Auditions

Overview

The Cache Symphony Orchestra welcomes skilled string, woodwind, brass, percussion, keyboard, and harp players to audition for membership. A successful audition establishes CSO membership for a period of five years. Auditions are intended to measure both skill level and willingness to practice.

To audition for CSO membership on a string, woodwind, or brass instrument, please use the instructions below to prepare and submit an audition video. Auditions are due on the first day of USU classes for Fall and Spring semesters; you will be notified of the outcome within two weeks.

To audition on percussion, please contact Randall Thunell at [email protected]. To audition on keyboard or harp, please contact Jayme McKenna at [email protected].

Music

Links are given below to sheet music (scales, orchestral excerpts, etc.) to be played for string, woodwind, and brass audition videos. Included in this sheet music are YouTube links and required metronome settings. Please use these links and these settings to guide your practice, but do not play these links or use your metronome when you shoot your video. You need not memorize the audition music, but you are encouraged to learn it well before making your recording. Auditions are designed to last 90 seconds. To audition on more than one instrument, please submit an audition form and a recording separately for each instrument. Those desiring to audition on an auxiliary wind instrument (piccolo, bass clarinet, English horn, contrabassoon, or bass trombone) must also audition on the associated standard instrument as indicated below. To audition on an instrument, you must own or have appropriate access to the instrument. The Cache Symphony Orchestra does not own or lend instruments.

String – Violin I and II
String – Violin II only
String – Viola
String – Cello
String – Bass
Woodwind – Flute
Woodwind – Piccolo (must also audition on flute)
Woodwind – Clarinet
Woodwind – Bass Clarinet (must also audition on clarinet)
Woodwind – Oboe
Woodwind – English Horn (must also audition on oboe)
Woodwind – Bassoon
Woodwind – Contrabassoon (must also audition on bassoon)
Brass – Trumpet
Brass – French Horn
Brass – Trombone
Brass – Bass Trombone (must also audition on trombone)
Brass – Tuba

Video

Please follow these instructions in preparing your audition video:

  1. Acceptable video file formats are MP4 (MPEG-4) and MOV.
  2. Phone cameras and dedicated video cameras generally produce higher-quality video than cameras on tablets and computers. If you use an iPhone to shoot your video, please go to Settings -> Camera -> Formats to set the format to “Most Compatible” before you shoot your video.
  3. Your camera microphone should work fine but you may use an external microphone, if desired, noting that some external microphones are designed for voice and do not work well for music.
  4. Avoid cluttered backdrops and background noise. 
  5. Use the camera in landscape orientation.  (Turn your phone sideways.)
  6. Use a tripod or other means of holding the camera steady.
  7. Place your camera so that it clearly shows your face and both of your arms as you play, and ensure that your music stand does not block this view. 
  8. Clearly illuminate this view using artificial or natural lighting.
  9. You may play standing or seated.
  10. Play the audition music at or near the metronome settings indicated.
  11. Your instrument should produce the only sounds in your video. When recording your video, do not make any sounds with your voice, do not use an accompanist, do not use a metronome, and do not play YouTube links.
  12. Count all the rests in actual tempo – do not skip any rests.
  13. Follow the dynamics, accents, slurs, bowings, etc. that are marked in the excerpts. If fingerings are marked in the part, you may follow them or use fingerings that are more natural to you.
  14. In divisi passages, play the top part. For triple stops on stringed instruments, play the top two notes only.
  15. You can either record all of the components of your audition video (scales, excerpts, etc.) at once or you can shoot a separate video for each component and then combine these videos into a single video. Please keep dead time to a minimum. Sound improvement technology such as autotune may not be used. Please feel free to shoot your audition video as many times as necessary until it reflects your best playing.


Once completed, upload and submit your audition video for consideration using the CSO Audition Form. 

Rating

Three judges will rate your audition independently using the rubric shown in Table I. One of these judges will view your audition video and the other two will listen to an anonymized audio recording that has been extracted from your audition video. The rubric has five categories and up to five points per category, for a total score of up to 25 points. Your audition rating is the average of the scores by the three judges. 

Outcome

CSO membership decisions are based on audition ratings and, in borderline cases, on seniority and past service in the organization. USU students who receive credit for participating (MUSC 3530) will be held to the same membership standard as other members. The CSO Personnel Manager (below) will inform you via email of the outcome of your audition. If desired, you may reply to her with a request for your audition ratings in the five categories.

Personnel Manager

Inquiries may be addressed to Jayme McKenna, the CSO Personnel Manager, at [email protected].