SDSO to Welcome Over 100 Flutists to Sioux Falls

On Tuesday, April 28, the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) will welcome over 100 flutists to Sioux Falls! Flutists will be vying for the SDSO's Principal Flute position. Applicants will be coming from across the United States to audition, including Texas, New York, and California.

"This is very encouraging for several reasons," says Delta David Gier, Music Director of the SDSO. "The reputation of the SDSO nationally is such that people are attracted to us artistically; the repertoire we play and the programs we present have wide-ranging impact throughout the region. Our principal positions are competitive with other orchestras much larger than ours. And it must be said that there are not that many flute positions in an orchestra, so a position in a reputable ensemble attracts many hopefuls in this competitive field."

The SDSO's audition process is similar to how auditions are operated in other major orchestras in the United States. Candidates travel at their own expense to audition. There are three rounds for the principal positions - preliminary, semi-final, and final. The repertoire list for the audition is given to all candidates prior to the audition; however, the candidates do not know what they will be required to play from the list until they arrive on the day of the audition. Auditions for the Principal Flute position are closed to the public.

The audition committee is comprised of the Music Director and musicians of the SDSO. The selected applicant will take on the Principal Flute position in the SDSO and will serve as the flutist in the Dakota Wind Quintet at the beginning of the 2015 - 2016 season.