String musicians are required to perform the following to audition for YPPLV:

1. A three-octave scale in a MAJOR key.

   • This should be played with separate bows in 16th notes at Quarter Note=60.

   • Basses: only two octaves are required.

2. A three-octave scale in a MINOR key.

   • This should be played with 4 quarter notes slurred per bow at Quarter Note=60-90.

   • Basses: only two octaves are required.

3. Perform a solo selection from the solo repertoire (a concerto, sonata, advanced etude, or another solo work).

   • We may stop you after approximately 2 minutes, so you may choose to start in a different place after the beginning.

   • If unsure, consult with your private teacher.

4. A brief sight-reading excerpt (we will provide during the audition).

5. The excerpt from Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 provided below:

   • Violin Excerpt

   • Viola Excerpt

   • Cello and Bass Excerpt

Students are required to maintain full participation in their school orchestra program if accepted.

Wind candidates should be prepared to play the following:

1. Prepare 2 scales in 2 or 3 octaves, preferably one major scale and one minor scale.

2. Perform a solo selection from the solo repertoire (a concerto, sonata, advanced etude, or another solo work).

   • We may stop you after approximately 2 minutes, so you may choose to start in a different place after the beginning.

   • If unsure, consult with your private teacher.

3. Play the chosen excerpt that we have provided for your instrument. Please find the link below.

   • Flute

   • Oboe

   • Clarinet

   • Bassoon

4. A brief sight-reading excerpt (we will provide this during the audition).

In addition:

• Flute students should be able to play or be willing to learn to play piccolo. If the student does play piccolo, please bring the instrument to the audition and be prepared to play a short solo or orchestral excerpt and scales.

• Oboe students should play or be willing to learn to play English horn. If the student does play english horn, please bring the instrument to the audition and be prepared to play a short solo or orchestral excerpt and scales.

  • We own and can provide an English horn when needed.

• Clarinet students should be willing to learn A clarinet.

  • We own and can provide an A clarinet when needed.

Students are required to maintain full participation in their school band program if accepted.

Brass candidates should be prepared to play the following:

1. Prepare 2 scales in 2 octaves, preferably one major scale and one minor scale.

2. Perform a solo selection from the solo repertoire (a concerto, sonata, advanced etude, or another solo work).

   • We may stop you after approximately 2 minutes, so you may choose to start in a different place after the beginning.

   • If unsure, consult with your private teacher.

3. Play the chosen excerpt that we have provided for your instrument. Please find the link below.

   • Horn: Tchaikovsky-Symphony No 4, mvmt 1, play from beginning to 6 after A

   • Trumpet: Tchaikovsky-Symphony No 4, mvmt 1, play from measure 7 to A

   • Trombone: Rossini-William Tell Overture, play from letter C to D

   • Tuba: Wagner-Ride of the Valkyries, please play everything between the brackets.

4. A brief sight-reading excerpt (we will provide this during the audition).

In addition:

• Horn students should have begun to learn transposition.

• Trumpet students must have a Bb trumpet and, if possible, have access to a C trumpet and should have begun to learn transposition.

• Trombone students must be able to read bass and should have begun to learn tenor clef.

Students are required to maintain full participation in their school band program if accepted.

Percussion candidates should be prepared to play the following:

1. Prepare 2 scales in 2 octaves, preferably one major scale and one minor scale.

2. Prepare a solo work on snare drum, mallets, or timpani

3. Prepare the excerpts provided below.

• Bass drum: Tchaikovsky-Symphony 4, mvmt 4

• Cymbals: Mussorgsky-Night on Bald Mountain

• Snare: Prokofiev-Lt Kije Suite, mvmt 1

4. A brief sight-reading excerpt (we will provide this during the audition).

Students are required to maintain full participation in their school band program if accepted.

Also note the following:

• Though percussion is taught holistically, in practice, the timpani role is considered both prestigious and somewhat independent from the rest of the orchestral percussion section. That said, at YPP, the timpanist may also be a rotating member of the section.

• Percussion students are generally expected to be able to perform on a wide range of orchestral percussion instruments, with emphasis on timpani, snare drum, mallet percussion, and core auxiliary instruments.

• In rare cases, exceptions may be made for students with exceptional skills in a narrow range of percussion instruments, but development of a wide range of percussion skills would be expected, if accepted.

• Generally, orchestral percussion does not include drum set. From time to time, YPP does perform pops and broadway music which requires drum set. But like saxophone and many other instruments, it is not a “staple” and therefore we are unable to accept students strictly on the basis of drum set skill.

We accept harp and keyboard auditions on a part-time basis. Please contact admin@ypplv.org to learn more. 

• Keyboard includes orchestral piano, harpsichord, celesta, organ, and synthesizer parts. (Students do not require prior training on any keyboard instruments other than piano.)

• We do not utilize electric guitar, electric bass, or drum set with enough regularity to offer dedicated memberships to musicians on those or other rarely-used instruments. In most cases, parts for those instruments are performed by members of the orchestra who otherwise perform on other instruments. Keyboard parts may also be played by musicians who otherwise play a different instrument.