Concertmaster Auditions

Symphony Number One announces an opening for the position of Concertmaster beginning in the 2016-2017 season. Auditions will be held on May 10 from 7 to 10 PM and May 11 from 2 to 5 PM at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD.

The successful candidate will do the following:

• Provide musical leadership alongside the Music Director in most or all orchestral performances.
• Contribute to the chamber music series (Beethoven's Kitchen) and in many cases, contribute to leading rehearsals.
• Contribute to repertoire selection, where appropriate.
• Help guide selection of other core musicians and raise the musical quality of the orchestra through musical guidance both while playing and verbally as appropriate.
• Participate as one of the key public figures in the orchestra by engaging with the audience and donors before and after performances and participate in media interviews or broadcast performances.
• Collaborate in other long term artistic planning.
• Collaborate with guest composers and help to coach them as a performer to help them improve their craft.
• Participate in the artistic life of the Baltimore-Washington region and contribute to community building through time spent in residence. Permanent residence in Baltimore is strongly preferred but not required.

This is a paid position. Compensation based on experience and availability for performances. The Concertmaster is not required to perform on every performance. With extensive advanced notice, some flexibility is available to accommodate other professional commitments, in keeping with industry standards.

Additional benefits include:

• Promotional materials, such as headshots and high-end video, made available for personal use.
• Opportunities to perform as soloist with the orchestra.
• Opportunities to perform as solo recitalist.
• Possible recording projects.
• Opportunities for media exposure, interviews, features, including opportunities to promote outside projects.
• Outside projects can be co-promoted by SNO (included in SNO press releases, added to our event calendar, etc.).

The audition will consist in the following selections. The candidate may select THREE or FOUR of the following options, as follows:

1. Performance of a portion of a solo work

2. Performance of a portion of a concerto

3. Performance of a standard orchestral excerpt from the core repertoire

4. Brief reading and mini-rehearsal of Mozart, “Dissonance” Quartet, Mvt. I, beginning through the end of the exposition (repeat sign), with the other string principals of SNO. Score available here. The reading will not progress beyond the first two pages of the score. The candidate will be encouraged to lead and to later stop, give suggestions, and rehearse a small portion very briefly.

5. Optional: the candidate may perform one additional selection from any kind of solo, concerto, excerpt, or any other piece that the candidate feels demonstrates a personal musical strength or novel performance ability. Feel free to be adventurous and unconventional.

The candidate will select the repertoire that best demonstrates their abilities. Two recommendations:

1. Symphony Number One explores a broad repertoire, but emphasizes substantial works by emerging composers. It is recommended, but not required, that one or more of the selections come from the 20th or 21st century.

2. It is preferred but not required that the candidate include option 4 (Mozart quartet reading).

After the audition, the candidate will be invited to sit with the audition panel and engage in a brief interview. 

Review process is ongoing; apply ASAP. To apply, submit the short form below. Interested applicants will be contacted to receive an additional information form, to schedule an audition time within the listed time slots, and to have any additional questions about the position answered.