Northern Utah Youth Preparatory Strings Audition Requirements

NUYPS rehearses Saturdays, 8:30 am to 9:30 am, mid-September through April and three concerts a year. Rehearsals are at Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning.

Membership Requirements:

For string players who have at least one year of instrument study.
Recommended level is late Suzuki 1 to early Suzuki 3 or the equivalent. Major and minor scales, vibrato, and sight reading are wonderful, but optional. We address these as part of our work together.
NUYPS musicians learn to play together in an ensemble, sit and stand with healthy performance posture, brush up on reading notes and rhythms, familiarize themselves with different keys and finger patterns, and improve tone production, blend and tuning within the ensemble. They also learn and polish beautiful and fun music to perform at each concert.
Students are strongly encouraged to participate in the public school orchestra for a minimum of 2 trimesters or semesters, for the current school year. Please contact us if you have extenuating circumstances.
Although private lessons are encouraged, they are not a requirement for membership. Here's a list of local private teachers!
Orchestra Members are expected to attend all rehearsals and concerts.
For questions or more information, contact Kathryn Bodrero, strings@northernutahyouthsymphony.org.

How to Audition

In Person

Step 1: Click here to fill out our membership form:

We require all returning and prospective members to fill out our membership form before auditioning.

Step 2: After submitting this form, on the final screen, you will also be given a link to order your t-shirt. Collecting this info early will help with our ordering process. If you missed the link, here is the NUYE T-shirt link for your convenience.

Step 3: Sign up for an in-person audition, choose a time on this spreadsheet.

Step 4: Review the Member Handbook and fill out the Acceptance and Payment Form (per family) & the Medical Release Form (per individual) to be handed in by the 2nd rehearsal. Member Handbook and required Forms

Scroll Down For Audition Requirements!

Online

Step 1: Click here to fill out our membership form:

We require all returning and prospective members to fill out our membership form before auditioning.

Step 2: After submitting this form, on the final screen, you will also be given a link to order your t-shirt. Collecting this info early will help with our ordering process. If you missed the link, here is the NUYE T-shirt link for your convenience.

Step 3: Make a video recording of yourself, and upload it to YouTube, Google Drive, One Drive, Dropbox, Google Photos, or some other place in the cloud.

Step 4: Send us your link using this form, as soon as possible, even if it's after the priority deadline. Because multiple people will view your video, be sure your sharing settings allow anyone with the link to view.

Your video must be unedited, and 5 minutes or less, and should be recorded in one take.

Here is a sample video script, if you need one.

We accept new video auditions ongoing throughout the year, but depending on the timing of your audition, we may ask you to wait to join rehearsals until after a concert performance, or sit in the back of the section until seating is adjusted.

Step 5: Review the Member Handbook and fill out the Acceptance and Payment Form (per family) & the Medical Release Form (per individual) to be handed in by the 2nd rehearsal. Member Handbook and required Forms

Audition results will be posted via email and online.

This can take some time, so please be patient.

While you wait, click here to download and read through our Handbook and fill out the required forms.

Important:

Some schools don't start until after the audition date! Students who did not hear about the auditions soon enough are still encouraged to audition! We will not exclude you for missing the audition deadline.

Audition Requirements

This orchestra is intended for a skill level of about Suzuki book 1-3, or equivalent.
Audition materials are recommended guidelines, not strict requirements.
Demonstrate the highest level of musicianship that you have learned. Beautiful tone, rhythm, intonation, phrasing, dynamics and vibrato are some ideas of what to focus on.

Scale:

- Scale of your choice

Solo: Solo of your choice. You don’t need to play your most recent piece. Just play a piece you know well. (About 60 seconds)

Sightreading: If you are submitting a video audition, please download the excerpts below and follow the instructions on the page. If you are auditioning in person on Aug 26th, you will get the excerpts at your audition time.

Sightreading Excerpts