Worldwide Symphony Orchestra Audition Repertoire

[contrabajisimo]

Inspired by the "audition winners" topic, I am wondering if you all will find this as educating as I do. I think it will be of significant importance to know what pieces are given emphasis during the auditions -- the general trend then could be seen from this statistical information. These are just few things I dug up on the web, regardless of the orchestra's reputation, just basic required audition literature.

New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Principal Double Bass
1. Concerto First movement from a standard Bass concerto
2. J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto #3, Final movement (complete)
3. G.F. Handel Messiah, No. 12, Chorus "For unto us a Child is born"
4. Beethoven Symphony No. 5: Second and Third movements
5. Beethoven Symphony No. 9: 2nd movement: Beginning up to first Presto; and 4th mvnt Recitative.
6. Brahms Symphony No. 2, First and Fourth movements
7. Mahler Symphony No. 1, complete symphony including 3rd movement solo
8. Mozart Symphony No. 40: First and Fourth movements
9. Ginastera: Variaciones Concertantes: Solo Recitative passages
10. Prokofiev Lieutenant Kiji Suite, Solo only
11. Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, First movement
12. R. Strauss Ein Heldenleben (complete)
13. Stravinsky Suite from Pulcinella, Solo sections and excerpts

Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, Principal Double Bass
1. Beethoven: Symphony #9: IV beginning to m. 115
2. Beethoven: Symphony #5: III pages 5 and 7
3. Mozart: Symphony #35; IV
4. Brahms: Symphony #1: I and III
5. Strauss: Don Juan (p.1)
6. Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (40 to 43; 56 to 59; 70 to 75)
7. Brahms: Symphony #2: IV
8. Bach: Unaccompanied Suite

Aalborg Symfoniorkester, Principal Double Bass
1. Dittersdorf: Concerto in E Major, 2nd movement with Grubers cadenza
2. Koussevitsky: Concerto, 1st movement
3. Bottesini: Concerto No. 2 in B minor, 1st movement

Greenvich Village Orchestra, Double Bass
1. Beethoven Symphony No. 9, 4th movt. Beginning to Letter A

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass
1. Solo of your choice
2. Beethoven - Symphony #9 - Recitative only
3. Beethoven - Symphony #5 - Movements II & III
4. Mozart - Symphony #40
5. Strauss - Don Juan
6. Brahms - Symphony #2

Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Bass
1. Beethoven, Symphony # 5 - 3rd mvt.
2. Beethoven, Symphony # 9 – Recitative
3. Britten, Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, soli section4.
4. Mozart, Symphony # 35, 1st mvt: beginning to 16 bars after "A"; 4th mvt: beginning to 5 bars after "B"
5. Strauss, Ein Heldenleben. # 9 to 6 bars after # 12; 8 bars before # 16 to # 17; # 77
6. Mahler, Symphony # 2, 1st mvt. - 1st page
7. Verdi, Othello - soli section

[contrabajisimo]

Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bass

1. Concerto: This should be performed in orchestral (non-solo) tuning. This will be performed without accompaniment.
2. Bottesini Concerto No. 2, 1st and 2nd Movements (no cadenzas)
3. Solo: Two contrasting movements from any of the Bach Cello Suites
4. Bach, Orchestra Suite No. 2, Double and Badinerie
5. Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, Movement 3, Symphony No. 9, Movement 4
6. Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, Movements 3, 4, 5
7. Brahms, Symphony No. 2, Movements 1, 2, 4
8. Britten, Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra, Section Bass solo variation
9. Mahler, Symphony No. 2, Movements 1, 2, 3
10. Mozart, Symphony No. 35, Movements 1, 4, Symphony No. 39, Movements 1, 4, Symphony No. 40, Movements 1, 4
11. Schoenberg, Kammersymphonie, Op. 9
12. Schubert, Symphony No. 9 in C major, Movement 3
13. Strauss, Ein Heldenleben
14. Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4, Movement 1, Measures 253-284
15. Ginastera, Variaciones Concertantes –Variation XI
16. Haydn, Symphony No. 31 (Horn Signal) –Variation No. 7
17. Mahler, Symphony No. 1
18. Prokofiev, Lieutenant Kije, Romeo and Juliet – Suite II, Movement 5, 5 measures before No. 50 – end of mvt.
19. Stravinsky, Pulcinella, Vivo

Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Double Bass
1. Two movements from either the Dittersdorf, Vanhal, or Bottesini Concertos
2. A contrasting piece of your own choice
3. Orchestral excerpts sent in advance.
4. Mozart Symphony 41 second and fourth movements
5. Beethoven Symphony 5 Scherzo
6. Beethoven Symphony 9 Recitative
7. Schubert Symphony 8 (C major) Scherzo
8. Schoenberg Chamber Symphony 2 second movement

[contrabajisimo]

Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, Principal Double Bass

A. SOLO:
First movement of a concerto from one of these composers (no cadenzas):
1. Bottesini,Koussevitsky,Vanhal,Dittersdorf
2. any movement from any of the J.S. Bach cello suites (no repeats)

B. ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
Beethoven #5: (3rd movt.) Bars 1-18; Trio beginning to 19 after B (bar 214)
Beethoven #7: (1st movt.) Bars 15-23; 34-42; 95-109; 142-155; 184-299
Beethoven #9: (4th movt.) Bars 8-16; 24-29; 38-47; 56-115
Brahms #1: (1st movt.) 41-97 (C). 161 (E) to double-bar. 335-370; (2nd movt.) 46-60
Mendelssohn #4: (1st movt.) 41-51; 67-101; 214-308; (4th movt.) 34-52; 166-195; 222-239
Mozart #40: (1st movt.) 114-134; (4th movt) 49-70; Double-bar to 132; 154-205
Smetana Bartered Bride: Beginning to 14; 73-100 (A); 261-273; 355 (D)-368

C. ORCHESTRAL SOLOS:
Mahler #1: Movt 3-solo at beginning
Haydn #8: 3rd movt. Trio
Haydn #31: 4th movt. Variation 7
Stravinsky Pulcinella: 7th movt.(Vivo) complete
Prokofieff Lieutenant Kijé: Romance reh 15 to reh 16
Ginestera Variaciones Concertante: Variation XI
Verdi Otello: bass soli from Act IV

D. CHAMBER MUSIC (to be played in final round with members of the CCE):
Schubert "Trout": (1st mvt.) beginning to 1st repeat; (Theme and Variations mov't) Theme, and Variation IV until letter P

E. SIGHT-READING
Sight-reading may be required

Hyogo Performing Arts Center Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass

A. One movement from any J.S. Bach solo work [live audition only]
B. One movement from any standard concerto or solo work, with cadenza, if any

C. ORCHESTRA EXCERPTS
1. Beethoven Symphony No. 5 – mvmt 3: beginning to 5 bars after A;Trio to 23 bars after B
2. Beethoven Symphony No. 9 – mvmt 4: beginning to A
3. Britten Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra – Variation H
4. Mahler Symphony No. 1 – mvmt 3: bar 3 to 2 bars after 2
5. Mozart Symphony No. 35 – mvmt 4: bar 134 to bar 181
6. R. Strauss Don Juan – A to C 7. Stravinsky Pulcinella – VII Vivo (Duetto)

Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass

Brahms - Symphony No. 2, 1st mvnt.
Brahms - Academic Festival Overture, mm 85-105
Prokofiev - Classical Symphony, 1st & 2nd mvnts.
Mozart - Symphony No. 36, 1st mvnt.
Shostakovich - Symphony No. 5, 1st & 2nd mvnts.
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4, 1st mvnt.

[contrabajisimo]

Helena Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass

Solo: One movement of solo Bach OR a standard repertoire concerto

Standard Excerpts from:
Beethoven* Symphony No. 5 Movement III
Beethoven* Symphony No. 9 Movement IV, Recitative
Brahms* Symphony No. 2 Movement I, 11 bars after A– 1 bar after B; E-F & Movement IV, L-M
Britten Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Mahler* Symphony No. 2 Movement I, Beg.-Reh. 2
Mozart Symphony No. 35 Movement IV
Mozart* Symphony No. 39 Movement I & IV
Mozart* Symphony No. 40 Movement I, 20 bars before Reh. C to 6 bars after C
Strauss Don Juan Beginning to B
Strauss Ein Heldenleben Second page, Rehearsal 9; Reh. 77-78 Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite
Verdi Otello

Irving Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass

Beethoven - Symphony No. 3 (II mov.)
Mendelssohn - Fingal's Cave
Verdi - La Forza del Destino

Civic Orchestra of Chicago (CSO Training)

Solo: Applicant’s choice

Excerpts:
Beethoven Symphony No. 5
Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Mozart Symphony No. 40 R.
Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Verdi Otello, soli

Aarhus Symphony Orchestra (Denmark), Double Bass

1st round: Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf: 1st and 2nd movements of Concerto for Double Bass in E Major (Edition Schott) including cadenzas by Heinz Karl Gruber.

2nd round: Serge Koussevitsky: 1st and 2nd movements of Concerto for Double Bass, opus 3.

AND: Playing of excerpts of orchestral literature.

Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Extra/Substitute Double Bass

Solo: applicant’s choice
Orchestral Excerpts:
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, 4th movement: measure 8 through measure 107
Brahms: Symphony No. 1, 1st movement: [E] – 6 measures before [F]
Mozart: Symphony No. 39, 1st movement: measure 13 through measure 21; 14th measure before [A] – [C]; 4th movement: 27th measure of [b] – [C]
Strauss: Don Juan, 1st 5 measures; [A] – 6 measures before [C]

Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Double Bass

Concerto from the Classical Era
K.D.von Dittersdorf’s Concerto for Contrabass and Orchestra in E major (Schott Edition), First and Second Movements, including Cadenzas (Composed by H.K.Gruber)

Concerto from the Romantic Era
Please choose one from below:
a. G. Bottesini: Concerto for Contrabass and Orchestra, No.2 in B minor First Movement (Cadenza included) and Second Movement
b. S.Koussevitzky: Concerto for Contrabass and Orchestra in F-sharp minor First and Second Movements

[TAShepherd]

What a terrific, kind, and educational gesture you have made in collecting all of this... Thank you!

[contrabajisimo]

Thanks for the support! I think if used wisely this can serve as a good guideline for classical double bass studies, there are so many common traits that I'm finding in all these selections. I hope we can update this as different orchestra's announce their requirements and have a database that can guide everybody into the right direction.

[mcnaire2004]

Bumping this up. I was searching and ran across this unexpectedly. I vote this should be a sticky.

[mcnaire2004]

Bump, so i can find it tomorrow

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by contrabajisimo

Helena Symphony Orchestra, Double Bass

Solo: One movement of solo Bach OR a standard repertoire concerto

Standard Excerpts from:
Beethoven* Symphony No. 5 Movement III
Beethoven* Symphony No. 9 Movement IV, Recitative
Brahms* Symphony No. 2 Movement I, 11 bars after A– 1 bar after B; E-F & Movement IV, L-M
Britten Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Mahler* Symphony No. 2 Movement I, Beg.-Reh. 2
Mozart Symphony No. 35 Movement IV
Mozart* Symphony No. 39 Movement I & IV
Mozart* Symphony No. 40 Movement I, 20 bars before Reh. C to 6 bars after C
Strauss Don Juan Beginning to B
Strauss Ein Heldenleben Second page, Rehearsal 9; Reh. 77-78 Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite
Verdi Otello

Same conductor as the North Penn Symphony in Pa.

My audition? One rehearsal a week prior to a concert along with my Resume. I then found out that I was the only player under his direction to ever skip the formal audition.

Also, you have various levels of Orchestra listed here. Some major, some minor and some Amateur/semi-professional aka/ non-union.

Some of the requirements may be similar but the level of play varies a great deal. What doesn't make a section job in one orchestra might make Principal in another. For extra sight reading practice I joined a small Orchestra in addition to the one I am in and never practice any parts outside of rehearsal with the exception of a day or so before the Concert if I need. Most of the players there and some of the principals would not pass the audition in the other orchestra (North Penn) that I Play in.

[davidzgeorge]

Cleveland Orchestra - Section Bass Winter 2007

1. Solo of your choice
2. Excerpts from:
Beethoven 5
Beethoven 9
Brahms 2
Mendelssohn 4
Mozart 39
Mozart 40
Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet, Suite 2
Shostakovich 5
Strauss Heldenleben
Strauss Zarathustra
Tchaikovsky 4
Verdi Otello Act 4
3. Sightreading

[kpo]

Hi there,
Great Thread!

I have saved every audition sheet I could get since 1998.

They're only for USA major orchestras, but it'd be neat to see them all in one place....

Is it possible to scan them in and load them onto this thread as a picture/resource?

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by kpo

Hi there,
Great Thread!

I have saved every audition sheet I could get since 1998.

They're only for USA major orchestras, but it'd be neat to see them all in one place....

Is it possible to scan them in and load them onto this thread as a picture/resource?

Hey Karl, I never knew this was you until I checked your profile and saw your picture in the LSO page. It was nice meeting you and I hope to one day see your monster 5er.

[Simandl Fan]

This is a very helpful list. Thank you all for posting this information. But you never really know what you will be asked for on an audition; I was once asked to play the Beethoven 9th recitatives, and after the last one, the conductor said "keep going"...all the way to the end of the movement. It's a good thing I had prepared it. (and I won it- for principal in the Greensboro Symphony)

[kpo]

Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith

Hey Karl, I never knew this was you until I checked your profile and saw your picture in the LSO page. It was nice meeting you and I hope to one day see your monster 5er.

Hi, Ken,

It was a pleasure to meet you, too, a little while back. You won't believe your eyes when you see the fiver....

[godoze]

I recently auditioned for a chamber orchestra. I was asked to play from Beethoven 9, Durufle Requiem, Bach cello suite in E, and a realization of Cage. Go figure...

[contrabajisimo]

it's an interesting sensation to see this post still alive... I remember being very desperate without any teachers around trying to get a clue of what's it's like out there... happy new year all. peace.

Civic Orchestra 2008-09 Audition Repertoire

Solo:

Bach - Cello Suite - One slow mvt. and one fast mvt.

Excerpts:

Mozart - Symphony No. 39

• 1st mvt - mm. 13-21, 40- rehearsal A,
• 10 mm. before rehearsal C to 2 mm. after C
• pickup to 17 mm after D to the repeat sign 7 bars later
• 4th mvt – 27 mm. after Letter B to Letter C.

(Zimmerman pgs. 38-39, 43-44)

Beethoven - Symphony No. 3

• 1st mvt – 20 mm. after Letter I to Letter K, Letter V to Letter W;
• 2nd mvt – Beginning to downbeat of m. 9;
• 3rd mvt – Beginning to 23 mm. before Letter A;
• 4th mvt – 30 mm. after Letter A to Letter B

(Zimmerman pgs. 21, 24-25, 28, 32)

Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra

• mm. 30-32, 3 mm. before rehearsal number 3 to 1 m. before rehearsal number 4,
• 20 mm. after rehearsal number 9 to 5 mm. before rehearsal number 10 (top line only)

(Zimmerman pgs. 22-24)

[kpo]

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Section Bass Audition
Repertoire List 2007-2008
At the audition you may use your own music or the music provided.

I. Required Solos
a) J. S. Bach: Bourees I & II from the 3rd Suite for Cello (use an edition that transposes
the original to G Major/Minor, such as the Sterling edition). No repeats.
b) A solo piece of your own choice.

II. Orchestral Excerpts
Beethoven: Symphony # 5 in C minor, Op. 67
• Movement II
• Movement III
Beethoven: Symphony # 9 in D minor, Op. 125
• Movement IV - Recitative and 16 bars of Allegro Assai
Berlioz: Fantastic Symphony
• complete
Brahms: Symphony # 2
• complete
Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
• Variation H only
Dvorak: Symphony # 8
• Movement IV - B-C
• Movement IV - O-P
Mahler: Symphony # 2 in C minor
• Movement I - Beginning to #2
Mozart: Symphony # 39
• complete
Mendelssohn: Symphony # 4, "Italian"
• Movement I
• Movement IV
Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition
• Movement 6 - Samuel Goldenberg & Schmuyle
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben
• #9 – 11
• #15 – 17
• #27 -29
• #40 – 41
• #49 – 50
• #51 – 66
• #77 - 78
Wagner: Die Meistersinger
• Prelude
• J to end

III. Sight reading & other selections from the standard repertoire.
============================================

Repertoire List for
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Section Bass Audition
June 8 -10, 2008

Solo Works:
- Concerto First movement of a standard Bass Concerto
- Solo Two contrasting movements from any of the
Bach Suites for Cello

Orchestral Parts:
-Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
Mvmt. I: beginning to m. 76
-Beethoven Symphony #2
Mvmt. I
-Beethoven Symphony #5
Mvmts. II & III
Brahms Symphony #2
-**Britten Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Variation H
-**Mahler Symphony #2
Mvmt. I: beginning to reh. #2
-Mozart Overture to the Marriage of Figaro
-Mozart Symphony #39
Mvmts. I & IV
-Schubert Symphony #9 (“The Great”)
Mvmts. III & IV
-Strauss Ein Heldenleben
-Verdi Otello, Act IV Bass Solo (letter U to 8 measures after X)

Sight-reading:
Sight-reading may be requested and finalists may be asked to perform either in a chamber ensemble or with piano accompaniment, or invited to play in an orchestra setting.
** Will be sent out with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra packet.

=========================================

2008 Kansas City Symphony Principal Bass
can be loaded at the following site; can't seem to cut and paste the individual page here...
http://www.kcsymphonyauditions.org/i...net_Packet.pdf

[Cosmos]

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 - Finale: bars 1-116
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 - 3rd mvt: bars 1-19, 44-101, 140-214
Strauss, Don Juan
Berlioz, Symphony Fantastique, IV.
Wagner, Vorspiel zu der Oper Meistersingers zu Nurnberg, bars 158-188
Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition, VI.
Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2, Reh. No. 49-51

Bottesini, Concerto No. 2, 1st movement with Cadenza OR
Bottesini, Grand Allegro di Concerto alla Mendelssohn

Playing at sight.


Boise Philharmonic

I. Prepared Solo (2-3 minutes of a piece of your choice)

II. Excerpts
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 - mvt 3
Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 - mvt 4 (recitative and bars 92-140)
Brahms, Symphony No. 2 - mvts 1 and 4
Mozart, Symphony No. 40 - mvts 1 and 4
Strauss, Don Juan

III. Possible sight reading


Real Philharmonic de Galicia (Spain)

I. Solo
Dittersdorf, Concerto in E Major

II. Excerpts
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 - mvts 2 and 3
Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 - mvt 4
Mozart, Symphony No. 40 - mvts 1 and 4
Mozart, Symphony No. 41 - mvt 4
Mozart, Overture to Le nozze di Figaro
Mozart, Overture to Die Zauberflote
Smetana, Overture to the Bartered Bride
Schubert, Symphony No. 8 - mvt 4
Brahms, Symphony No. 2 - mvts 1, 2 and 4
Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 - mvts 1 and 3

III. Possible sight-reading.