Orchestral Audition Excerpts
Please find below the links to the Orchestral Excerpts for your Young Mannheim Symphonists 2027 audition video. If you have not already submitted an application form, please do so via this link.
2027 APPLICATION DEADLINES:
Monday 31 August 2026 – Applications/auditions open
Sunday 25 October 2026 – Applications/auditions close at midnight
NO ROUND 2 for 2027 National Academy!
Waitlist or special consideration applications accepted after deadlines – contact operations@arco.org.au
ACCEPTANCE ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Thursday 19 November 2026
HOT TIPS
Download these excerpts NOW! Take them to your teacher. Practice.
Look at your schedule between now and the deadline. Decide when is YOUR best time to record the video.
Do not wait until the last week or day before to upload – things can and do go wrong.
HOW TO RECORD
Set up your camera or phone so we can see your instrument and upper body, and hear you well.
Perform your orchestral excerpts first, followed by your own choice piece (except for timpanists).
You must perform all the orchestral excerpts in one take. You may restart the video recording before your own choice piece
Your own choice solo piece must not be longer than 2 minutes. If the video is longer, our judging panel will listen to the first 2 minutes only.
HOW TO DO A STAND-OUT AUDITION
Take the time to listen to historically informed performances (HIP, on period instruments) of these works. As well as technical ability, tonal production and intonation, the auditions will be assessed on stylistic understanding and interpretation.
Perform the excerpts in the context of the work as a whole, paying careful attention to tempo, dynamics and articulations.
The excerpts are of varying difficulty. Don’t be disheartened by a difficult excerpt. You can play it more slowly if necessary, keeping in tempo.
The links below can be accessed on all devices. If you are accessing them on a mobile phone, you will need to have the Dropbox app.
HAVING TROUBLE UPLOADING?
Here are a few tips for troubleshooting your video upload.
Whichever device you are using, try switching off and rebooting. (An oldie but a goodie, works on 90% of tech-related problems!)
If uploading from a phone, try sending it to your computer (e.g. Airdrop, WeTransfer etc), then upload from there.
If uploading from a phone, keep this web page open rather than switching to another app (this worked for a 2025 applicant!)
Make sure you have saved/exported your video into your phone’s “Photos” – do not try to upload it as an iMovie project or similar.
If you are still having problems, please email Rosemary at operations@arco.org.au to explain and find a solution.