TMF Orchestral Institute - Preliminary Auditions - University of Houston
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Texas Music Festival
The University of Houston
Moores School of Music
3333 Cullen Blvd., Room 120
Houston, TX 77204-4017
Phone: 713-743-3167
Fax: 713-743-3166

TMF Orchestral Institute - Preliminary Auditions

Applicants have the option of attending a live audition (video recorded for faculty review) or submitting a recorded audition (video file only).

Live Audition Application Deadline
CLOSED

The Texas Music Festival Orchestral Institute will accept applications for live auditions online only via Acceptd. Letters of Recommendation are NOT required and should not be submitted.

  • Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply well before the January 24, 2020 deadline. The TMF office will contact you by e-mail to schedule your audition after receiving your application. Auditions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying by the deadline does not guarantee a live audition. Many cities have high demand and fill up before the application deadline.
  • Percussion auditions are only offered in Boston (January 28) and Houston (February 18).  There is limited availability for percussion auditions in Boston since other orchestral instrument auditions are also offered on the same day.
  • Live auditions are conducted by a single member of the TMF staff and are video recorded for review by TMF faculty and the Music Director.
  • Refunds are not given for auditions cancelled due to weather.

Live auditions will be held in the following cities:

  • Boston, MA - Full as of 1/24. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Boston wait list.
    Tuesday, January 28, 2020
    New England Conservatory
    Directions/Public Transportation Information for NEC
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time.
    Room JHB08 will be available for Percussion Audition warm-up.
    Percussion auditions will take place in Room JHB10 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
    Percussion applicants must bring their own snare drum and snare stand to the audition. All other percussion instruments will be provided.

    Rooms JH102 and JH103 will be available for warm-up for all other orchestral instruments.
    Auditions for all other orchestral instruments will take place in JH118 from 1 - 5:30 p.m.
  • Ann Arbor, MI  -  CANCELLED
    Sunday, February 2, 2020
    University of Michigan
    Directions to University of Michigan E.V. Moore Building (School of Music)
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time.
    Practice rooms in Moore Building are available for warm-up.
    Auditions will take place in Room 2032.
  • Cleveland, OH
    Saturday, February 8, 2020
    Cleveland Institute of Music
    Directions/Parking Information for CIM
    Non-CIM applicants must arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to assigned audition time and must check in at the CIM North Security Desk upon arrival.
    Warm-up will take place in assigned practice rooms (generally practice rooms X & Y) located in the practice area in the lower level of the building.
    Auditions will take place in Room 214.
  • Houston, TX - Full as of 1/24. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Houston wait list.
    Wednesday, February 12, 2020
    University of Houston
    Moores School of Music
    Directions to UH & metered parking is available in Lot 16B
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time.
    Rooms 242 and 248 available for warm-up.
    Auditions will take place on the Moores Opera House Stage.
  • Baltimore, MD 
    Thursday, February 13, 2020
    Peabody Conservatory
    Directions/Parking Information for Peabody
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to assigned audition time.
    Warm-up available in Leakin Hall practice rooms, Room LH 119 and LH 16.
    Auditions will take place in Center Street Performance Studio.
  • New York, NY
    Saturday, February 15, 2020
    Manhattan School of Music
    Directions to Manhattan School of Music
    Individual warm-up available in Rooms 703 and 705 - please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time.
    Auditions will take place in Studio 707.
  • Chicago, IL - Full as of 1/25. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Chicago wait list.
    Sunday, February 16, 2020
    Roosevelt University
    Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA)
    Directions to Roosevelt University
    All applicants are required to bring a valid ID to show to the security desk upon arrival.
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to assigned audition time.
    Room 652 is available as a group warm-up room.
    Auditions will take place in Orchestra Rehearsal Room 178, located on the 1st floor of the Auditorium Building
  • Rochester, NY - Full as of 1/24. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Rochester wait list. 
    Tuesday, February 18, 2020
    Eastman School of Music
    Directions/Parking Information for Eastman
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to assigned audition time.
    Because of space limitations there is not a dedicated warm-up room in the Student Living Center, but you can usually find a practice room prior to their audition in the Annex building, attached by pedestrian bridge to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor of the main building (see campus map link above).
    Auditions will take place in Ciminelli Formal Lounge in the Eastman Commons Student Living Center.
  • Houston, TX (percussion auditions only) - Full as of 1/24. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Houston wait list.
    February 18, 2020 
    Rice University
    Directions/Parking Information for Rice University Shepherd School of Music
    Please arrive no earlier than 20 minutes prior to your audition.
    Auditions will take place in the Percussion Studio.
    Percussion applicants must bring their own snare drum and snare stand to the audition. All other percussion instruments will be provided.
  • Dallas, TX - Full as of 1/24. Applicants should select another city, submit a recorded audition, or email mfmccrimmon@uh.edu to be put on the Dallas wait list.
    February 23, 2020
    Southern Methodist University
    Directions to Southern Methodist University
    Parking Instructions: Park on South side of the Meadows School of Music. H Lot, from Bishop Blvd. or Hillcrest. Gates will be up. Enter Meadows School from South side of building. Meadows School Operations Office at the top of stairwell if you have any questions.
    Please arrive no earlier than 30 minutes prior to assigned audition time.
    SMU Practice Rooms will be available for warm-up and are located around the corner from the Band Hall and down the stairs.
    Auditions will take place in Owens Arts Center, Room 1110 (Band Hall)

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Recorded Audition Application Deadline
Friday, February 21, 2020

The Texas Music Festival Orchestral Institute will accept applications and recorded auditions online only via Acceptd.  Applicants who wait to apply until the deadline (11:59 p.m. CST on February 21, 2020) may experience siginificant delays when uploading their audition materials.

PLEASE NOTE: Solos and excerpts must be recorded as one video file (no audio file accepted) and must contain all audition repertoire in the order listed, WITHOUT ACCOMPANIMENT, and played in a CONTINUOUS UNEDITED SEGMENT. Please ensure that your audition conforms strictly to these requirements.

2020 Preliminary Audition Requirements

  • Each instrument requires specific excerpts and solo requirements. NOTE: Solo to be recorded without accompaniment.
  • Specific excerpts may be listed for piccolo, English horn, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet and contrabassoon.  Auxiliary instrument auditions are not required for the preliminary auditions.  However, it is expected that all auxiliary instrument responsibilities/opportunities will be shared in each section:
    All flute participants are expected to bring a piccolo, if you have one.

    All oboe participants are expected to bring an English horn, if you have one, and reeds and the equipment needed to make new English horn reeds. Bring a device for supporting the weight of the instrument, if needed.

    In addition to B-flat and A instruments, all clarinet participants are also expected to bring E-flat and bass clarinet instruments and/or mouthpieces, if you have one.

    All bassoon participants are expected to bring a contrabassoon, if you have one, and contrabassoon reeds and equipment to make new reeds. Bring a device for supporting the weight of the contrabassoon, if needed.

Strings

Violin

Solo: Exposition from the first movement of a standard concerto

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Strauss Don Juan

    Beginning – end of first page

  • Mozart Symphony No. 39

    Movement II: Beginning – measure 27 (no repeats)

  • Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Beginning – 7 measures after Letter D

Viola

Solo: Exposition from the first movement of a standard concerto

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

    Movement I: 1 measure after Rehearsal Number 15  – Rehearsal Number 17

  • Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Beginning – Letter D

  • Strauss Don Juan

    Beginning – 9 after Letter B (omit pizzicato measures)

Cello

Solo: Exposition from the first movement of a standard concerto

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5

    Movement II: measures 1 – 10 & 98 – 106

  • Strauss Don Juan

    Beginning – 5 measures before Letter D

  • Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

    Movement IV: Rehearsal Number 79 – Rehearsal Number 80 (upper line)

Double Bass

Solos: One movement from a Bach Cello Suite without repeats

AND

The first movement from one of the following concertos:

Bottesini Concerto No. 2 (beginning to measure 58 - Yorke edition)

Dragonetti Concerto (beginning to measure 57)

Dittersdorf Concerto No. 2 (beginning to measure 98)

Koussevitzky Concerto (beginning to measure 77)

Vanhal Concerto (beginning to measure 83)

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5

    Movement III: Beginning – 5 measures after Rehearsal Letter A

  • Brahms Symphony No. 1

    Movement I: Letter E – second ending

  • Mozart Symphony No. 40

    Movement I: measures 114 – 138

  • Strauss Ein Heldenleben

    Rehearsal Number 9 – Rehearsal Number 11

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Woodwinds

Flute

Solo: Exposition from the first movement of either Mozart D or G Major Concerto.

Excerpts are from Theodore Presser's Orchestral Excerpts for Flute (printable excerpt list)

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 4

    Movement II: 1 measure before Rehearsal Letter E – 8 measures after Rehearsal Letter E (measure 64 – measure 72)

  • Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 (Italian)

    Movement IV - Saltarello: Measures 1 – 34

  • Prokofiev Symphony No. 1

    Movement II: Rehearsal Letter B – end of 1st measure of Rehearsal Letter C

    Movement IV: 2 measures before Rehearsal Letter A – 4 measures after Rehearsal Letter B

  • Strauss Salome's Dance

    2 measures before Rehearsal Letter D – Rehearsal Letter G

  • Stravinsky Symphony in Three Movements

    Movement II: 2 measures before 114 – 2 measures after 119

Piccolo

Excerpts from Walfrid Kujala’s Orchestral Techniques for Flute and Piccolo: An Audition Guide

  • Ravel Mother Goose Suite

    Rehearsal Number 1 – 5 measures after Rehearsal Number 2

  • Rossini Semiramide Overture

    8 before Rehearsal Letter U – Rehearsal Letter U

  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 6 

    Movement I: 3 before Rehearsal Number 8 – 12 after Rehearsal Number 8

Oboe

Solo:

  • Mozart Concerto for Oboe in C Major, K.314

    Movement I: Exposition

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Strauss Don Juan

    Beginning – Letter B
    4 measures after Letter L – 1 measure after Letter N

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement II: measures 25 –44
                         pick up to measure 181 – measure 197

    Movement IV: pick up to measure 5 – measure 12
                          pick up to measure 33 – measure 40
                          pick up to measure 62 - measure 69

  • Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)

    Movement IV: Rehearsal Number 76 – 5 after Rehearsal Number 81

English horn

Excerpt (included in the printable Oboe Preliminary Excerpts above):

  • Dvorak Symphony No. 9

    Movement II: measures 7 – 18

Clarinet

Solo:

  • Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.662

    Movement I: measures 57 - 98

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 8

    Movement III: measure 48 – end of movement (no repeat)

  • Mendelssohn Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream

    Beginning – Rehearsal Letter B

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement II: measures 45 – 57

    Movement IV: measures 76 – 89

  • Strauss Don Juan

    16 after Rehearsal Letter M – 1 after Rehearsal Letter N
    Rehearsal Letter P – 12 after Rehearsal Letter P

  • Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)

    Variation de l'oiseau de feu: complete
    Infernal Dance: pickups to Rehearsal Number 12 – Rehearsal Number 14

  • Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

    Movement IV: pickup to Rehearsal Number 100 –Rehearsal Number 106 (skip long rests)

E-flat Clarinet  

Excerpts (included in the printable Clarinet Preliminary Excerpts above):

  • Strauss Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks

    7 measures before Rehearsal Number 29 – Rehearsal Number 32

    5 measures after Rehearsal Number 38 – 4 measures before Rehearsal Number 41

Bass Clarinet  

Excerpts (included in the printable Clarinet Preliminary Excerpts above):

  • Grofé Grand Canyon Suite
    3. On the Trail: Rehearsal Number 2 – Rehearsal Number 3
                           8 measures before Rehearsal Number 13 – 4 measures after Rehearsal Number 13

Bassoon

Solo:

  • Mozart Concerto for Bassoon in B-flat Major K. 191

    Movement I: Exposition

Excerpts (printable version)

  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

    Movement II: measures 274 – end

  • Mozart Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

    Measures 139 – 171

  • Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

    Movement II: measure 5 - Rehearsal Letter A
                         2nd measure of Rehearsal Letter L – Rehearsal Letter M

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement II: measures 8 – 24 (Bassoon I & II)

  • Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)

    Berceuse: Rehearsal Numbers 1 – 3 & 6 – 8

Contrabassoon

Excerpts (included in the printable Bassoon Preliminary Excerpts above):

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5

    Movement IV: 1 measure before Letter A – 5 measures after Letter B

  • Ravel Mother Goose Suite

    Movement IV: Rehearsal Number 2 – 12 measures before Rehearsal Number 4

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Brass

Horn

Solo:

  • MozartConcerto No. 4 in E-flat Major

    Movement I: Exposition

Excerpts (printable version - all Horn I parts except when otherwise noted):

  • StraussTill Eulenspiegel

    Opening Solo

  • ShostakovichSymphony No. 5

    Movement I: three after Rehearsal Number 17 – one after Rehearsal Number 21

  • RavelPavane for a Dead Princess

    Opening Solo: Measures 1 – 11

  • MendelssohnSymphony No. 3 (Horn III)

    Movement II: 4 before Letter F – 2 before Letter G

  • MahlerSymphony No. 3 (Horn IV)

    Movement I: pick-up to Rehearsal Number 55 – 4 before Rehearsal Number 57

Trumpet

Solo: no solo is required

Excerpts to be played in this order - all excerpts are Trumpet I except where noted (printable version):

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement II: measures 90 – 147

    Movement V: measures 211 – 254
                        measures 201 – 234 (Trumpet 2)

  • Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919)

    Rehearsal Number 1 – Rehearsal Number 3

    Rehearsal Number 8 – 2nd bar of Rehearsal Number 13

    Rehearsal Number 23 – Rehearsal Number 24

  • Stravinsky Petrouchka

    Ballerina's Dance: 1 bar before Rehearsal Number 134 – 139

Tenor Trombone

Solos (BOTH):

  • Bach Suite No. 3 in C for Solo Cello, Bouree No. 1 (no repeats)
  • David Concertino in E-flat major, Opus 4

    Movement I: Letter A – Letter C

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Mozart Requiem

    Tuba mirum: 2nd trombone solo (beginning – measure 18)

  • Strauss Ein Heldenleben

    2 measures before Rehearsal Number 61 – 2 measures before Rehearsal Number 66 (2nd trombone part)

  • Ravel Bolero

    Solo – Rehearsal Number 11

  • Wagner Die Walkure

    Pick-up to Rehearsal Number 3 – 2 measures before Rehearsal Number 4
    Pick-up to Rehearsal Number 5 – 3 measures after Rehearsal Number 6

Bass Trombone

Solos (BOTH):

  • Bach Suite No. 5 in C minor for Solo Cello, Sarabande (no repeats)
  • Bozza New Orleans

    Beginning – downbeat of Rehearsal Number 4

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Strauss Ein Heldenleben

    1 measure after Rehearsal Number 61 – 1st measure of Rehearsal Number 65

  • Haydn The Creation

    Chor und Terzett: Beginning – Letter C

  • Respighi Fontane di Roma

    Pickup to Rehearsal Number 11 – 9th measure of Rehearsal Number 15

  • Wagner Die Walkure

    III. Aufzug/Scene I: Measures 36 – 44 & Measures 123 – 140

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Tuba

Solo: Please play a brief cantabile selection (2 - 3 minutes)

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

    Movement I: Rehearsal Number 3 – 7th measure of Rehearsal Number 5
                       3 measures before Rehearsal Number 23 – 13 measures of Rehearsal Number 24

  • Berlioz Hungarian March

    Excerpt provided - candidates may make a break between the first 4 and the last 3 lines

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement II: measures 123 – 159

    Movement V: measures 418 – 429

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Harp

Please note that TMF does not provide a harp for live auditions.

Solo: A solo from standard solo repertoire of no more than 5 minutes

Cadenzas (BOTH):

  • Ravel Tzigane
  • Tchaikovsky Suite from Swan Lake

Excerpts (printable version):

  • Strauss Don Juan

    Letter D – 6 measures before Letter G

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement IV: #42 – #58

    Movement V: #96 – #112 & #345 – 356

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Percussion

Excerpts (printable version):

Timpani

  • Beethoven Symphony No. 8

    Movement IV: 6 before Rehearsal Letter K – end

  • Bartok Concerto for Orchestra

    Movement IV: measures 42 – 51

Snare Drum

  • Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

    Movement II: Rehearsal Number 37 – Rehearsal Number 40

    Movement IV: Rehearsal Number 111 – end

Xylophone

  • Stravinsky The Firebird Ballet

    Rehearsal Number 127 – downbeat of Rehearsal Number 133

Glockenspiel

  • Dukas The Sorcerer's Apprentice

    4 measures after Rehearsal Number 17 – 4th measure of Rehearsal Number 19

Cymbals

  • Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

    Movement IV: measure 272 – end

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