All instrumental applicants are required to submit a recorded audition. During this audition, applicants must perform a set of AYO orchestral excerpts and a short piece of their choice for most instruments.
Download the audition information pack for full details on how to record and submit your AYO 2024 audition.
♦ Orchestral Excerpts
Once you have submitted your application, you will have immediate access to audition excerpts in the ‘My Auditions’ section of the MyAYO Portal.
Things to consider when preparing your excerpts:
- Take time to learn about the background of each work
- Listen to an orchestral recording of the work to hear your part played in context
- Look carefully at tempo, dynamic and articulation markings, and consider them when preparing each excerpt. Metronome markings are provided as an indication
- Bear in mind that the excerpts are of varying difficulty. A difficult excerpt should not dishearten younger or less experienced players—play it more slowly if necessary
- Seek the guidance of your instrumental teacher in preparing your excerpts
Applicants will be assessed on a range of technical and musical elements, including:
- Accuracy (intonation, rhythm and articulation)
- Musicality (dynamics, phrasing and sensitivity)
- Tone quality (timbre and beauty of sound)
Example audition excerpts
If you would like to understand the standard of AYO audition excerpts better before applying, we recommend exploring the range of example audition excerpts available below.
Please note that these excerpts will NOT be accepted in an audition for AYO and are for reference only
♦ Piece of your own choice
All instrumental applicants (except percussion, timpani and auxiliary instruments) are required to perform a short piece of their own choice without an accompanist. Applicants are not required to present complete works—a carefully selected passage of a longer piece is acceptable. Applicants are strongly advised to check the selection of their piece with their instrumental teacher.
Please choose a work, or section of a work, which:
- Demonstrates your technical proficiency
- Emphasises your musicianship
- Presents contrasting musical material
- Is no more than 5 minutes in length
♦ Auxiliary instruments
Wind instrument applicants are encouraged to audition on their respective doubling instrument(s) as well as their primary instrument. Accepted auxiliary instruments include piccolo, cor anglais, Eb clarinet, bass clarinet and contrabassoon.
A separate set of excerpts is available for each auxiliary instrument. An own choice piece is not required for auxiliary instruments.
♦ Established ensembles
Applicants for AYO Chamber Players have the option to apply as an individual or as an established string quartet, piano trio, wind quintet or brass quintet. Only one ensemble member is required to add the ensemble to their application.
Ensembles are required to provide the following application materials:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) including the period your ensemble has performed together, a list of existing and planned repertoire for past and future performances
- A short statement outlining why your ensemble wants to be a part of the AYO Chamber Players program
- A completed ensemble members form (Available in the MyAYO portal under the ‘My Auditions’ tab)
- One audio-visual recording (approximately 20 minutes) of a performance within the last two years, or a recording specifically made for this AYO audition
♦ Recording your audition
Once you have prepared the music, you will be required to make audio-visual recordings of your audition. For ease of recording and uploading, the following elements are required to be recorded as separate videos.
- Orchestral excerpts (to be recorded in order, in one take)
- Own choice piece (if required)
- Auxiliary instrument orchestral excerpts (if required)
Videos should be in landscape orientation and should be at a minimum resolution of 720p in one of the following file formats: MP4, MOV or AVI. If you don’t have access to a video camera, many mobile phones are able to achieve these technical requirements. The applicant should be visible in shot from head to toe and filmed in an enclosed room with good lighting and minimal background noise.
♦ Submitting your audition
When your recordings are complete, you must upload them to the AYO Community Hub. Before uploading, take a moment to ensure you feel that the video recordings are a good representation of your instrumental ability. Once you have submitted your audition, AYO will not accept revisions except in exceptional circumstances.
We recommend submitting before the due date to avoid any last-minute issues. If you are having trouble submitting your audition, contact AYO on 1300 668 500.
String auditions: Tuesday 8 August
Wind, brass, percussion, harp and piano auditions: Thursday 10 August
Established ensemble auditions: Thursday 10 August
All audition recordings are collected and stored internally for the sole purpose of assessing the outcome of your application to AYO’s 2024 programs. These recordings are strictly confidential and will only be viewed by the AYO audition panel and the AYO artistic team. Your recording will be retained on file for two years once received.
♦ Audition panel
To ensure that all applicants are assessed fairly and equitably, all auditions of the same instrument will be assessed by the same panel. The audition panels are composed of experienced musicians, teachers and professionals from the music industry who are skilled in assessing instrumental auditions.
The results of your audition are confidential and will not be discussed outside the AYO audition panel and AYO artistic team, nor will they be made available to any other organisation.
The audition panellists for AYO’s 2024 auditions are as follows:
Mark Ingwersen, violin
Kirsten Williams, violin
Emily Sun, violin
Stephen King, viola
Nicole Forsyth, viola
Timo Veikko Valve, cello
Damien Eckersley, double bass
Janet Webb, flute
Sonia Croucher, flute
Huw Jones, oboe
Som Howie, clarinet
James Aylward, bassoon
Andrew Bain, horn
Robert Johnson, horn
Matt Dempsey, trumpet
Shannon Pittaway, trombone
Karina Filipi, tuba
Tim White OAM, timpani and percussion
Claire Edwardes OAM, timpani and percussion
Carolyn Mills, harp
Catherine Davis, piano
For any questions relating to auditions, please contact AYO at info@ayo.com.au or 1300 668 500.