Auditions 2010: Dates & Venues
Dates and venues to be advised.

Closing Date: to be advised.

Applications are invited from players aged between 12 and 24 (see the Conditions of Membership). Applicants must be resident in, a citizen of or studying in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. Note: London auditions, if held, are to accommodate Irish players studying in England.

2009: National Youth Orchestra of Ireland (under 18s): Applicants will be expected to prepare two contrasting orchestral excerpts sent out on receipt of application. Consultation with your instrumental teacher is advised.

2009: NYOI Camerata ensembles (over 18s): Applicants should prepare two 3 minute extracts from contrasting pieces of own choice. Note: You must provide copies of your chosen extracts for the audition panel. An accompanist will not be provided, however we are happy for you to play your pieces unaccompanied. You will also be required to sight-read from orchestral works.

2009: All Leadership applicants will have to prepare the 1st movement of a Mozart concerto of their own choice plus a contrasting piece of own choice. Under 18s will be asked to prepare orchestral excerpts from the selection sent out on receipt of application. Over 18s will be required to sight-read from orchestral works.

The panel will rank players in order of standard and section principals will be chosen at auditions. NYOI tutors will have the authority to reshuffle players on the course if they feel it is best for the section, for example if they feel a player’s standard has changed since audition.

Audition training workshops
Workshops take place in October, they are free and open to auditions applicants for places in the orchestras for the following season but are recommended only for first-time auditionees.

It is not obligatory for new applicants to attend these audition workshops but it can help an inexperienced player to find out what to expect at the audition and gain tips and advice as to how to do their very best.

Click on Workshops for more information.

Audition Preparations
Here are a few practical suggestions - all common sense, so forgive us for stating the obvious:

Find out! Look! Listen!
Find out as much as possible about the orchestras before you apply.

Try to attend a concert. Also get a CD of the work from which your orchestral excerpt is taken. These will be well known and widely available popular works. Look in your library or ask friends.

Look up this website - there is a lot of other information about the orchestras.

Getting your application in
Start planning in good time - talk to your teacher during spring and early summer, get to a concert during the summer season. This way, you will be well informed, your application will be in by early September and you will get your extracts to prepare as soon as they are released.

Preparing
Think carefully and consult your teacher before borrowing an instrument at the last minute to use for an audition.

Ask your teacher for some help in your preparation of the extracts.

See if you can get hold of a CD which will help to make sense of your extracts.

Ensure that you practise your excerpts at different speeds and with different articulations etc so that you are prepared if you are asked to play it differently. Don't get upset if you are asked to play it differently. This may not be a criticism at all!

Getting there
Sounds obvious - but plan your journey carefully so that you have plenty of time, you know where you are going, and have directions. Come at the time you have been given! It does matter if you play the oboe and you arrive an hour AFTER all the oboes have finished.

While you are waiting
Do tune and warm up in the waiting room. Don't be afraid to ask for help tuning your instrument if you would like help.

Do ask questions - we will be anxious to help you and to make you feel as comfortable as possible

Don't get put off by other players in the waiting room.

Be positive! Be realistic!
Regardless of whether or not you are successful the first time you audition, look on it as good experience. If you are a musician, you are going to have to audition countless times in your life - so the more experience you get the better!

About half the members of the orchestra did not get a place at their first audition. There is no disgrace in not getting a place - you may have done an excellent audition and done yourself great credit. And your performance will be remembered! Not getting a place does not mean that you are not a good musician.

The competition can be tough. In a race there can be six brilliant runners, but the first three across the line get the medals.

Bear in mind that the number in each section may be different from the balance of instruments in your local orchestra (e.g. NYOI orchestras have 4 flute places only)

Bear in mind that if you get a place, the courses are residential and take place during holiday time at Christmas/New Year and in the summer. Once you accept your place in the orchestra you should remember that it is a serious commitment which you should not consider breaking. Course dates are available on the audition forms and you should take a note of these dates before you send off your application.