Auditions
2026’s video audition requirements are available below for students to begin preparing. Sometime in August, we will add an updated registration form at the bottom of this web page, so that you can submit your information and video link by the deadline of August 31, 2026.
Audition Information
Beginning in 2026, all students will be required to submit their audition by video link, due on August 31. Using a cell phone to make your recording will provide sufficient quality, as long as your face and instrument are visible. Your completed video should be uploaded to YouTube as an “unlisted” video. As in recent years, all auditions will be adjudicated and ranked by expert judges external to our community, many of whom are music professors.
All instruments should prepare:
- Scale #1, as described for your instrument below
- Scale #2, as described for your instrument below
- The full page of excerpts which are found below for each instrument. Percussionists only need to prepare the excerpts which are listed below and use snare drum.
- String players and flutists have an additional audition requirement, mentioned under their instrument below.
Strings
(all students hoping to be placed in the 1st violin section must audition using the “Violin 1” excerpts)
1. Perform 3 octave C Major scale (using triplet rhythm, slurring 3 notes, Quarter note = 60)
2. Perform 3 octave D Major scale (separate quarter notes, demonstrating vibrato & tone quality, Quarter note = 60)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. String players need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
5. If interested in a principal position, please be prepared to do a sight-reading audition in-person later in September. Only a few high scoring students will be invited to complete the sight-reading audition.
(students may choose which violin section to audition for. The 2nd Violin audition has easier excerpts)
1. Perform 3 octave C Major scale (using triplet rhythm, slurring 3 notes, Quarter note = 60)
2. Perform 3 octave D Major scale (separate quarter notes, demonstrating vibrato & tone quality, Quarter note = 60)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. String players need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
5. If interested in a principal position, please be prepared to do a sight-reading audition in-person later in September. Typically, our principal 2nd violin players will rotate in from the 1st violin section.
1. Perform 3 octave C Major scale (using triplet rhythm, slurring 3 notes, Quarter note = 60)
2. Perform 3 octave D Major scale (separate quarter notes, demonstrating vibrato & tone quality, Quarter note = 60)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. String players need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
5. If interested in a principal position, please be prepared to do a sight-reading audition in-person later in September. Only a few high scoring students will be invited to complete the sight-reading audition.
1. Perform 3 octave C Major scale (using triplet rhythm, slurring 3 notes, Quarter note = 60)
2. Perform 3 octave D Major scale (separate quarter notes, demonstrating vibrato & tone quality, Quarter note = 60)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. String players need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
5. If interested in a principal position, please be prepared to do a sight-reading audition in-person later in September. Only a few high scoring students will be invited to complete the sight-reading audition.
1. Perform 3 octave C Major scale (using triplet rhythm, slurring 3 notes, Quarter note = 60)
2. Perform 3 octave D Major scale (separate quarter notes, demonstrating vibrato & tone quality, Quarter note = 60)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. String players need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
5. If interested in a principal position, please be prepared to do a sight-reading audition in-person later in September. Only a few high scoring students will be invited to complete the sight-reading audition.
Any students interested in joining the WVYS as a harpist must contact us in advance and schedule a private audition with our conductor.
Woodwinds
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
4. Flutists need to prepare 1 minute of a solo from the ISSMA Group 1 solo list. Please select an impressive excerpt that demonstrates the full range of your technique and musicality.
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
Brass
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
1. Perform a 2 octave Major scale of your choice (using the rhythm of 1 eighth note followed by 6 sixteenth notes, slurring by the quarter-note beat, Quarter note = 60bpm)
2. Perform a Chromatic scale of your choice (separate quarter notes, not slurred, selecting pitches that demonstrate your full range, Quarter note = 120bpm)
3. Prepare the full page of excerpts at the link below
Unfortunately, our repertoire for 2026-27 has fewer tuba parts than the past couple years, so we are not planning to hold tuba auditions.
However, if you are interested in performing with us part-time on a few pieces, please contact our conductor at c.wild@wvys.org and be prepared to audition for him in person with solo repertoire and scales.
Percussion
Although many of our compositions use timpani, some also use snare drum and various other percussion instruments. For practical reasons, the “Percussion” audition only uses snare drum so that you may complete the audition on your own. Additional instructions can be found in the excerpt link below.