Audition

Audition for The.SYO 2025

If you have missed the application deadline for The Sydney Youth Orchestra 2023, please submit an Expression of Interest or contact us to ensure you receive the latest information.

Musicians who play more in-demand instruments such as Viola, Double Bass, Bassoon, Trombone, Tuba, and Percussion are encouraged to contact us. Late applications may be accepted based on available places in the program.

How Auditions Work

See the key dates for our audition timeline:
Applications Open:  Thursday, 4th July
Auditions Q&A:  Monday, 5th August & Monday 16th August
2025 Auditions Masterclass Series:  26th to 30th August
Applications Close:  Thursday, 15th August
Late Audition Confirmation:  Thursday, 22nd August
Video Submissions Open:  Thursday, 5th September
Video Submissions Close:  Tuesday, 3rd October
Offers released: Wednesday, 18th December
1.
Audition Application

Each year from July to September applications open to become a member of The Sydney Youth Orchestra.

2.
Audition Excerpts and Instructions

On application, audition excerpts & instructions will be emailed automatically to you.

3.
Submit Your Video Audition

Submissions for The. SYO open on Thursday 5th September. You will be required to submit your audition by Tuesday 3rd October.

4.
Audition Panels

SYO will convene Audition Panels to review all applications. Panels include an instrumental specialist and often an SYO Conductor

5.
Offers

Offers will be released via email on Wednesday, 18th December. Successful musicians will be offered a position in the orchestra for 2025. Musicians may also a receive a reserve offer or an offer for a single project. If you are receive a reserve offer for The. SYO, SYO may contact you at any point during the year as needed.

6.
Acceptance

Musicans must accept their offer and enrol in early january. Any musician on a reserve or program offer, may receive another offer if a position becomes available by someone else declining an offer.

FAQs

All 2024 SYO members re-applying will be charged a $55.00 audition fee. Applicants new to SYO will be charged a $65.00 audition fee. These fees are payable at the time of your audition application and contribute to the booking of professional panellists and administration for your audition. 
 
Too see our current fees for the year, click here. These are indicative of 2025 fees. All principals are offered a 50% scholarship.

SYO has many scholarships and financial assistance options available to musicians. If you are not sure if you are eligible for financial assistance, please contact us.

Like all state-based youth orchestras in Australia, SYO auditions all players –  each year – on a competitive basis. Competitive auditions are the accepted method of equitably assessing an orchestra’s members and ensuring that players of similar ability are placed together. As a training organisation, auditions are a key part of becoming a professional musician and as such we aim to prepare our musicians for this experience. There are two main reasons that we audition each year: 

Individual players progress at different rates. Placements are based on playing ability in the context of all auditionees, not on membership length. Each year there will be some players from an ensemble who are ready to face the challenges of another ensemble and some who will benefit more from continuing with their current group. 

There are new members auditioning for Sydney Youth Orchestras each year. By hearing all players, new and existing, auditioning for an orchestra, we can be sure that our standards are high, and that placement is fair and appropriate for everyone. This provides balance within each ensemble and maximum benefit for its members. 

No. All information gained through the audition process is private and confidential. Sydney Youth Orchestras will not enter into a conversation that concerns an applicant’s audition results with the applicant, their parents/guardians or teachers. This mirrors the audition processes in the music profession and Sydney Youth Orchestras strives to prepare musicians for the reality of professional audition and performance standards and procedures. 

The audition panel will make seating recommendations after watching all videos, including recommendations for Principals. In The Sydney Youth Orchestra, Principals of each section are expected to take a leadership role in rostering their section in consultation with the Orchestra Manager, Head of Artistic Planning, Head of Operations and, in some cases, the conductor for a particular program. 

Yes! There are a number of different scholarships are available to support young musicians and their families. 

To receive more information and a scholarship form, be sure to check the appropriate box on your online audition application.

There are also scholarships for tertiary, regional and Principal Chairs. Read more about our scholarships here.

Scholarship results are announced on the same day as audition results. Any received scholarship value will be reflected directly on your enrolment form. 

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(our pre-professional orchestra)