Auditions

Orchestra members are paid professionals, many of whom are members of their local unions.
To schedule an audition for a position in the Dearborn Symphony, contact the Dearborn Symphony at johnh@dearbornsymphony.org or 313.565-2424. 
 
 

Upcoming Auditions:

Tuesday, September 10, 2024: Horn 4, Principal Clarinet

Thursday, September 12, 2024: Associate Concertmaster, Principal Second Violin, Principal Cello, Section Cello, Bassoon 2

PLEASE NOTE: The Bassoon 2 audition has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 12 in the late afternoon/evening.

Download an audition flyer here.

Audition Requirements

Below are performance requirements. A resume must be submitted by TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, along with what position(s) you are auditioning for. 
Auditions will be behind a screen, which may or may not be removed for subsequent rounds.

Associate Concert Master

  1. SOLO REPERTOIRE
    • First movement (with cadenza) of one standard concerto, such as:
      • Beethoven
      • Brahms
      • Mendelssohn
      • Bruch
      • Tchaikovsky
      • Sibelius
      • Prokofieff #2
    • First movement (without cadenza) of one of the following Mozart concerti:
      • No. 3, K. 216
      • No. 4, K. 218
      • No. 5, K. 219
  2. ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE
    • FIRST VIOLIN EXCERPTS
      • BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9
        • 2nd movement, mm. 21-77
        • 3rd movement, mm. 99-114
        • 4th movement, mm. 656-730
      • BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4
        • 4th movement, mm. 33-81
      • MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No. 4
        • 1st movement, beginning-m. 110
      • MOZART: Symphony No. 39
        • 2nd movement, beginning-mm. 60
      • PROKOFIEFF: Symphony No. 1
        • 1st movement, beginning-4th measure of H
      • J. STRAUSS: Don Juan
        • Beginning – m. 62
    • SOLO EXCERPTS
      • BACH: St. Matthew Passion
        • Coro (Orchestra) 1, No. 47 “Erbarme dich, mein Gott”
          • Beginning – m. 8
      • BRAHMS: Symphony No. 1, Mvt. 2 Solo mm. 90-end
      • RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Capriccio Espagnole solos

Principal Second Violin

  1. SOLO REPERTOIRE
    • First movement (with cadenza) of one standard concerto, such as:
      • Beethoven
      • Brahms
      • Mendelssohn
      • Bruch
      • Tchaikovsky
      • Sibelius
      • Prokofieff #2
    • First movement (without cadenza) of one of the following Mozart concerti:
      • No. 3, K. 216
      • No. 4, K. 218
      • No. 5, K. 219
  2. ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE
    • FIRST VIOLIN EXCERPTS
      • BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9
        • 3rd movement, mm. 99-114
      • BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4
        • 4th movement, mm. 33-81
      • MOZART: Symphony No. 39
        • 2nd movement, beginning-mm. 60
      • J. STRAUSS: Don Juan
        • Beginning – m. 62
    • SECOND VIOLIN EXCERPTS
      • BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9
        • 4th movement, mm. 187-207
        • 4th movement, mm. 435-525
      • BRAHMS: Piano Concerto No. 1
        • 3rd movement, mm. 238-263
      • MOZART: Symphony No. 41
        • 4th movement, mm. 272-313
    • SOLO EXCERPTS
      • BACH: St. Matthew Passion
        • Coro (Orchestra) 2, No. 51 “Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder”
          • Beginning-m. 13
      • STRAVINSKY: Pulcinella Suite
        • 4th movement “Tarantella,” whole movement

Principal and Section Cello

  1. SOLO REPERTOIRE
    • First Movement from a standard concerto
  2. ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE
    • Section Excerpts:
      • BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5
        • 3rd mvt, Opening Trio (mm. 1-52, 140-177) (no repeat)
      • BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3
        • 3rd mvt, 1-39 beginning to Rehearsal B
      • MENDELSSOHN: Midsummer Night’s Dream
        • “Scherzo”: N-O
      • R. STRAUSS: Don Juan, Op. 20
        • Beginning – Rehearsal D
      • VERDI: Requiem No. 3
        • Offertorio: Beginning – end of m. 34
    • Solo Excerpts: (For Principal position ONLY)
      • TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake
        • Act II, No. 13, Danses des cygnes: V. Pas d’action, cello solo
      • BRAHMS: Piano concerto No. 2
        • 3rd mvt., beginning to Rehearsal B
      • STRAUSS: Don Quixote
        • Theme & Var. 1 until [19] (m. 122-185), cello solo

Principal Clarinet

    • First Movement from a standard concerto
    • Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 Mvt. III, Trio to D.C.
    • Brahms: Symphony No. 3 Mvt. I (14 after B to 3 after C), Mvt. II (beginning until 10 after B)
    • Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol, Mvt. I, A to B; Mvt. III, 11 after K to end
    • Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Mvt. II F to G
    • Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Scherzo) (beginning to B; pickup to C to E)

Bassoon

2nd Bassoon

    • Mozart: Concerto for Bassoon, K. 191;
        • 1st Mvt., Exposition, mm. 35-71
        • 2nd Mvt., mm. 7-20
    • Wagner: Tannhauser, Overture; Opening 24 bars
    • Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf; 1st Grandfather theme
    • Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole; Mvt. 1, Reh. #’s 8 to 9. (Cadenza)
    • Brahms: Concerto for Violin; 2nd Mvt., Adagio, mm. 1-22
    • Optional/sight reading
        • Verdi: I Vespri Siciliani, Overture; 1st Bassoon part: from Letter A to the key change at the following Allegro

French Horn

Fourth Horn Excerpts:
    • Beethoven: Symphony #9 movement 3. Pickup to measure 83 to 100
    • Mahler: Symphony #1 movement 1. 25 to 27
    • Shostakovich: Symphony #5 movement 1. 17-1 measure after 21
    • Strauss: Don Quixote. Variation 8
    • Strauss: Till Eluenspiegel. One measure before 34 to 16 measures after 37

 

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Substitutes
Contact the office at 313.565.2424 or johnh@dearbornsymphony.org.