Audition Information

Auditions for Entry in Fall 2025

Audition material for our spring 2025 auditions (for entry in Fall 2025) will be posted this winter (Jan. 2025).You can join our mailing list here to be informed of any updates (or you can follow us at our facebook page – facebook.com/daayo) Auditions will open in February 2025.

Audition Rounds and Deadlines

Fall 2024: Our main audition rounds are finished, but we may have an opening for you depending on your instrument and desired group. Contact us for information.
Fall 2025: These auditions will open in February 2025. (Material will be posted in January 2025.)

We will have multiple rounds with multiple deadlines this spring of 2024. (All rounds are the same, please only select one during registration.)

Round 1 – April 15 deadline, early May result *
Round 2 – May 20 deadline, early June result (please note this timing may be impacted by our Japan trip this summer, we apologize in advance for this!)*
Round 3 – June 19 deadline, early July result*
Please note: the deadlines above are for both registration AND video submission. In general, we recommend submitting your registration first, and well before you submit your videos.

If you play saxophone, piano or percussion/timpani, please register separately here to be notified of potential openings. (Please note we may not have openings for those instruments every season.) All other instruments should use the button below.

Important points:

1. Make sure you download and read the instructions for video submission here.
2. Remember to read our FAQ, as well as this entire page, before registering.
3. Learn more about our various orchestras/levels through our videos on this website
4. Specific audition requirements for each orchestra are located on this page (scroll down).

Questions? Contact us here.

Most applicants will follow a similar audition process of scales, etude, and excerpts. Winds are an exception, see bottom of this page.  If you do not make your desired group, we will consider you for another orchestra; however, we may require an additional audition. Space is limited and we highly recommend that you look at the required excerpts closely to determine your best potential fit.

Rehearsals
All of our ensembles (with the exception of the Chamber Group) rehearse on Sunday afternoons (late August to May) at: 420 Maplelawn Drive Plano, TX 75075

The rehearsal times for each group are as below:
String Explorers (SE) (Strings Only): 5:00-6:30PM
Junior Strings (JS) (Strings Only): 2:00-3:30PM
Concert Strings (CS) (Strings Only): 1:30-3:15PM
Philharmonic Orchestra (PO) (Strings and Winds): 3:30- 5:30PM
Symphony Orchestra (SO) (Strings and Winds): 6:00-8:30PM

As a reminder, applicants should be in their school orchestra or band programs unless they are unavailable.

Chamber

Please note our chamber group now uses the same common application as all the other ensembles.

Our Chamber Group rehearses on Saturday afternoons from 1-3:00PM @ the same location above. (1 hour block per each chamber ensemble). We may hold open rehearsals during the beginning of the season for interested applicants.

More information

Audition Preparation – All auditions will be via video submissions. 

Audition Requirements 

String Explorers 2025 requirements

1. Scales:  All Instruments – 1 octave C major, A major
2. Etude: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass
3. Excerpts: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass

Junior Strings 2025 requirements

1. Scales: All Instruments – 2 octaves C Major, G Major
2. Etude:  Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass | Harp
3. Excerpt: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass

Concert Strings 2025 requirements

1. Concert String Scales –

Violin – Bb Major, D Major *3 Octaves preferred.
Viola – F Major, D Major *3 Octaves preferred.
Cello – F Major, D Major *3 Octaves preferred.
Bass – G Major, F Major

2. CS Etude Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass | Harp
3. CS Excerpt 1 Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass
4. CS Excerpt 2 Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass 

Philharmonic Orchestra 2025 requirements

Strings Applicants for Philharmonic should prepare the following:

1. Excerpt: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass | Harp
2. Scales: (should be memorized, played in 16th notes or triplet 8th notes at Quarter Note= 54-72, slurred or separate bowing of your choice.)

Violin: A Major & D Major *3 Octaves required
Viola: Eb Major & D Major *3 Octaves required
Cello: Eb Major & D Major *3 Octaves required
Bass: G Major & F Major *2 Octaves required

3. Two to three minute solo of your choice. (can start anywhere in piece, should demonstrate your current technical ability and musical maturity.)

Winds Applicants: See below

Symphony Orchestra 2025 requirements

String applicants who wish to be considered for the Symphony need to prepare all of the above Philharmonic Requirements as well as the following:

• Symphony Orchestra Excerpts: Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass | Harp 
  Excerpts should be played at the marked tempo ranges, but you may play slower if it means you can play it cleaner and more musical.
• Wind Applicants see below:

Wind Applicants – Philharmonic Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra

Wind Applicants for Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestra should prepare the following:
1. Scales: Winds – Submit a scale of your choice (up to 5 sharps/5 flats (major key only)). (2 or 3 octave)
2. Solo of your choice
3. Excerpts (TBD)