Auditions are coming up for our 2021/22 season. We are planning for a fully in-person season (with precautions, of course). Video submissions are NOW OPEN for Symphony and Youth Band. Zoom auditions are booking for our Sinfonia and Philharmonia.  Read below to find out how to book your audition.

Check out our re-opening plan here

We are hoping and planning for a full season of in person rehearsals, concerts and other events.  We have received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Resilient Communities fund which enables us to purchase the required PPE and other equipment to keep musicians safe and healthy.  We are working closely with our rehearsal location (King’s Christian Collegiate) to provide the best musical, social and healthy experience possible.

Should it not be possible to return to in person rehearsals (due to government regulations), we do have several contingency plans.  We will inform parents of those plans well in advance of the registration fee due date.

To comply with the current social distancing directives, and to ensure the health and safety of both musicians and staff, the OSYO is adjusting our audition process for the upcoming year.  Auditions for Sinfonia and Philharmonia will be conducted live on zoom (see below).  Youth Band and Symphony auditions will be conducted via submitted video (instructions below).  We recognize that this process is not ideal, but it will be consistent throughout the season (both spring and fall auditions this year).

Sinfonia and Philharmonia Audition Procedure:

1. Musician completes the online audition form HERE
2. Musician is assigned an audition time via email, along with the Zoom link (auditions will be held Tuesday September 7 and 14 in the evening).
3. Musician submits $30 audition fee to payments@osyo.ca
4. Musician logs on 5 minutes before their assigned time, and will be placed in the Zoom waiting room
5. Auditions are adjudicated that week.
6. Musician receives possible acceptance and position in the OSYO by September 21
7. If successful, Musician submits the registration form and fees, and is welcomed into the OSYO!

Youth Band and Symphony Audition Procedure:

1. Musician completes the online audition form HERE
2. Musician submits $30 audition fee to payments@osyo.ca
3. Musician uploads their audition video (instructions below) by September 14
4. Auditions are adjudicated that week.
5. Musician receives possible acceptance and position in the OSYO by September 21
6. If successful, Musician submits the registration form and fees, and is welcomed into the OSYO!

Video instructions for Youth Band and Symphony:

The audition request process is not complete until the OSYO receives the audition fee of $30 (payable by EMT to payments@osyo.ca) , which is non-refundable.  Audition results will not be released until the forms and audition fee have been received.

Audition Requirements:

Symphony Orchestra

• One solo piece of musician’s choice (not to exceed 1 minute)
• One Major OR one Minor 3 octave scale of musician’s choice (minimum 3 sharps / 3 flats).  Scale should be memorized.
• Download and prepare TWO of the excerpt requirements for your instrument (see below)

Bass

Bassoon

Cello

Clarinet

Flute

Horn

Oboe

Percussion

Trombone

Trumpet

Tuba

Viola

Violin

Philharmonia

• Violin: 3 octave G or C major or minor (choice of harmonic or melodic)
• Viola: 3 octave C major or minor scale (choice of harmonic or melodic)
• Cello: 3 octave C or D major or minor scale (choice of harmonic or melodic)
• Double bass- 2 octave  G major or minor scale (choice of harmonic or melodic)
• 1 Solo piece minimum Suzuki/RCM grade 4 level (1-2 minutes max)
• Sight reading will be required
• There is no excerpt required
• Open to violin, viola, cello and double bass

Sinfonia

• Violin: two octave C or G major or minor (harmonic or melodic)
• Viola:  two octave F or G major or minor (harmonic or melodic)
• Cello:  two octave D or G major or minor (harmonic or melodic)
• Bass : one octave G major or minor (harmonic or melodic)
• 1 solo piece minimum Suzuki/RCM grade 2 level (1-2 minutes max)
• Sight reading will be required
• There is no excerpt required
• Open to violin, viola, cello, double bass.

Youth Band

• Musicians should have at least 1 full year experience with their chosen instrument
• One octave major or minor scale of musician’s choice
• 1 polished piece demonstrating top level performance
• Open to flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, bassoon, english horn, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, french horn, baritone, euphonium, tuba and percussion

2021 Fee structure:

We are currently evaluating the fee structure, and will publish it shortly.

This includes:

• Musician registration for the season
• OSYO T-shirt
• OSYO Music bag
• Use of OSYO Music folder for the season

Additional musicians registering from the same family get $50 off their registration fee.Each additional musician from the same family will receive an OSYO t-shirt, music bag and music folder.All fees are due by Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the latest.  This year, we will only be accepting registration payment by email money transfer.

Fees should be paid by email transfer to: payments@osyo.ca.  Please be sure to enter your child’s name in the comment line.  If a password is requested, please use OSYO2021

A limited number of Bursaries are available.  To apply for a partial bursary, please fill out the form HERE.  Once completed, please email to office@osyo.ca

Upon acceptance into the OSYO, all musicians will receive a copy of our musicians handbook and be asked to sign our code of conduct.  Click here to view.  All parents and volunteers are asked to abide by our community code of conduct found HERE.

Parents:​

The OSYO can’t function well without the support of our great parent volunteers.  We ask that each season, one parent from each family will act as a parent monitor for one Tuesday rehearsal (for the orchestra your child is enrolled in).  Schedules are emailed at the beginning of the season.  In addition, we ask for volunteer assistance with concerts/special events and/or rehearsals throughout the season.

Parents are also required to attend the Annual General Meeting, date TBA at King’s Christian Collegiate during rehearsal.  At this meeting, our board members and operating budget are confirmed.

Music Stands: 

Each musician is required to bring a music stand to each rehearsal, as well as every concert/event.  We strongly recommend a sturdy metal stand, as they are much more stable than the collapsible wire stands.  Examples are the Manhasset Model 4801, or Wenger Classic 50

Refunds:
Due to the fact that the orchestra has many prepaid costs prior to the beginning of the season (based on enrollment), there will be an administration fee of $100 assessed if a musician withdraws prior to the second rehearsal.

Unfortunately, we can not issue any refunds if a musician chooses to withdraw at any time after the second rehearsal.

Contact our Executive Director, Alan Montgomery, at ( office@osyo.ca) if you have any questions regarding the audition process.

Looking forward to a great return to live music!