AUDITION INFORMATION

Auditions for the 2025-26 Season will open in March 2025! Stay tuned!

We appreciate your interest in the Orange County Youth Symphony and String Ensemble!

Our diverse roster represents student musicians from nearly 60 middle school, high school, and college programs from Orange County and surrounding areas.

The Philharmonic Society of Orange County and the OCYS/E staff are committed to sharing the intercultural love of orchestral music, advancing, inspiring, and cultivating musical performance for lifelong learning with young adult musicians in grades 5 through 13. OCYS and OCYSE proudly serve as music ambassadors to each other and our local schools, districts, and communities throughout Southern California.

Audition Applications: Auditions for the Orange County Youth Symphony & Orange County String Ensemble 2025-2026 season will open in March 2025.

Expectations: Active participation in your school music program (if available) during the 2025-2026 school year.

Applications: An audition fee, application, and video will be due.

Audition Process:

Download & practice the required audition excerpt(s) for OCYS or excerpt(s) and scale(s) for OCYSE. See below for all excerpt(s) and/or scale(s).
Select and practice a solo piece under two minutes that best demonstrates your playing ability.
Play for friends and family to build confidence and refine your performance.
Record a practice audition video and review it. Check for the best picture and sound. Adjust the camera, lighting, and staging if needed.
Complete the OCYS/E audition application.
Submit the audition fee.
Record a video audition and link your video to the final question on the OCYS/E audition application.

We hope you enjoy the audition process. Best of luck to you in your musical endeavors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions about our OCYS/E Audition Process? Check out our FAQs below:

OCYS (Orange County Youth Symphony) is our full orchestra program that includes strings, winds, brass, and percussion. It is our more advanced program and has a high standard for music ability and leadership. The group predominantly consists of high school and college students.

OCYSE (Orange County Youth String Ensemble) only includes strings, and allows for slightly lower level ability and a more relaxed schedule than its OCYS counterpart. The group historically is younger than OCYS, consisting of middle school and high school age students, however this is not always the case depending on audition level.

When auditioning as a string player, you have three choices:

Audition for OCYSE specifically, with according excerpts and scales that are slightly lower level than OCYS materials.
Audition for OCYS, with according excerpts and scales that are higher difficulty than OCYSE. In the application process, if you indicate that you would additionally like to be considered for OCYSE, you will be considered for the ensemble in the case you do not make the cut for OCYS.
Audition for OCYS, with according excerpts and scales that are higher difficulty than OCYSE. In the application process, if you indicate that you are only interested in OCYS, then you will not be contacted if there is availability in OCYSE.

The goal of the OCYS/E groups is to provide a continual experience to students across multiple years when possible, and so many OCYSE members end up moving up in seating to eventually be admitted to OCYS. Commitment to the orchestra over multiple terms is also taken into account during auditions.

OCYS: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, Flute, Piccolo, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, French Horn, Trumpet, Tenor and Bass Trombone, Euphonium (as needed), Tuba, Harp (as needed), Mallet Percussion, and Percussion.

OCYSE: Strings Only: Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass

OCYS & OCYSE strings should audition with the excerpt(s) and/or scales(s) for the respective ensemble they are planning to audition for.

Results will be emailed to the email you list on this application by the end of June. Please set your email client and/or spam filter to accept any email from the e-domain @philharmonicsociety.org. Otherwise, you might miss crucial information.

In-person audition callbacks for Concert Master and/or Principals may be scheduled on an as-needed basis.

Final seating/adjustments will be determined at the first rehearsal.

Excerpt Preparation: Listen to a recording of the required excerpts. This will assist you to understand the excerpt, tempos, style, and emotional intent.

What Judges Listen For: Musical maturity, note and rhythmic accuracy, articulation dynamics, and expression.

Attire: Dress in professional but comfortable playing attire.

Video Setting: Check the lighting and surroundings in your room. A blank wall with limited distractions is best. Check the placement of your camera, and aim lighting from behind the camera and a full view of you in playing position.

Record a Test Run: Review footage before you send for good sound, lighting, and positioning of your full playing position.