PYO Music Institute Announces In-Person Auditions For 2022-2023 Season

The PYO Music Institute, one of the oldest and most respected orchestra programs in the nation, is announcing their schedule for in-person auditions. Music students, age 6 to 21, are invited to participate in one of PYOMI's six, large ensemble programs.

The students will experience music education and performance at the highest levels. Student training goes beyond music as their education provides the potential for them to become tomorrow's leaders, both on and off the stage, while developing responsibility, discipline, and character skills that promote future success.

Maestro Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director of PYOMI, talked about this year's audition process and said, "We are thrilled to invite students to audition in person again. Auditions are such an important part of a music student's experience. It is important for us to review our musicians in this way as we prepare for the 2022-2023 season."

The audition process is the first step in joining one of the ensembles. With the guidance from their private studio and/or school music teacher, students are encouraged to review the required scales and excerpts and to select the appropriate set that will best demonstrate their current level of technical and musical ability. Students will be placed in the appropriate orchestra program based on their submitted audition materials, as well as prior orchestra experience. Financial aid is available for qualified families.

The schedule for auditions for each ensemble program is listed below. They are held at St. Patrick's Church, 242 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103. Prysm Strings audition is held at the Wynnefield branch of Settlement Music School. 4910 Wynnefield Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131.

Auditions are by appointment only. There is an online registration form that must be completed in advance which requests preferred audition date and time. For more details about PYOMI and the auditions including the form, please visit https://pyomusic.org/auditions/.

• PYO -- The anchor group is the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), conducted by President and Music Director Louis Scaglione, featuring over 100 gifted instrumentalists who play string, woodwind, brass, percussion, piano, and harp and range in age from 15 to 21.

Dates:

Thursday, May 26th: 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Friday, May 27th: 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday, May 28th: 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm

• PYAO -- Young musicians 13-18 years old are featured in the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), which is led by Director and Conductor Maestra Rosalind Erwin, who is Music Director and Conductor of Drexel University Orchestra. Auditions are open to student string, woodwind, brass, percussion, piano, and harp players.

Dates:

Thursday, May 26th: 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Friday, May 27th: 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday, May 28th: 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm

• YMDO -- The Young Musicians Debut Orchestra (YMDO), conducted by Maestro Kenneth Bean, is a beginning to intermediate-level full symphonic orchestra that provides most students with their first introduction to large orchestral playing featuring students age 11-17 years old. Auditions are open to student string, woodwind, brass, and percussion players.

Dates:

Thursday, May 26th: 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Friday, May 27th: 4:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Saturday, May 28th: 1:30 pm - 6:30 pm

• Bravo Brass - Bravo Brass, directed by Curtis Institute of Music Dean, Paul Bryan, is an all-brass ensemble open to student brass players ranging in age from 12 through 21 years.

Date:

Monday, June 13th: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

• Prysm Strings -- Prysm Strings and Prysm Strings Young Artists ensembles provide string

large ensemble and sectional master class instruction for beginning and intermediate

musicians age 6-14. The director is Gloria DePasquale, cellist with The Philadelphia

Orchestra, who conducts Prysm Strings. The conductor of Prysm Strings Young Artists is

Andrea Weber. Auditions are open to student violin, viola, cello, and double bass players.

Date:

Friday, June 3rd: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

• Pizzicato Players -- Pizzicato Players is directed by guitarist, composer, Tune Up Philly Director Paul Smith. It seeks to raise the profile and pathways for these instruments locally in ages 12 through 21 years of age, in advanced and intermediate settings. Instruments considered for audition Include: Classical/Acoustic Guitars. Harp, "Folk" Harp, Mandolin, Baroque Plucked strings - Lute, Theorbo.

Auditions are by appointment only.

With questions, please e-mail info@pyomusic.org or 215.545.0502.

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