NYO2-USA Orchestra Festival

•  Audition excerpts posted for the 2025 program

• September 5, 2024: Application opens

• November 30, 2024: Nomination deadline

• December 10, 2024: Application deadline

• January 6, 2025: Recommendation deadline

• February 20, 2025: Applicants notified of status via email; audition feedback provided shortly thereafter

• July 2025: Program begins

• Late July 2025: Audition excerpts posted for 2026 program

MIDWEST CLINIC IN CHICAGO:

The Midwest Clinic, held annually in Chicago since its inception in 1946 is the world’s largest instrumental music education conference. Now attended by an international audience of more than 17,500 music educators, students, and professionals, the conference began over 75 years ago as a way to introduce directors to new repertoire for their ensembles. 

What is the deadline for performance applications? The performance application portal will open on February 1, 2024 and close on March 8, 2024 at 11:49 PM ET.  Evaluations are due by March 15, 2024 

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION:

1.     Unedited audio recordings (Total NOT to exceed 30 minutes in length)

Chamber & Percussion Ensembles:  Two selections of contrasting styles

Concert Band:  One symphonic selection (overture, tone poem, etc.) and one concert march (see list)

String or Chamber Orchestra: Two contrasting selections representing different historical periods, styles, and tempi (no solo repertoire/concerti)

Full Orchestra: Three selections contrasting historical periods, styles, and tempi (no solo repertoire/concerti) – one selection must be written for string orchestra 

Jazz Ensemble or Jazz Combo: Three selections in contrasting styles. Include no more than one work by any one composer or arranger. Middle schools graduating 75% or more of its members before December are encouraged to include one additional piece (audio and video recordings) performed by your second ensemble, if one exists.

2.     A video of your ensemble performing the same music as your audio recording. It

must be a complete, unedited performance or rehearsal of the audio titles, but it need not be of the same performance or rehearsal.

For band and orchestra, the camera should be set in a location which allows the committee a front view of conductor’s gestures, posture, and also a view of the musicians.  

For jazz, the camera should be set in front of the stage, showing a rear-view of the director. 

The maximum acceptable file size for a video is 500 MB.  Any file larger than that will not upload.  Click here for a short video on how to compress a video file.