The Maryland Symphony Youth Orchestra is an auditioned program that runs from approximately September to June each year and whose participants are typically high school aged.
Auditions for the 2026-27 season are now open!
Early-Bird Audition Fee: $25 through June 30
After June 30: $50
If this fee presents a financial burden to you or your family, please contact Education@marylandsymphony.org.
Click For Audition Repertoire
Each audition should include the following, in order.
- Scales (72 BPM) played in eighth notes, four eighth notes slurred throughout the scale
- Strings Required Scales
- Violins: D major scale (two octaves) AND A major scale (two or three octaves)
- Violas and Cellos: G Major scale (two octaves) AND C major scale (two or three octaves)
- Bass: G major one octave scale AND an A major one octave scale, played in the above manner
- Winds/Brass Required Scales
- A single two or more octave major scale of your choice
- A single two or more octave chromatic scale of your choice
- Strings Required Scales
- Solos
- All Strings, Woodwinds, and Brass: Two contrasting excerpts (one fast, one slow) that demonstrate your technical and lyrical abilities, totaling between 3 and 5 minutes.
- Strings: As a guideline for selections, please refer to the MODA Solo Repertoire List. Solo excerpts (from the list or otherwise) should be from pieces Grade 3 or higher. MODA Solo Repertoire List
- Woodwinds/Brass: As a guideline for selections, please refer to the MBDA Solo Repertoire List. Solo excerpts (from the list or otherwise) should be from pieces Grade 3 or higher. MBDA Solo Repertoire List
- Percussion players should play the attached snare (Page One) and mallet (Page Three) etudes in place of scales and two contrasting pieces. Percussion Etudes
Click For Audition Video Requirements
- Please ensure your hands, instrument, and face are all clearly visible
- To allow for a semi-blind audition process, please refrain from wearing any article of clothing that would suggest participation in a school, county, state, or national musical ensemble (ie wildcat marking band shirt or All State polo)
- At the start of the audition video state your name, instrument, and the grade you will be in next fall
- Each individual piece or excerpt and all scales should be performed continuously with no edits permitted. You may, however, stop the camera after each complete performance to reset if you would like
- Please submit your audition pieces in one single video
- Video Recordings must be uploaded to YouTube and submitted via a link to our audition form
Click To Learn How to Upload Audition Videos
- How to Upload a YouTube Video
- Selecting the “Unlisted” privacy option when uploading will allow you to share a video link without making the video viewable to the public.
- How to upload an Unlisted Video
- Please title your video ‘[Your Full Name] MSYO 2025 [Instrument] Audition’
Before submitting, review your video on YouTube to ensure that you are in view of the camera for the entirety of the audition video, that your audio is of good quality, and the entirety of the audition has been uploaded correctly.
Audition videos that have been edited or enhanced with any audio or video software will not be considered. Any student who is found to have edited their audition video will be promptly removed from the program.
Submit your application and audition videos here.