2024 CYMF Orchestra Auditions
The 2024 Chicago Youth in Music Festival (CYMF) takes place Saturday, April 20 through Monday, April 29 with a variety of activities that support and celebrate young musicians from across Chicago. The Festival concludes with a concert in Orchestra Hall performed by the Festival Orchestra, an ensemble comprised of the Civic Orchestra sitting side-by-side with Chicago’s most advanced young musicians.
Students who are affiliated with a CYMF partner organization are invited to audition for the Festival Orchestra which will rehearse at Symphony Center April 21 through April 29 as preparation for the finale concert of Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 on April 29 led by world renowned conductor, Giancarlo Guerrero.
Festival Orchestra Partners
Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras
Merit School of Music
Music Institute of Chicago
Musical Arts Institute
People’s Music School
Festival Orchestra Schedule
- Sunday, April 21, 6:30-9:00pm, Orchestra Hall – Rehearsal
- Monday, April 22, 6:00-9:00pm, TBD – Rehearsal
- Tuesday, April 23, 6:00-9:00pm, Buntrock Hall - Rehearsal
- Saturday, April 27, 10:00am-12:30pm and 2:00-4:30pm, Orchestra Hall - Rehearsal
- Sunday, April 28, 6:30-9:00pm, Orchestra Hall – Dress Rehearsal
- Monday, April 29, 5:00pm Sound Check, 7:30pm Concert
Note that all Festival Orchestra participants are required to attend the entirety of all events listed above. Absences, late arrivals or early departures will not be permitted.
Eligibility
To qualify for an audition, student applicants must be nominated by an administrator from a CYMF partner organization and be available for all rehearsal and concert times listed on the Festival Orchestra schedule.
Students must be 14 years or older as of the audition date and have not yet graduated high school.
Instruments
We will audition the following instruments for the 2024 Festival Orchestra:
Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet
Bassoon
Horn
Trumpet
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion
Harp
Please note that we are not auditioning for trombone.
Nominating a student
To register for an audition, administrators from a CYMF partner organizations must nominate eligible students by sending a message to Rachael Cohen. The message should include:
- Names of all students being nominated by partner organization
- Instruments
- Emails
All nominated students will receive a private link to the audition registration form via email. Students will need to include their chosen repertoire on the registration form.
Nominations should be submitted by Sunday, December 3 at 11:59pm CT.
Auditions
Auditions will take place at Symphony Center on Saturday, January 20 and Sunday, January 21. The deadline to register for an audition is Sunday, January 7 at 11:59pm CT.
Auditions will last approximately 10 minutes. Each musician must be prepared to play the following:
- Up to one minute of a solo work of their choosing (unaccompanied)
- Two contrasting orchestral excerpts
Students will be notified of their audition result by Friday, February 2.