Auditions
Students wishing to join Philharmonia, Sinfonia, and Huntsville Youth Symphony are required to audition each season. Auditions for the 2026-2027 Season will be held at the Sandra Moon Complex as follows:
Saturday, August 1: 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday, August 2: 2 pm - 6 pm
Monday, August 3: 2 pm - 6 pm
If you are unable to make one of the audition dates above, contact info@hsvyo.org about scheduling a make-up audition.
Concert Orchestra, Intermezzo Orchestra, and Novice Strings do not require auditions. To join these orchestras, just complete the registration form and pay the tuition fee.
Students are required to pay a $15 audition fee ($10 per student for families with multiple students auditioning). Audition fees are non-refundable.
Students may NOT re-audition under any circumstance. It is important to be prepared for the audition as it will determine orchestra and chair placement for the whole season. All auditions (except for percussion) are blind.
Audition information for the 2026-2027 Season is now available below. Audition registration will be available soon.
Audition Requirements
Returning Students
Returning students wishing to move up an ensemble must prepare the audition requirements of the ensemble they last placed and the ensemble they are wishing to move up to. If students wish to remain in the same ensemble, they only need to prepare the audition requirements of that ensemble. Students may not skip an ensemble level without approval from the Music Director.
Returning students last in Concert Orchestra who wish to move up to Philharmonia, must prepare the audition requirements for Philharmonia.
Returning students last in Philharmonia who wish to move up to Sinfonia, must prepare the audition requirements for both Philharmonia and Sinfonia.
Returning students last in Sinfonia who wish to move up to Huntsville Youth Symphony, must prepare the audition requirements for Sinfonia and Huntsville Youth Symphony.
New Students
New HYO Students generally need to prepare the audition materials for two ensembles - the one they wish to audition into and the ensemble below it.
New Students wishing to place in Philharmonia only need to prepare the Philharmonia audition materials as the ensemble below it does not require auditions.
New students wishing to place in Sinfonia must prepare the Philharmonia and Sinfonia audition materials. (This only applies to string students as we do not have winds, brass, and percussion in Philharmonia.)
New students wishing to place in Huntsville Youth Symphony must prepare the Sinfonia and Huntsville Youth Symphony audition materials.
Huntsville Youth Symphony (2026-2027)
-
Students must have all twelve major scales memorized and will be asked to play one of the scales, selected by the judges, from memory during the audition. Students SHOULD NOT perform arpeggios during the audition. Scales shall be performed at a tempo of at least 90 bpm per scale degree.
String players shall perform all scales three octaves (Double Bass two octaves).
Woodwind and brass players shall play two octaves where possible.
Scales are worth 10 points.
-
Students MUST play the excerpt(s) provided below. Students are encouraged to listen to several recordings of the required excerpt so that it may be played with the correct style.
If a student has never been accepted to the Huntsville Youth Symphony, they must perform both the Sinfonia and Huntsville Youth Symphony excerpts.
The prepared excerpts are worth 30 points total. -
Students will be asked to sight-read during the audition. Students will have 20 seconds to look over the music before playing it.
Sight-reading is worth 15 points.
Sinfonia (2026-2027)
-
Students must have the following scales memorized (see octave requirements below): C, G, D, A, E, F, Bb, Eb, Ab and will be asked to play one of the scales, selected by the judges, from memory during the audition. Students DO NOT perform arpeggios during the audition. Scales shall be performed at a tempo of at least 90 bpm per scale degree.
String players shall perform all scales two octaves (Double Bass one octave).
Woodwind and brass players shall play each scale one octave (two where possible).
Scales are worth 10 points.
-
Students MUST play the excerpt(s) provided below. Students are encouraged to listen to several recordings so that it may be played with the correct style. If a student is a string player and has not been a member of Sinfonia, the must play both the Sinfonia and Philharmonia excerpts.
The prepared excerpt(s) are worth 30 points total.points total. -
Students will be asked to sight-read during the audition. Students will have 20 seconds to look over the music before playing it.
Sight-reading is worth 15 points.
Philharmonia (2026-2027)
-
Students must have the following major scales memorized two octaves (one octave for double bass): C, G, D, A, F, Bb, Eb and will be asked to play one of the scales, selected by the judges, from memory during the audition. Scales shall be performed two octaves at a tempo of at least 90 bpm per scale degree. Students DO NOT perform arpeggios during the audition.
Scales are worth 10 points.
-
Students MUST play the excerpt(s) provided below. Students are encouraged to listen to several recordings so that it may be played with the correct style.
The prepared excerpts(s) are worth 30 points total.
-
Students will be asked to sight-read during the audition. Students will have 20 seconds to look over the music before playing it.
Sight-reading is worth 15 points.