2025 instrumental audition requirements

Strings | Brass | Woodwinds | Percussion

Instrumental candidates must submit a video of new recordings of ALL the audition materials for their instrument.

Follow the recording guidelines to ensure your audition materials are accepted.

Strings

Violin
Scores available upon request
(max 10 minutes) 
SOLO: Exposition of the first movement W.A. MOZART Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, No. 4 in D major, or No. 5 in A major.

Excerpts:
1. Igor Stravinsky Apollon Musagète, [71] to the grand pause after [85]; omit 11 bars of rest at [73] and 8 bars of rest around [76] 
2. Felix Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, beginning to 15m before [ E ]
3. RICHARD STRAUSS Don Juan, 3m after [ Q ] to 4m after [ U ] 
4. JESSIE MONTGOMERY Strum, [198] to end
5. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 4, IV. Allegro energico, mm 33-64 

Viola
(max 10 minutes) 
SOLO: First movement from a J.S. BACH Cello Suite or Violin Partita or Sonata. 

EXCERPTS:
1. LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3, Op. 55 “Eroica,” III. Scherzo, m76 to the end of the Scherzo 
2. JOHANNES BRAHMS Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Variation 7, complete without repeats 
3. GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D major, “Titan,” IV. Sturmisch bewegt, [45] to 1m after [46] 
4. FELIX MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, m 17 to [ D ] 

Cello
(max 10 minutes)
SOLO: Up to 2 minutes of any solo piece or concerto that demonstrates your range beyond the required excerpts.

EXCERPTS:
1. LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, II. Andante con moto, mm 1-10, 49-59, and 98-106 
2. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, II. Adagio non troppo, mm 1-15 
3. W.A. MOZART Symphony No. 35 in D major, K.385, IV. Presto, mm 134-181 
4. RICHARD STRAUSS Don Juan, beginning to 4m before [ D ] 
5. JESSIE MONTGOMERY Starburst, mm 1-33 (score available upon request)

Double bass
(max 10 minutes)
SOLO: Up to 2 minutes of any solo piece or concerto that demonstrates your range beyond the required excerpts 

EXCERPTS:
1. W.A. MOZART Symphony No. 40 in G minor, K.550, I. Molto allegro, mm 114-138 
2. LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92, I. Poco sostenuto - Vivace, mm 275-300 
3. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, I. Allegro non troppo, [ E ] to [ F ]  
4. RICHARD STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40, [9] to 6m after [12] 
5. STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40, [40] to [41] 

Harp 
(max 10 minutes) 
SOLO: Up to 2 minutes of any solo piece or concerto that demonstrates your range beyond the required excerpts  

EXCERPTS: 
1. 1st harp: LOUIS-HECTOR BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique in C major, H 48, II. Un bal. Valse. Allegro non troppo, beginning to 4m after [23]. 
2. BENJAMIN BRITTEN The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34, Cadenza and Fugue 2, 14m after [ M ] to the end. 
3. PYOTR ILIYCH TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker (suite), Op. 71a, III. Valse des fleurs, Tempo di Valse, cadenza 
4. 1st harp: GIUSEPPE VERDI La forza del destino, Overture, Allegro at [ G ] to the downbeat of [ H ]. 
5. BÉLA BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, IV. Intermezzo Interrotto. Allegretto, mm 42-58. 
6. MAURICE RAVEL Tzigane in D major, cadenza. 

Brass

Trumpet 
SOLO: HAYDN (end at measure 84) or HUMMEL (end at measure 147) Concerti, 1st movement, exposition only

EXCERPTS:
1st trumpet excerpts
1. MODEST MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition, Promenade, beginning to [2] 
2. GEORGES BIZET Carmen, Prelude to Act I, complete (score available upon request)
3. GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor, I. Trauermarsch, beginning to 6m after [1] 
4. IGOR STRAVINSKY Petroushka (1947), Ballerina’s dance, 1m before [134] to [139] 
5. ROBERT SCHUMANN Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61, I. Sostenuto assai – Un poco piu vivace – Allegro ma non troppo, beginning to 2m before  [ A ] (score available upon request)
6. ZOSHA DI CASTRI Dear Life, mm 41-58 (score available upon request)
7. 1st e-flat trumpet: RICHARD STRAUSS Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40, mm 49-55 and mm 81-83 (score available upon request)

French horn 
SOLO: Exposition from the first movement of any W.A. MOZART horn concerto 

EXCERPTS: 
1. 1^st horn: JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, III. Poco allegretto, mm 98-110 
2. GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor, III. Scherzo, [21] to [22] (“corno obligato”)   
3. 1^st horn: DINUK WIJERATNE Polyphonic Lively, from m. 304 to the end (score available upon request)    
4. 2^nd horn: LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio, mm 171-205
5. 3^rd horn: FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Symphony No. 31 in D major, Hob.1:31, II. Adagio, beginning to m7 
6. 4^th horn: GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D major, III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen, [13] to [15]

Trombone
SOLO: FERDINAND DAVID Trombone Concertino in E-flat major, Op. 4, I. Allegro maestoso, [ A ] to downbeat of [ D ]

EXCERPTS: 
1. W.A. MOZART Requiem, Tuba Mirum, beginning to [ B ]
2. MAURICE RAVEL Bolero, [10] to [11] 
3. GIOACHINO ROSSINI Guillaume Tell Overture, [ C ] to 9m after [ D ]
4. RICHARD STRAUSS Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, 7m after [50] to the downbeat of [51]
5. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, IV. Allegro con spirito, [ O ] to the end
6. RICHARD WAGNER Die Walküre (Ride of the Valkyries), WWV 86b, pickup to [3] to 3m after [6]

Bass trombone
SOLO: J.S. BACH Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011, Sarabande (no repeats)

EXCERPTS: 
1. FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN The Creation, Chorus No. 26, “Achieved is the Glorious Work”, beginning until [ C ] 
2. RICHARD STRAUSS Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, 7m after [5] to the downbeat of 2m after [6], and 9m after [13] to the downbeat of [14]
3. ROBERT SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, “Rhenish,” IV. Feierlich, and Die Halben wie vorher die Viertel, mm 1-23
4. GIOACHINO ROSSINI Guillaume Tell Overture, [ C ] to 8m after [ D ] 
5. RICHARD WAGNER Das Rheingold, Sc. IV “Entry of the Gods into Valhalla”, final 18 measures

Tuba
SOLO: R. VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Tuba Concerto, I Prelude. Allegro moderato in F minor, beginning to downbeat of [5] (score available upon request) 

EXCERPTS: 
1. HECTOR BERLIOZ The Damnation of Faust, H.111, First part, Sc. 3, Hungarian March, [4] to 2m after [5] 
2. GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D major, III. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen, 4m before [3] to [4] 
3. SERGEI PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 100, I. Andante, [3] to 2m before [6] 
4. RICHARD WAGNER Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96, Vorspiel (Prelude), from [ J ] to 1m after [ L ] 
5. RICHARD WAGNER Die Walküre (Ride of the Valkyries), WWV 86b, pick-up to [11] to 5m after [12] 
6. 2nd tuba: RICHARD STRAUSS Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30, [6] to [7]; 18m after [17] to [18]; [42] to [43]; and [50] to [51]

Woodwinds

Flute and piccolo 
SOLOS: 
W.A. MOZART Flute Concerto in G major, K.313/285c, I. Allegro maestoso, OR W.A. MOZART Flute Concerto in D major, K.314/285d, I. Allegro aperto, exposition only, with or without accompaniment

EXCERPTS:
1. FELIX MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo, pickup to 1 bar before [ P ] to the end
2. JOHN ESTACIO I Lost My Talk, mm 8-17 (score available upon request)
3. CLAUDE DEBUSSY Prélude à l’Après-midi d’un faune, opening solo, and [2] to [3]
4. RICHARD STAUSS Till Eulenspiegel, [6] to [8], and [33] to 6m after [35]
5. 2nd flute: JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73, IV. Allegro con spirito, mm 289 to 352 
*6. Piccolo: MAURICE RAVEL Ma mère l’Oye, M.60, II. Petit Poucet, [5] to [8]; III. Laideronnette, [1] to 6m after [3] 
*7. Piccolo: IGOR STRAVINSKY Firebird, 1919 version, Variation de l’oiseau de feu, complete 

Oboe 
SOLO: W.A. MOZART Oboe Concerto in C major, K.314, I. Allegro aperto, exposition only

EXCERPTS:
1. MAURICE RAVEL Le tombeau de Couperin, I. Prélude. Vif, beginning to [2], and [8] to [9]  
2. JOHANNES BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77, II. Adagio, solo mm 3-32 
3. GIOACHINO ROSSINI La scala di Seta, beginning to [1]; pickup to [2] to [3] 
4. CLAUDE DEBUSSY La mer, II. Jeu de vagues, [17] to [18] and [25] to [26] (play both 1st and 2nd parts on both solos) 
5. IGOR STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Suite, K034b, II. Serenata, [8] to end of 1st bar of [10] 

Clarinet  

SOLOS: Both solo works are required for the audition.
1. W.A. MOZART Clarinet Concerto in A major, K.622, I. Allegro, mm 57-127; II. Adagio, beginning to m24, solo passages only
2. CLAUDE DEBUSSY Première rhapsodie, CD 124, [9] to end 

EXCERPTS:
1. FELIX MENDELSSOHN A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61, I. Scherzo, beginning to [ B ], and [ D ] to [ G ] 
2. JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, I. Allegro con brio, mm 36-46; II. Andante, mm 1-22 
3. IGOR STRAVINSKY Firebird Suite (1919), Variation de l’Oiseau de feu 
4. VIOLET ARCHER Sinfonietta, III. Allegro molto con brio, 4th beat of m151 to first beat of m166 (score available upon request)

OPTIONAL EXCERPTS*:
The E-flat and bass clarinet excerpts are optional. Playing one or both auxiliary instruments may increase one’s chance of being accepted.

IGOR STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
  • E-flat clarinet: 3mm after [9] to 5 mm after [11]; [48] to [49] 
  • Bass clarinet: from [5] to 4 mm after [6]; first 6mm of [48] 

Bassoon
SOLO: W.A. MOZART Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, K.191/186e, mm 35-97

EXCERPTS:
1. LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60, IV. Allegro ma non troppo, mm 184-187, 300-302, 348-355
2. W.A. MOZART Le nozze di Figaro, K.492, Overture, mm 139-171
3. SERGEI PROKOFIEV Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67, 1m before [15] to 4m after [16]
4. NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade, Op. 35, II. The Legend of the Kalendar Prince, opening solo and cadenza
5. IGOR STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring, opening solo, beginning to 2m before [4]
6. PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4, Op. 36, II. Andantino in modo di Canzona, m274 to end

Percussion & timpani

Please submit ALL of the following solos and excerpts.

Marimba
SOLO: J.S. BACH Suite in E minor, BWV 996, II. Allemande (no repeats)

Snare drum
SOLO: JACQUES DELECLUSE Etude no. 11 from Douze études  

EXCERPTS:
1. SERGEI PROKOFIEV Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60, I. Birth of Kijé, reh #1 to reh #2
2. NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade, Op. 35, IV. Festival at Baghdad, [ P ] to [ R ]

Xylophone 
EXCERPTS:
1. GEORGE GERSHWIN Porgy and Bess, opening  
2. OLIVIER MESSIAEN Oiseaux exotiques, [6] to [7]
3. JESSIE MONTGOMERY Coïncident Dances, mm 412-441 (score available upon request)

Glockenspiel
EXCERPTS:
1. JOHN WILLIAMS Suite from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, mm 126-139 (score available upon request)

Timpani 
EXCERPTS:
1. BELA BARTÓK Concerto for Orchestra, Sz. 116, IV. Intermezzo Interrotto. Allegretto, mm 42-50  
2. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso, m513 to the end
3. JEAN SIBELIUS Finlandia, 6m before [ F ] to 7m after [ G ]

Audition recording guidelines

Video recording 

All instrumental applicants must submit a video recording. All video recordings must meet the following criteria: 

• Auditions for the NAC Orchestra Mentorship Program will be completely anonymous (audio will be stripped from your video for jury purposes). To ensure a truly blind audition, completely refrain from speaking during your recording. 
• Please start the video recording by holding up a sign with your name on it and the date, without speaking. 
• Your audition recording must be a new recording. 
• Record your audition materials in the order given.  
• Excerpts are to be recorded in one take.
• The panel may not consider incomplete auditions, auditions in a different order, or auditions with edits. 
• Additional materials included other than the requested materials will not be considered. 
• Your video must be from a single video camera, with the same shot for the entire video. 
• Your full body must be in the video shot.

Recording setting recommendations 

• Use an external microphone if you have access to one. 
• Do some test recordings beforehand to find just the right microphone placement and audio settings. 
• Distortion may be easily fixed by aiming away from the microphone or moving it farther away. 
• If recording with a phone, use a wired microphone to avoid synchronization issues. 
• Record in a space with minimal noise bleed from surrounding spaces. Be aware of ambient noise such as traffic or indoor heating systems and try to minimize it. 
• Review your recording all the way through before submitting it. 
• The sole purpose of the video is to ensure that you are the one playing your audition. If you must choose between amazing audio and amazing video, please choose amazing audio. 

Preparing your recording materials for review 

• If you have created one recording of excerpts and a second (and possibly third) recording of your solo work, you must combine these into one audition video.
• Upload your audition video to YouTube. Please refer to YouTube’s instructions for uploading your audition recording video.
• Your YouTube upload must be set to “unlisted” or “public”. 
• You may enter your repertoire with time stamps in the description field.

You should now have ONE YouTube link that contains all your audition materials, and that you will include in your application form. 

Complete and submit your application form 

Fill out this online application form. Make sure to click Submit when finished.