Auditions will not be held for PMF 2021.
The PMF 2021 Orchestra Academy will consist of the successful applicants
who had committed to attending PMF 2020 (they have been contacted directly).
Auditions for PMF 2022 will begin in November, 2021.
PMF 2020 Orchestra Academy Auditions
All audition candidates are responsible for obtaining audition repertoire from standard excerpt books, purchasable music, or orchestral scores.
Notes on the descriptions:
Orchestral excerpts are for 1st parts unless otherwise noted.
"rhl" refers to a rehearsal number or letter, "mm" to specific measure numbers.
Notes on auxiliary instruments:
Piccolo excerpts are required for flute auditions. For oboe and clarinet auditions, although not required, it is highly advisable to perform the excerpts for auxiliary instruments (English horn, E-flat clarinet, and bass clarinet). During the festival, auxiliary parts, including also those for contrabassoon, etc., are rotated as much as possible.
Notes on preparations of recording materials:
- State your name at the beginning of the video recording, clearly and slowly. (This is used to write the names of successful applicants in phonetic Japanese, in programs, etc., so clear pronunciation is important.)
- Repertoire must be recorded in the listed order, with no piano accompaniment.
- Audio-only recordings will not be accepted.
- Video(s) must be recorded in one time-sequence, with no interruptions or cuts between the excerpts.
- Please upload either 1) one file with a single performance of the solo piece(s) and orchestral excerpts, or 2) two files - one with the solo piece(s) and one with the excerpts.
- Aside from a single cut between the concerto video and excerpt video (if desired), videos should not be edited in any way.
- The total length of the audition video(s) must be less than 20 minutes, including performances with auxiliary instruments.
- The video must have been recorded in or after November, 2019.
- File-types supported: MPEG, MPG, MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, M4V, FLV, WEBM, MKV, M2V
- Any video quality is acceptable. Be aware that very large files can take significant amounts of time to upload.
STRINGS
Violin
Concerto
1st movement exposition of a Mozart concerto
- 1st movement exposition of a standard concerto
Orchestra excerpts
Mozart: Symphony No. 39; 2nd mvt., mm. 1-27, 4th mvt., mm. 1-41
- Mendelssohn: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; Scherzo, beginning-mm. 99
- Brahms: Symphony No. 2; 1st mvt., mm. 118-155
- R. Strauss: "Don Juan"; mm. 1-40
- Prokofiev: Classical Symphony; 2nd mvt., mm. 1-20 and Finale, beginning of mvt. to one bar before the repeat sign (mm. 1-90)
Viola
Concerto/solo
1st movement exposition of the Bartók concerto or Hindemith Der Schwanendreher
Orchestra excerpts
Mendelssohn: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; Scherzo mm. 17-93
- Mozart: Symphony No. 35; 1st mvt., mm. 41-71, 4th mvt., mm. 134-181
- Brahms: Symphony No. 4; 4th mvt., mm. 41-80
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6; 1st mvt., mm. 19-62
- R. Strauss: "Don Juan"; mm. 1-40 (including pizzicato)
Cello
Concerto
1st movement exposition of a standard concerto
Orchestra excerpts
Mozart: Don Giovanni; No. 12 Aria "Batti, Batti", mm. 1 to the downbeat of mm. 37 and mm. 61 to the downbeat of mm. 92
- Mendelssohn: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; Scherzo mm. 59-93
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; 3rd mvt., mm. 1-18 and 140-213
- Brahms: Symphony No. 2; 2nd mvt., mm. 1-17
- R. Strauss: "Ein Heldenleben"; mm. 1-24
Double Bass
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Bottesini Concerto No. 2, Koussevitzky Concerto, or Vanhal Concerto
Orchestra excerpts
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; 3rd mvt., mm. 1-18 and 140-213
- Mahler: Symphony No. 1; 3rd mvt., mm. 3-10
- Brahms: Symphony No. 2; 4th mvt., 4 bars before rhl. L until rhl. M
- Mozart: Symphony No. 35; 4th mvt., mm. 1-37
- R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; rhl. 9 to the downbeat of 6 bars after rhl. 12
WOODWINDS AND BRASS
Flute
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Mozart Concerto in G major, K. 313 or D major, K. 314
Orchestra excerpts
Beethoven: "Leonore" Overture No. 3; mm. 328-360
- Mendelssohn: "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; Scherzo mm. 338 to the end
- Brahms: Symphony No. 4; 4th mvt., mm. 97-105
- Debussy: "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune"; beginning to mm. 1-4 and 11-30
- Ravel: "Daphnis et Chloe" Suite No. 2; 3 bars after rhl. 176 to 2 bars after rhl. 179 (please play the E# in the upbeat)
Piccolo (required)
- Rossini: "La Scala di Seta" Overture; mm. 201-216
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; 3rd mvt., mm. 162-203
Oboe
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Mozart Concerto in C major, K. 314
Orchestra excerpts
Brahms: Violin Concerto; 2nd mvt., solo to mm. 32
- Rossini: "La Scala di Seta" Overture; mm. 5-21 and 37-53
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; 2nd mvt., mm. 8-56
- R. Strauss: "Don Juan"; mm. 235-268
- Ravel: "Le Tombeau de Couperin"; mm. 1-14
English horn
(optional)
- Berlioz: "Le Carnaval Romain" Overture; mm. 21-37
- Respighi: "Pini di Roma"; 4th mvt., mm. 18-32
- Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 "From the New World"; 2nd mvt., solo
Clarinet
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Mozart Concerto in A major, K. 622
Orchestra excerpts
Rossini: Semiramide Overture; mm. 178-187
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 6; 1st mvt., mm. 474 (2 bars before rhl. K) to mm. 492, 2nd mvt., mm. 68-77
- Respighi: Pini di Roma; 3rd mvt., mm. 3-19
- Kodaly: Galanta Dances; mm. 31-65 and mm. 571-579
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9; 3rd mvt., mm. 1-17
E flat Clarinet
(optional)
- Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique; 5th mvt., mm. 40-78
- R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; rhl. 14 to 5 after rhl. 20
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; 2nd mvt., rhl. 49 to 4 bars after rhl. 50
Bass Clarinet
(optional)
- Mahler: Symphony No. 1; 1st mvt., mm. 9-13
- Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring; rhl. 5 to 7 before rhl. 7, rhl. 48 to 49
Bassoon
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Mozart Concerto in B flat major, K. 191
Orchestra excerpts
Beethoven: Symphony No. 4; 4th mvt., mm. 15-25, 184-188, 300-302 and 348-355
- Mozart: "The Marriage of Figaro" Overture; mm. 101-123, mm. 139-171
- Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; 2nd mvt., Solo to the end of the movement
- Rimsky-Korsakov: "Scheherazade" 2nd mvt., 5-26 and cadenza
- Ravel: "Bolero"; mm. 41-57
- Stravinsky: "Firebird Suite"; Berceuse Solo
- Stravinsky: "The Rite of Spring"; mm. 1-13 and 4 bars from rhl. 12
Horn
Concerto
1st movement exposition of Mozart Horn Concerto No. 3 or No. 4
Orchestra excerpts
Ravel: Pavane; (1st horn introduction solo)
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; 3rd mvt., trio, beginning through beat one of bar 31 (2nd low C) (2nd horn)
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 7; 1st mvt., mm. 86-110 (1st horn)
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; 1st mvt., 3 after rhl. 17 to first bar of rhl. 20 (2nd horn)
- R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; mm. 1-17 (1st horn)
Trumpet
Concerto
1st movement of the Haydn concerto, exposition and development (to the high E-flat)
Orchestra excerpts
- Mahler: Symphony No. 5; 1st mvt., mm. 1-24, and 1 bar before rhl. 13 to rhl. 14
- Mussorgsky: "Pictures at an Exhibition"; Promenade solo
- Stravinsky: "Petrouchka"; Ballerina's dance
- Respighi: "Pini di Roma"; 2nd mvt., 8 after rhl. 10 to 10 before rhl. 11 (offstage solo)
Trombone
Concerto
1st movement of F. David: Concertino, Op. 4
Orchestra excerpts
Rossini: "William Tell" Overture; mm. 92-131
- Mozart: "Requiem" Tuba mirum., solo
- Mahler: Symphony No. 3; 1st mvt., mm. 166-209
- Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3, mvt 1, rhl. Q to 2 bars before rhl. R
- Ravel: "Bolero"; rhl. 10-rhl. 11
- Wagner: "The Ride of Valkyre" (both B minor and B major phrases)
Bass Trombone
Concerto
Sachse: Concertino in F major (complete)
Orchestra excerpts
Schumann: Symphony No. 3, mvt. 4, mm. 1-18
- Haydn: "The Creation"; No. 26., complete
- Wagner: Das Rheingold, last 15 bars (trombone IV)
- Kodaly: "Hary Janos" Suite; 4th mvt., 5 after 'Poco meno mosso' (rhl. 5) to 10 after rhl. 6
Tuba
Concerto
1st movement of Vaughan Williams Concerto
Orchestra excerpts
Berlioz: "Symphony Fantastique"; 5th mvt., mm. 127-147 and 480 to the end
- Respighi: "Fontane di Roma"; rhl. 11-rhl. 16
- Wagner: Prelude to "Die Meistersinger"; mm. 158-188
PERCUSSION
Note: Applicants must audition for both Timpani and Percussion.
Timpani
Orchestral excerpts
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; 1st mvt., 2 before rhl. T to U
- Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; 4th mvt., mm. 42-50
- Beethoven: Symphony No. 9; 1st mvt., 18 bars before S to the end
Percussion
Orchestral excerpts
Snare Drum
Shostakovich: Symphony No.10; 2nd mvt., rhl. 98 to the end
- Prokofiev: "Lieutenant Kije"; 1st mvt., mm. 6-37, 57-61 and 85-98
Xylophone
Kodaly: Hary Janos Suite; 6th mvt.
- Gershwin: "Porgy and Bess"; beginning
- Britten: "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra"; Variation M
Glockenspiel
Respighi: "Pini di Roma"; 1st mvt., 8 bars before rhl. 8 to the end of the mvt.
- Dukas: L'apprenti sorcier (main phrases)