2026-27 Audition Info
Entrance Auditions By Appointment
Accepting Strings, Brass, Woodwinds & Percussion
Who Needs to Audition?
Any student who did not participate in the previous season, or any PJSO student who is interested in moving up to PYO.
Steps to a Successful Audition
- With the help of your music teacher, determine which orchestra is the best fit for you and have your teacher fill out the 2026-27 Teacher Recommendation Form.
- 2026-27 Teacher Recommendation Form - Strings
- 2026-27 Teacher Recommendation Form - Brass/Woodwind/Percussion
- Contact music@pocono-youth.orchestra.org to schedule an audition.
- Complete the 2026-27 Entrance Audition Form and prepare your music.
Which Orchestra Is Right for Me?
Please review these guidelines with your teacher to determine which orchestra is the best fit.
Pocono Junior String Orchestra (PJSO) Overview
The PJSO provides an encouraging and engaging musical experience for young string players who are developing their foundational skills and growing in confidence as ensemble musicians. Designed for beginner to early-intermediate violin, viola, cello, and bass players, PJSO helps students strengthen their technique, improve their note-reading and rhythms kills, and develop a consistent tone and solid sense of pulse. Through rehearsals and collaborative music-making, students learn to follow a conductor, listen to their fellow musicians, and work together toward a shared musical goal. PJSO offers a supportive environment where young musicians can build a strong foundation, discover the joy of playing in an orchestra, and prepare for continued musical growth.
PJSO Technique/Skill Requirements
PJSO String:
- Holds and handles the instrument and bow correctly.
- Produces a reasonably consistent tone with basic bow control.
- Sight-reads notes in first position.
- Shifts fluently into third position.
- Performs basic bow strokes, two-note slurs, and string crossings.
- Reads whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes and basic rests.
- Recognizes key signatures, dynamics, and basic musical symbols.
- Plays simple major scales and maintains a steady pulse.
- Familiar with key signatures up to three sharps and three flats.
- Follows the conductor, counts rests, and listens and responds to other players.
PJSO Audition Requirements
- Play a prepared 2-3 minute solo or excerpt of choice, without accompaniment. (This does not need to be memorized.)
- Play two major scales of choice in two octaves.
- Sight-read a short passage provided by the Music Director during the audition.
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Pocono Youth Orchestra (PYO) Overview
The PYO offers intermediate to advanced young musicians the opportunity to refine their technique, deepen their musical expression, and experience the excitement and challenges of performing as part of a larger ensemble. Open to qualified string, brass, woodwind, and percussion players, PYO emphasizes strong instrumental technique, accurate intonation, rhythmic precision, expressive phrasing, and independent musicianship. Students develop their ability to sight-read, respond to the conductor, balance and blend with other sections, and bring musical ideas to life through collaborative performance. PYO challenges students to grow as confident, attentive, and versatile musicians while fostering teamwork, discipline, and a lasting appreciation for orchestral music.
PYO Technique/Skill Requirements
PYO String
- Produces a centered tone with reliable intonation.
- Shifts fluently into higher positions appropriate to the instrument and repertoire.
- Performs varied bow strokes, slurs, articulations, and dynamics.
- Demonstrates developing or consistent vibrato and expressive phrasing.
- Plays major scales in multiple octaves appropriate to the instrument.
- Reads key signatures up to four sharps and four flats.
- Reads rhythms, syncopation, and compound meters accurately.
- Sight-reads independently, follows the conductor, and adjusts intonation, balance, and phrasing within the ensemble.
PYO Brass / Woodwind
- Produces a consistent, centered tone with good intonation, breath support, and endurance.
- Demonstrates appropriate range, flexibility, and accurate valve combinations or slide positions (brass).
- Demonstrates accurate fingerings and control across the required range (woodwind).
- Performs slurs, articulations, and contrasting dynamics.
- Plays two-octave major scales in appropriate keys.
- Reads rhythms, syncopation, and compound meters accurately.
- Sight-reads independently, follows the conductor, and blends with the ensemble.
PYO Percussion
- Maintains a steady pulse and performs rhythms accurately.
- Demonstrates basic rudiments, including rolls, flams, and paradiddles.
- Reads and performs melodic passages, scales, and arpeggios on mallet instruments.
- Demonstrates basic timpani tuning and appropriate auxiliary percussion techniques.
- Performs contrasting dynamics and articulations.
- Sight-reads, counts rests, changes instruments efficiently, and follows the conductor.
PYO Audition Requirements
PYO String, Brass, and Woodwind
- Play a prepared 2–3 minute solo or excerpt of choice, without accompaniment, that demonstrates the student's best technical and expressive capabilities. (This does not need to be memorized.)
- Play two major scales of choice: three octaves (string) or two octaves (brass, woodwind), where appropriate to the instrument.
- Sight-read a short passage provided by the Music Director during the audition.
PYO Percussion
- Play a prepared 2–3 minute solo or excerpt of choice on one percussion instrument (e.g., snare drum, timpani, or xylophone/orchestra bells) that demonstrates the student's best technical and expressive capabilities. (This does not need to be memorized.)
- Play one major scale of choice and its arpeggio on mallet instruments (xylophone/orchestra bells) at quarter note = 80.
- Sight-read a short passage provided by the Music Director during the audition.
- Demonstrate basic rudiments or instrument-specific skills (e.g., long roll, timpani tuning).