What is the minimum age requirement for Debut Orchestra?
Student must turn 8 by the end of the calendar year.
What is the minimum age requirement for Junior Orchestra?
Student must turn 10 by the end of the calendar year.
What are the typical age ranges for Debut / Junior Orchestras?
Debut Orchestra: 8–12 years old
Junior Orchestra: 10–14 years old
What is the recommended playing level for Debut Orchestra?
RCM Level 3–5 (or an equivalent level of study) – exam not required.
What is the recommended playing level for Junior Orchestra?
RCM Level 6–8 (or an equivalent level of study) – exam not required.
What do I need to prepare for the audition?
VYSO Debut/Junior auditions include 4 components:
Scales and arpeggios
Prepare one option from the provided scale requirements.
Solo piece of your choice
Prepare a complete solo piece or a full movement of a concerto that demonstrates your best playing. Adjudicators may ask you to perform the entire piece or selected passages.
Orchestral Excerpts
Students prepare three consecutive excerpts from the audition materials.
Sight-reading
Students will be asked to sight-read a short passage during the audition.
How do I choose which excerpts to play?
Each instrument is given five excerpts, and students prepare THREE consecutive excerpts from one of the following sets:
Excerpts 1, 2, 3
Excerpts 2, 3, 4
Excerpts 3, 4, 5
Please consult with the student’s instrument teacher to ensure students select the set of excerpts that best reflects their current playing level.
What is included in the sight-reading component?
A short excerpt you have not seen before. It does not need to be polished.
We assess:
- Note-reading skills
- Rhythm and pulse
- Steadiness and ability to keep going without stopping
A brief rhythm-reading exercise (ie. clapping a rhythmic passage) may also be included.
How do I prepare the sight-reading component?
Practise reading new, level-appropriate music regularly. Focus on keeping a steady pulse.
Do returning VYSO students need to audition again?
Yes. Students who are currently enrolled in VYSO are considered current students and must audition each season so that faculty can assess their musical progress and determine the most appropriate placement.
What happened to the “move up” audition for current Debut Orchestra musicians?
Under the new Debut / Junior audition process, there is no more “move-up” audition category between Debut and Junior Orchestra. All applicants now follow the same audition process. Faculty determine the most appropriate placement based on the audition and other factors.
Can I audition directly for Junior Orchestra?
Students may be placed in either Debut or Junior Orchestra depending on their audition performance, age, and ensemble needs.
How are placement decisions made?
The placement decisions are made by the VYSO faculty.
Placement may consider, but not limited to:
Audition performance
Age
Ensemble balance and instrumentation needs
Returning (current) student: student’s progress and contribution during the previous season(s).
All placement decisions are final.
My child is placed in a different instrument section. What does it mean?
In some cases, faculty may offer placement on a related instrument—for example, viola for violinists or double bass for cellists.
This option will only be offered when faculty believe the student would succeed on that instrument. The VYSO is committed to supporting students through this transition by providing teacher recommendations and instrument access.
What should students bring to the audition?
-Instrument and bow, extra set of strings (recommended)
-A copy of the audition excerpts
-A copy of the solo piece (original preferred, but not required, if not available)
-Any required scale material
–Cellists: if you have a preferred endpin strap/donut, please bring one; otherwise, the VYSO will provide one for you.
–Bassists: if you have a preferred stool, please bring one; otherwise, the VYSO will provide one for you.
-Any other instrument accessories.
Piano accompaniment NOT REQUIRED for all VYSO auditions.
What to do if this is the student’s first time auditioning and they are feeling nervous?
Feeling nervous before an audition is completely normal. Faculty understand that auditions can be a new experience for many students and aim to create a supportive and encouraging environment.
The audition is simply an opportunity for students to share their playing and for faculty to determine the best placement for their continued musical growth.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email VYSO at info@vyso.com.
