The UVM Symphony Orchestra performs.

The University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra is a 70 member ensemble of university students and community members. All university students and interested community members who play an orchestral instrument  are invited to audition.

 

Students who play in the orchestra major in a variety of different subjects. This year, students in the orchestra are majoring in music, psychology, computer science, foreign languages, history, elementary education, art, natural resources, and many other disciplines. The orchestra performs several times each year, and plays a variety of baroque, classical, romantic, and twentieth century repertoire.

Each spring, we also hold a concerto competition, a chance for UVM students to play a solo with the orchestra.

Auditions

All students regardless of major are welcome to audition for the University Symphony Orchestra. Faculty, staff and community members are also welcome to audition, although students are given priority. In general, most woodwind, brass, and percussion positions are filled by students, while the string sections are a mix of students, faculty, staff, and community members. Community members who play strings only need to audition once.

Sign up for an audition time through this link. Spring 2019 auditions are Tuesday 1/15, 1-3 PM. Other times by appointment.

For auditions, you should expect to play:

  • 2-3 minutes of a prepared piece
  • Eb and A major scales (concert pitch) in as many octaves as possible
  • Sight-reading

Musicians wishing to be considered for the 1st violin section are encouraged to play the following in addition to the above: Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, mvt. 5, Rehearsal 79-80, and 81-82.

Community members interested in playing in the woodwinds, brass or percussion sections are contacted after the student auditions are complete and informed of any vacant positions.

Students who miss auditions are welcome to audition at a later date if there are any vacant positions remaining.

New sudents who wish to join the orchestra in spring should contact the conductor before the beginning of the spring semester in January. Auditions will be scheduled at the first week of the semester. If new students audition, then certain current woodwind and brass players may need to re-audition for the spring term.

2018-19 Concert Schedule

Saturday, November 10, 2018, 7:30 PM

Beethoven: Ruins of Athens Overture
Gwyneth Walker: Open the Door
Jennifer Higdon: Soliloquy, cello: Prof. Emily Taubl
Dvorak: Rondo, cello: Prof. Emily Taubl
Stravinsky: Suite from Firebird (1919)

Saturday, April 13, 2019, 7:30 PM

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, IV and V
Bizet: Overture to L'Arlesienne
Florence Price: Symphony No. 1, mvt. I
Badelt/Ricketts: Pirates of the Caribbean
Winner of UVM Symphony Concerto Competition

2017-18 Concert Schedule

Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 7:30 pm

Symphony No. 5, Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 20, Mozart
Swan Lake Suite, Tchaikovsky
Dusk, Bryant
Symphony No. 9, Dvorak

Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 7:30 pm

On Top of the World, Balmages
The Nutcracker Suite, Tchaikovsky
Procession to the Cathedral from Lohengrin, Wagner
Capriccio Espagnol, Rimsky-Korsakov

Close up of the orchestra cello section.

Conductor

Yutaka Kono
Yutaka.Kono@uvm.edu
(802) 656-7767

Orchestra (MU 123) rehearses on Tuesday evenings, 7:00-9:30.