Audition Information
SUMMER 2026 AUDITION INFORMATION
Audition dates & requirements
Auditions for membership in the 2026 Stanford Summer Symphony (SSS) will take place over Zoom at this Zoom link. Anyone interested in playing in the 2026 Stanford Summer Symphony, including current members of SSO and SP, should fill out the Participation Form. Those who auditioned in September 2025 and joined SSO or SP in Fall Quarter do not have to audition for SSS; they only have to fill out the form and confirm their interest in joining the Summer Symphony. All others who wish to join SSS, including past Summer Symphony members and current SSO or SP members who joined this year in Winter or Spring Quarter, need to sign up for an audition time. Additional audition times in May and in early June will be added later on.
Since it can be difficult to hold percussion auditions over Zoom, those auditions may take place in Dinkelspiel Auditorium when Summer Symphony rehearsals begin on 23 June 2026.
Anyone auditioning on more than one instrument (flute and piccolo; oboe and English horn; violin and piano; etc.) should sign up for one audition slot in which both instruments will be heard.
AUDITION PROCEDURE. Each audition will last about 12 minutes and will consist of a solo piece, excerpts, scales, and sight-reading for new members.
SOLO. The solo piece should not exceed 2-3 minutes and usually is an excerpt of a concerto, suite, or sonata, or an etude.
SCALES. For the audition, play scales as you’ve prepared them with your private teacher or at school. There is no set number of scales to be prepared. If you know major and minor scales, then you may be asked to play at least one of each; if you know only major scales, you will not be asked to play minor scales. Whichever scales you are asked to play, play them the same way you do for your private instructor or at school. Begin with the lowest tonic scale note on your instrument and play as many octaves as you can of each scale, ascending and then descending. Wind players may also be asked to play a chromatic scale.
EXCERPTS. These are posted on the Audition Excerpts page.
SIGHT-READING. A sight-reading excerpt will be provided at the audition.
Eligibility for membership
All Stanford undergraduate, graduate, and Summer Session students are eligible for membership in the Stanford Summer Symphony, as are Stanford faculty and staff, postdocs, visiting scholars, researchers, and community members. There is no fee for SSS membership. However, all SSS members will be asked for a music deposit of $100 which will be given back when the music and folder are returned after the concerts.
Roster
3 fl/picc 3 ob/EH 3 clar/bass 3 bassoon/contra 4-5 hn 3 tpt 3 trb tuba 1 harp organ 1-2timpani 1-2perc strings (est. 14-12-10-8-6)
There are no piano or saxophone parts in this summer's repertoire.
Repertoire
ETHEL SMYTH Overture to The Wreckers Paul Phillips, conductor
Selection TBA by the Stanford Summer Chorus Rafael Ornes, conductor
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Lobgesang (Hymn of Praise)
Esther Tonea, soprano
Soprano II TBA
Chance Jonas-O'Toole, tenor
Stanford Summer Symphony Orchestra & Stanford Summer Chorus
Paul Phillips, conductor
Instrument loans
Stanford students often borrow instruments from Stanford’s extensive instrument collection, which is overseen by Herb Myers, Stanford’s Curator of Instruments. Students often borrow English horn, bass clarinet, contrabassoon, bass trombone, tuba, cello, and double bass. The collection also includes E-flat and A clarinets, C trumpets, violas, violins, and various kinds of brass instruments. There is no cost to borrow an instrument from the collection. If a member of the 2026 Stanford Summer Symphony who is not otherwise affiliated with Stanfords need to borrow an instrument, that might be possible. Contact Herb Myers at <hwm@stanford.edu> for further information.
Any questions about auditions or the Stanford Summer Symphony may be addressed to Professor Paul Phillips at <psphil@stanford.edu>.