Auditioning for the Hopkins Symphony Orchestra
Auditions for the 2011-12 season are now closed. Please check back in late Spring 2012 for information regarding 2012-13 season auditions.
PLEASE NOTE: The Hopkins Symphony Orchestra does not take part in the Johns Hopkins University admissions process. Applicants to JHU who wish to submit a music resume and recording should send them directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Auditions for the Hopkins Symphony's 2011-2012 season will be held in Shriver Hall on:
| Dates | Times | Instruments |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, September 8, 2011 | 4 – 9 pm | woodwinds & brass |
| Friday, September 9, 2011 | 4 – 9 pm | strings |
| Saturday, September 10, 2011 | 11 am – 1 pm | woodwinds & brass |
| 2 – 6 pm | strings |
Signing up to audition: Please use the on-line audition request form. Reservations will be accepted from August 1 through September 2. If you miss the deadline, if you want to audition on percussion or piano, or if the scheduled audition times conflict with a religious observance, contact the HSO office at 410-516-6542 or hso@jhu.edu. Applicants after the end of auditions will not be considered for the symphony orchestra for the 2011-2012 season, although they may be eligible for the chamber orchestra.
Audition process: Auditions last about 10 minutes. You will audition unaccompanied.
- You will be asked to play two contrasting selections of your choice—one fast and one slow—or one selection that has great contrasts in tempo and style. Choose selections that show the range of your abilities but do not exceed them.
- You will be asked to play a major scale.
- You will be given a brief excerpt to sight-read. If you are auditioning on French horn or trumpet, be prepared for a sight-reading excerpt with transpositions.
Preparation: You are expected to bring your own instrument. You may use sheet music; please bring an extra copy for the people hearing your audition. To prepare for auditions, JHU students, faculty, and staff may use the Mattin Center’s music practice rooms.
Deciding which orchestra(s) to audition for: You may audition for the Hopkins Symphony and/or the Hopkins Symphony Chamber Orchestra. One audition covers both orchestras. To help you decide, click here to see general guidelines for the two orchestras.
Audition site: Shriver Hall is at the south end of the Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood campus, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore. Shriver Hall is directly behind the Baltimore Museum of Art. Click here for driving directions and a campus map. Audition registration is on the terrace level.
Parking: If you drive to your audition, please allow plenty of time to park. After 3:45 pm on Friday and all day on Saturday, you can park in the metered spaces along the driveway behind Shriver Hall, or in the South Garage just off Wyman Park Drive. Parking is free on Remington Avenue and south of campus. However, it’s a trek back to Shriver Hall. If you park in the neighborhood, note time limits and parking meter regulations.
Arrival: Plan to arrive at Shriver Hall at least 20 minutes early, so you’ll have time to register, warm up, and be ready to start on schedule. You will have use of a warm-up room.
Results: You will be informed of the result of your audition by e-mail or phone by Sunday, September 11. Unless they arrange otherwise, violinists, violists, and double bass players accepted into the HSO will be expected to attend the first rehearsal on Monday evening, September 12. Newly accepted woodwind and brass players will probably not play the first concert; they will rotate through the season, playing some concerts and allowing their fellow musicians to play others. Cellists will also probably rotate. Only on rare occasions are vacancies filled during the season. Musicians who are not accepted into the HSO may be eligible to play in the chamber orchestra; HSO presents three chamber music concerts each season. Musicians not accepted this year are welcome to audition again next year.
For more information, contact HSO General Manager Nicoleen Willson at 410-516-6542 or hso@jhu.edu,