AUDITIONS FOR WEST VALLEY SYMPHONY

AUDITIONS FOR WEST VALLEY SYMPHONY SCHEDULED OCT. 2, 9

SURPRISE, Ariz.=: The West Valley Symphony has scheduled string auditions on Saturday, Oct. 2 and for principal tuba and second bassoon on Saturday, Oct. 9 for the six-concert 2021-2022 season, which begins Nov. 21.

Auditions for the symphony’s 53rdseason will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day at Workpliciti, 3377 S. Price Road in Chandler.

To apply for an audition, email West Valley Symphony Personnel Manager Anthony (Tony) Masiello at [email protected]. Audition fee is $25 per applicant. Checks or money orders payable to the West Valley Symphony should be mailed care of Masiello, 13691 N. 147th Drive, Surprise, AZ 85379. For more information, call (602) 620-6546.

String auditions on Oct. 2 are for:

• Principal second violin

• Principal viola

• One section violin first section, chair 10 and One, 1-year position (possibly permanent)

• Section violin second section chairs 8,9,10 and one 1-year position (possibly permanent)

• Viola section chairs 7 and 8

• Cello section chairs 7 and 8

• Double bass chair 5

October 9 auditions are for:

• Principal tuba

• Second bassoon

All positions are paid according to the West Valley Symphony (WVS) per service scale based on the typical concert cycle scale for 3 rehearsals, 1 sound check and 1 concert for a total of 5 services per concert cycle. Principal second violin and all other principal positions are paid $315 and all section positions are paid $257.25 per typical concert scale. Extra rehearsals or services will be paid according to WVS scale rates for rehearsal sound checks or concerts. All musicians are paid an incentive for the number of concerts played. After 3 concerts, the 4thplayed is 10% over scale, the 5that 15% and the 6that 20%. Concerts need not be consecutive. Premium pay is calculated by the number of concerts played in any order. For more information go to www.westvalleysymphony.org.

The audition procedure is as follows:

• Candidates are required to sign in at the audition site one half hour prior to when the audition is to begin. The Audition Steward will sign in all candidates. 


• Fifteen minutes before the audition starts, the audition committee will give candidates the first round of excerpts to be played. 


• Candidates will draw numbers from a hat or basket to determine the order in which each candidate will appear before the audition committee. 


• Warm up is allowed in the reception area where the candidates sign in or in the available private practice rooms. Those closest to playing their respective auditions will be given precedence in the use of the private rooms. 


• At the appropriate moment, each candidate will be escorted by the Audition Steward from the warm-up area to the audition room. 


• To preserve anonymity, all candidates will play behind a screen. Soft-soled shoes must be worn by all candidates. 


• Instruments must be tuned before entering the audition room. 


• Candidates will play only the excerpts selected by the audition committee and in the
given order. 


• Only the Music Director and the Audition Steward are allowed to speak in the audition room. If a candidate is not certain about any part of the process, he or she must speak to the Audition Steward outside the audition area. 


• It is possible that more than one round may be necessary to declare a winner. Therefore, all candidates must wait to be dismissed from the audition site by the Audition Steward. 


• Sight reading may be used to break a tie. 


• Winning candidates will be announced immediately following the audition. Candidates will check the WVS web site in advance of the audition for rehearsal/concert dates to know whether or not they can commit to at least one of the six (6) concert programs to be presented by the WVS during the season.