Orchestra Auditions

The following section is in high demand for the 2025-26 Season

Cello

Auditions Overview

Come play with us! The Summerville Orchestra is looking to bolster our ranks with some of Summerville’s finest amateur musicians. We are looking in particular for cello, but we welcome all to audition. Although these positions are unpaid, they open the door to great new friendships, connections, networking, growth, learning and even more performance opportunities.

If interested, please register below and email marlena@summervilleorchestra.org

Audition Details

Time Slots: Please email Personnel Manager Marlena Davis, at marlena@summervilleorchestra.org, and leave a telephone number. Auditions will be 10 minutes in length (you may or may not need/use all this time). If you have a preference within that two-hour window, please let us know.

Audition Dates: August 10, 2025 and January 4, 2026

Location: Fort Dorchester High School band room, 8500 Patriot Blvd., North Charleston, SC 29420

Accompanists: Not needed and certainly not mandatory. You are of course more than welcome to bring an accompanist. However, it will not affect your audition either way.

Memorization: Not required. Please just prepare your excerpts and solo piece to the best of your ability and comfort level.

Repertoire/Requirements: Please see below for required excerpts and solo repertoire for your instrument.

** PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE SPECIFIC EXCERPTS REQUESTED *

Strings

Violin

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, mvt. 4, m. 1-19 (2^nd violin excerpt)
For those interested in violin 1, Shostakovich No. 5 mvt. 1 Reh. 32-36
For those intersted in violin 2, Mozart, Magic Flute

Viola

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, mvt. 2, m. 1-10 + m. 98-106
- Shostakovich 5 excerpt (mvt. 1, reh. 15-17)

Cello

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Bass

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 3^rd, m. 1-18
- Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 3rd, m. 141-177

Woodwinds

Flute

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Oboe

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Clarinet

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Bassoon

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Contra-

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any Baroque/Classical concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67

Brass

All brass players interested in auditioning should have experience in and can complete the following:

Transpose, at sight, in common transpositions (French Horns in Eb, E, D, and C; Trumpets in D, Eb, F)
Be able to read and play all associated clefs needed for your instrument (French Horns – Bass clef, Trombones – Tenor clef)
Own at least the most common mutes for your instrument (Straight, Harmon, Cup, etc.)
French Horns should be familiar with how to play “stopped horn”

French Horn

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Trumpet

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Trombone

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Sheet music and guides

Dvorak, Symphony No. 8, mvt. 1, 4 after N – end of mvt.
Berlioz, Hungarian March, 1 m. before Reh. 4 – end

Tuba

SOLO

Exposition of the 1^st movement of any concerto, OR
a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Percussion, Piano, Harp, Auxiliary

Percussion

SOLO

A solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

A long roll on snare drum

EXCERPTS

Please pick any ONE orchestral excerpt that corresponds to the instrument you wish to audition for

Piano

SOLO:

Prepare a solo piece, or excerpt of a piece, that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS:

– Shostakovich, Symphony No. 5, movement 4 – 2 measures before reh. 127 to 10 measures after figure 130

– Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, measure 5 to the end.

Harp

SOLO

Prepare a solo piece, or excerpt of a piece, that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)

EXCERPTS

Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker, Waltz of the Flowers, Cadenza

Woodwind Auxiliary

Piccolo, Eb Clarinet, English Horn, Etc.

SOLO

Exposition of the 1st movement of any concerto, OR

a solo of your choice that demonstrates your playing ability (no longer than 2-3 minutes)