Audition FAQ
WHEN WILL REHEARSALS BEGIN?
Rehearsals begin Wednesdays, August 27th at ALA located at 3155 S Santan Village Pkwy, Gilbert, Az. 85295.
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WHAT SCORE IS REQUIRED TO BE ACCEPTED INTO PRELUDE ORCHESTRA?
All students auditioning for Prelude Orchestra will be accepted. Scores determine the order in which students
will be seated and determine the section leaders and concert master. This seating chart remains the same
throughout the semester and will be where the students sit for the concert in December.
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WHAT SCORE IS REQUIRED TO BE ACCEPTED INTO CONCERT ORCHESTRA?
A student must obtain a curved score of 80/100 or above in order to be accepted into the Concert Orchestra. All
scores will be curved up based upon the top scoring student. For example if the top scored student receives a
93/100 all other scores will then be raised by 7 points.
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WHAT SCORE IS REQUIRED TO BE ACCEPTED INTO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA?
A student must obtain a curved score of 80/100 or above in order to be accepted into the Chamber Orchestra. All
scores for each instrument type (violin, viola, cello, bass) will be curved up based upon the top scoring student.
For example if the top scored student receives a 93/100 all other scores will then be raised by 7 points.
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WHAT IF I AUDITION FOR A HIGHER ORCHESTRA BUT DON'T MAKE THE REQUIRED SCORE TO BE
ACCEPTED?
All students auditioning for a higher orchestra (Concert and Chamber Orchestras) who do not receive the
required score will be placed in one of the lower orchestras. Their placement will be determined by Mr. Bohn.
Chair tests in Concert and Chamber orchestras will further determine the seating chart mid semester.
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HOW WILL THE ORCHESTRAS BE ORGANIZED AFTER ALL THE AUDITION SCORES ARE IN?
Students in each orchestra will be seated based on their score with the top score receiving a principal chair, the
next best score being seated next, etc. For example the top score of the violins will be the Concert Master, the
top score of the cellos will be the Principal Cello, etc. All the violins will be split into three sections based upon
the total number of auditionees. For example, if there are total of 12 violins auditioning the First violins will most
likely have 4 violins, the Second Violins will then have 4 violins and the Third Violins will have four violins. This
means as the scores are listed the top score would become the Concert Master, the fifth best score would
become Principal 2nd and the 9th best audition score would become Principal 3rd. If the total number of violins
are odd then the first violins will receive the extra violin. Whether there is a third violin section will be determined
by the total number of violas auditioning.
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WHAT SHOULD I WEAR TO AUDITIONS?
Students should wear comfortable clothing to perform in. Since auditions are “blind,” you do not need to
dress up.
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WHEN WILL I FIND OUT THE RESULT OF MY AUDITION?
All audition results will be announced via text message and email by 10am the Monday after the audition.
Be sure to enter your email address correctly when registering and make sure that your email
account will accept mail from brad@gilbertyo.com (not blocked by your spam folder).
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WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN GYO ORCHESTRAS?
To be a member of a GYO Orchestra a student need only audition. Students are encouraged to be
taking private lessons from a qualified teacher to compliment their music education as this
will help them succeed at a much faster rate. Students are not required to be taking private lessons. Students who are taking private lessons will provide the contact information of their teacher when registering. GYO will contact all private teachers before the auditions to confirm any questions they have to prepare their students.
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WHAT IS THE COST TO PARTICIPATE IN A GYO ORCHESTRA?
Tuition per semester is the following:
Prelude Orchestra $225 Per Semester
Concert Orchestra $275 Per Semester
Chamber Orchestra $325 Per Semester
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*Tuition must be paid prior to the first rehearsal of each semester.
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WHICH ORCHESTRA SHOULD I AUDITION FOR?
Students who are playing at a Suzuki book 1-2 level should audition for the GYO Prelude Orchestra.
Students who are playing at a Suzuki book 3-4 level should audition for the GYO Concert Orchestra.
Students who are playing at a Suzuki book 5 level or above should audition for the GYO Chamber
Orchestra.
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WHO WILL THE JUDGES BE WHO ARE JUDGING?
Judges will consist of private strings teachers from Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek.
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WHAT WILL THE JUDGES SAY WHEN I WALK IN TO THE AUDITION ROOM?
Here is an example of what you might hear the judges say as the door is closed on the audition room
and you begin your audition.
"Hello student number 5, we will first be starting with the scale. Please play this scale at the following
speed." (The judge will play the speed of the scale with a metronome and give a verbal example of the
speed of the scale such as “tah, tah, tah, tah”.
Once the student finishes the judge may say "Thank you student number 5. Next we will have you play
excerpt number 1. Here is the speed of this excerpt". The judge will play a metronome at the required
speed and give a verbal example of the first 1 or 2 measures of the excerpt.
Once the audition is over the judge will say something like "Thank you student number 5!". At this point
the audition staff will open the door and the student will leave the room without speaking. If a student
makes any sound or noise with their voice they will be disqualified from the audition.
All students auditioning for a particular orchestra will hear the judges say exactly the same thing as the judges will
have a script they will be reading to make sure every student receives the exact same experience.
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE A QUESTION OR PROBLEM DURING THE AUDITION?
If you are confused or need help in any way during the audition you will step out of the room, close the door and
speak with the audition staff who will be standing outside the audition room. The audition staff will then speak with
the judges on the issue or question the auditioning student may have
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WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I PLAY THE SCALE AND ALL THE EXCERPTS SLOWER THAN THE REQUIRED
TEMPO?
Students playing the required scale and excerpts slower than the required tempo or speed will receive
an automatic 5 points off their overall score of 0-100 points.
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WILL WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BE GIVEN A WALK THROUGH EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO AN AUDITION?
Yes. Before each audition begins students who would llike to will be given a walkthrough of the audition process.