Suggested Audition Repertoire

The guidelines and excerpts below are suggested materials for string auditions of the Pacific Lutheran University Orchestras. Please include a representative sample of a piece that you know well, whether it’s a concerto, sonata, some other solo work, or an excerpt from an orchestral part, and at least one scale, as described below. There are suggestions below for specific orchestra excerpts and some solo works, by instrument. You may wish to include some of this material in addition to your piece of choice, or in lieu of it.

Specific Guidelines and excerpts:

Violin and Viola: Please select one scale (your choice) to play in 3-octaves and a solo excerpt also of your choice. Keep it short–2-3 minutes.

Violin: Suggested excerpts are linked below. These are optional, but preparation of at least one of them is required if you wish to be considered for a leadership role in one of the sections.

Viola:

  • One scale in the key of your choice
  • One solo excerpt of your choice, 2-3 minutes
  • Beethoven Symphony No. 5, Second Movement bars 1-9 only, as indicated
  • Mozart Symphony No. 35, First Movement bars 13-66 only, as indicated

Cello: In addition to a scale of your choice, prepare a solo excerpt as described for violin and viola above, OR prepare one or more of the excerpts appearing below.

Bass:

Music Majors

  • Prepare excerpts one, two, and three.
  • Prepare excerpt four if you would like to be considered for principal bass.

Non-Music Majors

  • Please select one excerpt from the packet and perform a few minutes of a solo piece. If you do not have a solo piece, please prepare two excerpts from the audition packet.

Please note: non-music majors are more than welcome to perform the music major excerpts and to audition for principal bass. Any bassist may try out for principal bass regardless of their major/minor.

Harp:

Prepare a solo work of your choice.

Contact the Director of the PLU Orchestra, Asieh Mahyar

Contact the Chair of String Studies, Svend Rønning