the Philharmonic include works such as Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms, Bacchanal by Saint-Seans, Divertimento by Mozart, Waltz from Sleeping Beauty by Tschaikovsky, Alexander's Feast by Handel and Dance of the Tumblers by Rimsky-Korsakov.

GBYO's most advanced orchestra, comprised of strings, winds, brass, and percussion. We are looking for musicians with ensemble experience that have a strong inner pulse, accurate pitch, and musical sensitivity. String players have mature vibrato, the ability to play off the string well, and familiarity with advanced bowing techniques.

Symphony audition components:

★ One major scale and one minor scale of musician's choice demonstrating pitch, tone, technique (3 octaves when possible.) Strings: prepare one of the scales spiccato, 4 eighth notes repeated per pitch. Winds: in addition prepare a chromatic scale the range of your instrument or as recommended by your private teacher.

★ Two short works or excerpts demonstrating contrasting styles or one work with contrasting sections. Audition excerpts for festivals like All State and Honor Band/Orchestra are also appropriate.

Symphony musicians have auditioned performing pieces such as Mozart and Mendelssohn concertos for violin, Hoffmeister and J. C. Bach concertos for viola, Bach Suites and Haydn concertos for cello and Eccles Sonata and Dragonetti concerto for the double bass. Wind/brass audition pieces include works by composers such as Vivaldi, Donizetti, Weber, Osborne, Bach, Strauss, Mozart, Handel, and Arban.

Past performances of the Symphony include works such as Serenade for Strings by Tschaikovsky, Symphony Nos. 1, 5, and 8 by Beethoven, Symphony No. 2 by Sibelius, Symphony No. 40 by Mozart, Symphony No. 8 by Schubert, and An Outdoor Overture by Copland.

All winds, brass, and percussionists of the Philharmonic and Symphony also perform in the Wind Ensemble! To audition, please follow the guidelines for either the Philharmonic or Symphony.

Play music of the masters in small groups of 3-8 young musicians. Work with professional chamber music coaches, including Matthew Dane.

Chamber music is open to everyone, not just current members of GBYO. Students will be of the level of Philharmonic and Symphony.

Experience the excitement of playing chamber music, develop crucial skills, collaborate with other young musicians, team work with friends new and old. No previous chamber experience necessary.

Percussion auditions should include music for classical snare and a mallet instrument. If possible, timpani would be great. (We don't have drumset as an instrument in GBYO.)

Percussionists accepted into GBYO will need the following instruments.

Required:

Practice Marimba (3 octaves minimum) with stand and soft and hard marimba mallets (marimba can be rented from music stores like Music and Arts, Boomer Music, etc.)

Snare Drum and Stand with concert snare sticks.

Triangle and at least 2 beaters

Timpani Mallets

Optional
(usually can be borrowed from school):

Tambourine (Black Swamp or similar)

16” Crash Cymbals (Zildjian or Sabian are fine)

18” suspended cymbal with soft yarn mallets (Zildjian or Sabian are fine)

Bell Kit (Concert Glockenspeil is even better), Stand with Mallets

These expectations for instruments are in line with what musicians who play other instruments are expected to have. We can certainly work with families if they can’t have all these instruments at once. The marimba is the first and most important one that they have for initial participation in the Wind Ensemble.