VERBIER FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Verbier Festival Artist Training Programmes 2019

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

This document includes all the information you need to apply to the 2019 Verbier Festival
Orchestra (VFO) programme. Please read it carefully before starting your application and
before sending any questions to the Verbier Festival Team.

CONTENTS

1. WHO CAN APPLY ................................................................................................................ 2

2. HOW TO APPLY .................................................................................................................. 2
3. DEADLINES ....................................................................................................................... 2
4. AUDITION FEES & COSTS .................................................................................................... 2
5. AUDITION REPERTOIRE........................................................................................................ 3
6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HARP AND PERCUSSION AUDITIONS.......................................... 3
7. LIVE AUDITIONS ................................................................................................................. 3
8. VIDEO AUDITIONS............................................................................................................... 3
9. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ......................................................................................... 4
1. WHO CAN APPLY
Applicants to the Verbier Festival Orchestra must be aged 18 to 28 on 30 June 2019.
Musicians are invited to become members of the Orchestra for one edition of the Verbier
Festival. They may be re-invited twice; these re-invitations are not guaranteed. To be re-invited,
musicians must be aged 29 or younger on the last day of the Festival (3 August 2019).

Successful candidates are required to sign an agreement with the Fondation du Verbier
Festival, thereby committing to the entire Verbier Festival Orchestra summer session from 30
June to 3 August 2019, and accepting all rules of the Orchestra.

2. HOW TO APPLY
Applications to Verbier Festival Artist Training Programmes are submitted through the Acceptd
on-line platform.

For the VFO, you can either apply to audition live or submit an application by video audition
should you not be able to make it to an audition city.

The 2019 VFO live auditions will take place in: Berlin, Cologne, Geneva, Moscow, New York,
Paris, Philadelphia, Rome, St Petersburg, Vienna and Zurich, from January to early March
2019.

3. DEADLINES
Live Audition Applications
17 December 2018

Video Audition Applications

22 January 2019

4. AUDITION FEES & COSTS

Application Fee
$75 USD

Live Audition Expenses

Applicants are responsible for their own expenses related to live auditions (travel,
accommodation, etc.)

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Costs for Successful Candidates
Each position in the Verbier Festival Orchestra is fully funded by the Verbier Festival, including
travel to and from Verbier, lodging and lunches and dinners.

5. AUDITION REPERTOIRE
The excerpts for the 2019 VFO auditions will be uploaded here in October / November 2018.

6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HARP AND PERCUSSION AUDITIONS

Harp
We will not be auditioning live for harp applicants, and therefore only video applications are
possible.

Percussion
Live auditions will be held only in Geneva and New York. If you cannot audition in one of these
cities, please apply via video.

7. LIVE AUDITIONS
You will be notified of your live audition date and time by email by the end of December
2018. Should you already know that you are unavailable on a particular date, please inform
Samuel Goldscheider, Orchestras Manager. While the Orchestras team does its best to
accommodate scheduling requests, it cannot guarantee that all requests can be met.

Please note: Dates and venues are subject to change; do not book your travel or
accommodation before receiving confirmation of your audition.

There will be a jury of at least 2 people in each live audition, and each audition will also be video-
recorded by the jury.

The specific dates of auditions in each city will be listed here in October / November 2018.

8. VIDEO AUDITIONS
If you are submitting an application by video audition, you must read ALL of the following
instructions before starting your application or recording your video:

• Instructions on how to make a great audition video can be found in this tutorial.

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• Please note that you must perform all the works/orchestral excerpts listed under 'Audition
Repertoire' here. You must play the works as if you were giving a live audition (i.e. straight-
through in the order listed). The recording must be made in one shot, without cuts or edits.

• The recording of the one or two solo works (depending on the instrument) should be
approximately three minutes' duration each (typically the exposition of the concerto or
sonata), without any accompaniment. Please choose a place which makes musical sense to
stop; recordings that are slightly longer than three minutes are acceptable.

• Please take into account the size of the room and its acoustic as well as your distance from
the camera: the more reverb in the room, the closer you should be to the camera (usually 3
meters or 10 feet).

• The use of artificial reverberation or any other audio modification software is strictly
prohibited.

• IMPORTANT: listen to your recording to check that it is what you want the jury to hear.

• Once you are ready to upload your recordings, choose 'Video Audition' in the application's
'Audition City' dropdown menu.

• Upload the video.

• Once you have submitted your application and paid the application fee, you cannot return to
your profile to upload a video.

9. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I will be younger than 18 or older than 28 on 30 June 2019
We do not accept applications from candidates younger or older than the stated requirements.
Musicians aged 15 to 18 may consider the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra. Musicians aged
18 may apply to either the VFO or VFJO.

When will my live audition be scheduled?

The specific dates of auditions in each city will be listed here in October / November 2018. You
will be notified of your assigned date and time by email by the end of December 2018.

I already know that I'm not available on the day planned for my preferred audition city. What
shall I do?
Should you already know that you are unavailable on a particular date, please inform
Samuel Goldscheider, Orchestras Manager. While the Orchestras team does its best to
accommodate scheduling requests, it cannot guarantee that all requests can be met.

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Is priority given to either live or video audition applicants?
Priority is not given to those who audition live. However, we recommend auditioning live in
order for the jury to meet you in person.

Can I bring a pianist to my audition?

All auditions are unaccompanied, so you cannot bring a pianist.

Does the quality of sound for video applications matter that much?
Yes, the sound quality is of great importance for your video audition. Please read the 'Video
Audition' information in this document.

Can I play a different concerto movement or a different excerpt than the one listed under
‘Audition Repertoire’?
You must play the concerto movement or excerpts listed for your instrument – in order for us to
be able to judge all of the applicants fairly, we cannot accept any changes to this list.

Can my CV be in a language other than English?

Yes, we accept CVs in English, French, German or Spanish.

Do I need to record my video with or without the score/sheet music?

You may record your video with the score/sheet music.

Other Questions
Please email:
Samuel Goldscheider
Orchestras Manager

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