7/10/2010 Audition Lists for Orchestral Cello Jobs

Stephen Drake's Audition

Lists for Orchestral Cello Jobs

These lists were originally developed by cellist Stephen Drake, who has graciously given permission to Cello
Heaven to publish here. Some are repertoire lists for section positions, and some are for principal or solo
positions.

The lists are provided for informational purposes only. They do not mean that there are jobs available at these
orchestras.

These audition requirements will change as the years go by. If you have more recent information, or information
about another orchestra, anywhere in the world, please email it to Cello Heaven, so I can update this web page.
So far all of the lists here are of American or Canadian orchestras.

Table of contents

Atlanta Symphony
Baltimore Symphony
Boston Symphony
Buffalo Philharmonic, Associate Principal
Charleston Symphony
Chicago Symphony
Columbus Symphony
Denver Symphony
Detroit Symphony
Edmonton Symphony, Canada
Florida Philharmonic
Grand Rapids Symphony
Greenville Symphony (South Carolina)
Houston Grand Opera Orchestra
Houston Symphony
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Metropolitan Opera
Milwaukee Symphony-Principal
Milwaukee Symphony-Section
Minnesota Orchestra
Nashville Symphony, principal
National Symphony, principal
New Jersey Symphony
New York Philharmonic
Omaha Symphony, principal

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Phoenix Symphony
Philadelphia Orchestra
Richmond Symphony/Sinfonia
Saint Louis Symphony
Savannah Symphony, principal
Shreveport Symphony
Virginia Symphony

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 2/93

Solos

1. A major cello concerto

2. a movement from a Bach unaccompanied suite

Orchestral Works

1. Bartok: Miraculous Mandarin: Suite

2. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Op. 67
3. Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, Op. 93 (3rd movement)
4. Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Op. 73
5. Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (1st & 4th movements)
6. Debussy: La Mer (1 before figure 9, all parts)
7. Mahler: Symphony No. 5
8. Mozart: Symphony No. 35
9. Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, Op. 100
10. Smetana: Overture to Bartered Bride
11. Strauss: Don Juan, Op. 20
12. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (beginning to 13)
13. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4

Selected Sight Reading

Note: In the preliminary round, only the concerto and the Bach were heard, and 2 excerpts from Beethoven 5th,
2nd mvt; the trio from Beethoven 8, and part of the 4th mvt of Mozart 35.

Baltimore Symphony - section cello January 2001

Solos

Bach-Sarabande and Gigue from Suite #3, C Major

First movement of one of the following works (applicant's choice)

Boccherini-B Flat Major Concerto

Bloch-Schelomo

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Dvorak-Cello Concerto
Elgar-Cello Concerto
Haydn-D Major or C Major Concerto
Prokoviev-Sinfonia Concertante, pous 125
Schumann-Cello Concerto
Shostakovich-Cello Concerto No. 1
Walton-Cello Concerto

Finalists may be asked to perform with piano accompaniment.

Orchestra Excerpts

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, slow movement and Scherzo

Brahms: Symphony No. 2, second movement, Adagio, Opening to Letter B (measure 33)
Mahler: Symphony No. 4, first movement, beginning to end of measure 51 and pickup to #7 to #8
(measures 91-102); third movement, beginning to second measure of #1 (measures 1-26); #4 to #5
(measures 107-137); third beat of measure 220 to downbeat of measure 238
Mozart: Symphony No. 35 (Haffner), last movement, beginning to measure 54; measure 134 to downbeat
of measure 197
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, last movement, #79 to #80; 2 measure before #88 to 6 measures after #88;
6 measures after #91 to end of measure 2 before #92; #93 to downbeat 5 measures before #95; 3
measures before #106 to 1 measure before #107
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, first movement, #32 to end of the measure, 6 before #39; third (slow)
movement, #89 to #93
Strauss: Don Juan, opening to letter C
Verdi: Requiem, no. 3, offertorio, beginning to end of measure 46
Possible sightreading

Boston Symphony Orchestra - Section Cello - 12/90

Required Solos (need not be memorized):

Schubert: "Arpeggione" Sonata - 1st movement up to recapitulation (no repeat)

Bach: 4th Suite in Eb - Courante (without repeats)

Cello Orchestra Passages from:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
Brahms: Symphony #2
Brahms: Symphony #3
Debussy: La Mer
Mozart: Symphony #41
Strauss: Don Juan
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4
Wagner: Prelude and Liebestod from "Tristan & Isolde"
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Sightreading

(At auditions you may use your own music or the music provided by the BSO, but you should be prepared to
use BSO parts if requested.)

The Auditions Committee reserves the right to dismiss immediately any candidate not meeting the highest
professional standards at these auditions.

Buffalo Philharmonic

Associate Principal Cello Audition (1999)

A. SOLOS
Exposition of first movement of standard concerto of candidate's choice.
One movement of a Bach cello suite of candidate's choice

B. EXCERPTS

Beethoven Symphony # 5, movement II, A: mm. 1-10; B: mm. 49-57; C: mm. 98-106; movement III, D:
mm 1-177
Beethoven Symphony #9, movement IV: recitatives through m. 90
Brahms, Concerto #2 for Piano and Orchestra, movement II, complete solo material
Brahms, Symphony #2, movement II, measures 1-15; Symphony #3, movement III, measures 1-39
Debusy, La Mer, movement I: 2 measures before 9 through 6th measure of 9 (top line)
Mendelssohn, Ein Sommernachstraum (A Midsummer's Night Dream, Intermezzo, complete
Mozart, Symphony #35, movement IV, A: mm. 1-37; B: mm. 134-264
Rossini, Overture from William Tell, mm. 1- 48, top line
Strauss, Don Juan, complete
Suppe, Morning, Noon and Night Overture, Opening solo
Suppe, Poet and Peasant Overture, Opening solo
Tchaikovsky, Symphony #6, movement II: mm 1-32 (with repeat)
Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake Suite, movement IV: 3 measures before 6 through 3 before the end
Verdi, Requiem, movement III: mm. 1-28

C. SIGHT READING may be required

Charleston Symphony - Section Cello (1999)

SOLO:

First movement of a Concerto of your choice

One movement from a solo Cello Suite by J. S. Bach

ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE (tutti parts only)

Beethoven, Symphony #5, opus 67, 2nd movement, beginning to m. 10, m. 49-59, m. 98-106; 3rd
movement, beginning to m. 18, m. 52-74, m. 140-218
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Beethoven, Symphony #8, opus 93, 3rd movement, trio
Brahms, Symphony #2, opus 73, 2nd movement, beginning to m. 16
Straus, Don Juan, opus 20, 7 before G to H, 11 after V to 4 after W
Mozart, Symphony #35, k. 385, 4th movement, m. 134-181
Prokofiev, Symphony #5, opus 100, 2nd movement 35-36, 4th movement #79 to #80 (top line)
Debussy, La Mer, 2 before #9 to 6 after #9 (top line)

YOU MAY BE ASKED TO SIGHT READ

Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Section Cello 11/96

Solo work:
A. The first movement of the Dvorak Cello concerto in B minor.
B. The first movement of the Concerto in D major by Haydn.

Excerpts required for each player:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, 2nd and 3rd movements
Brahms: Symphony No. 2, 2nd movement
Brahms: Symphony No. 3, 3rd movement
Brahms: Variations on a theme by Haydn, var. I & V
Mendelssohn: Scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream
Mozart: Overture to the Magic Flute
Strauss: Don Juan
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Nos. 3-5 and 13-20
Wagner: Overture to Tannhauser, letter E to letter F (letter I to letter K in the Kalmus edition)

Sight-reading: Excerpts from the standard repertoire to be determined at the audition.

Columbus Symphony Orchestra Section Cello 1/88

Bach - A solo suite of the applicant's choice - two contrasting movements (no repeats)

First movement (with cadenza, if applicable) of one of the following concerti: Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn C or D,
Lalo, Saint-Saens, Schumann, or Tchaikovsky - Rocco [sic] Variations (complete)

Beethoven:

Coriolan Overture, (Kalmus), Meas. 52-78

Symphony No. 5, (Breitkopf Weisbaden), Mvt. II, meas. 1-10, 98-105; Mvt. III, meas. 141-177

Symphony No. 8, (Breitkopf Leipzig), Mvt III, meas. 45-78

Symphony No. 9, (Breitkopf Weisbaden), Mvt II, meas. 9-57; Mvt IV, meas. 1-106, 541-594, 709-717

Brahms:
Symphony No. 2, (Breitkopf Leipzig), Mvt I, meas. 350-369; Mvt II, meas. 1-15
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Symphony No. 3, (Breitkopf Weisbaden), Mvt. I, meas. 87-100; Mvt. III, meas. 1-16; Mvt. IV, meas. 150-
197

Debussy: La Mer, (Kalmus), 2 meas. before 9-six meas. after 9; 61-62 (all lines)
Mahler: Symphony No. 2, (Kalmus), Mvt. II, meas. 3 - fourteen after 4, one before 6 - eight after 7, four before
14 - sixteen after 14
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, (Breitkopf Weisbaden), Mvt. I, meas. 74-154; Mvt. IV, meas. 134-181
Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht, (Associated), meas. 320-344 [they didn't specify whether it's cello I or II]
Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture, (Assoc./Bote), Beginning - five after A; eighteen after A - forty eight after A
Strauss:
Don Juan, (Kalmus), meas. 1-9, five before B - four before D, seven before G - H, seven after O - four
before Q, R - T, Tempo I after V - four after W

Ein Heldenleben, (Lucks), 6 - seven after 13, three after 56 - 63

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, (Kalmus), Mvt. I, eight before F - F, H - I, P - twelve after P; Mvt. II, twenty
one before A - A
Verdi: Requiem, (Peters), Mvt. III, Offertorio, meas. 1-28
Wagner: Prelude an Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, (Breitkopf Leipzig), meas. 18 - 33, eight before A - four
after B

Sight reading may be required.

Other excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire may be asked of the finalists.

Be prepared to play from CSO parts if requested.

All auditions are on a solo playing basis - no accompaniments are necessary.

Denver Symphony Orchestra - Asst. Principal Cello, (no date)

Solos:

Haydn: Concerto in D Major, 1st Movement until recapitulation.

First movement of a concerto or a concerto piece of the applicant's choice.

Orchestral Excerpts:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, Andante con Moto (exclude use of the A string except in forte)
Brahms: Symphony No. 1, Trio of Allegretto movement; Pizzicato of Finale
Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Opening to No. 2, 9 - 13, 28 - 33, 46 - 50, 68 - 71.
Verdi: Offertorio from Requiem
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, 1st movement, Moderato Assai before F to F, M - Q; 2nd movement, Theme
Beethoven: Eroica Symphony, Finale - Bar 44 until A; Presto to end

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Solo Orchestral Repertoire:

Beethoven: Prometheus, Act 2, #5 (as in International excerpts)

Haydn: Symphony No. 31 in D (Horn Signal), 2nd and 4th movements
Suppe: Overture to Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna
Verdi: Rigoletto, Act 2, #9 Aria with Cello in D Flat
Brahms: Piano Concerto #2, Solo
Puccini: Tosca, Act 3 - famous cello solo
Strauss: Don Quixote: Theme, Variation 1, Variation 5 Solo Cello

Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra - Section cello 12/96

Solos:
1. Movement of a standard concerto of your choice
2. movement of a Bach suite

Orchestral Excerpts: (excerpts enclosed!)

Beethoven: Symphony #5 in C minor

Mvt. II: Measures 1-106

Mvt. III: Measures 1-18 and 141-196

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D Major

Mvt. II: Measures 1-15

Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F Major

Mvt. I: Measures 187-201
Mvt. III: Measures 1-39

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F minor

Mvt. I: 13 measures after A to 22 measures after A, and 8 measures before F to F
Mvt. II 21 measures before A to A

Debussy: La Mer; 2 measures before 9 to 6 measures after 9

R. Strauss: Don Juan, first three pages
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G minor
Mvt. I: Measures 114-133

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra

Mvt. I: Measures 76-93

Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F Major

Mvt III: Trio

Mendelssohn: "A Midsummers Night Dream"

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Scherzo from N to O

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C# minor

Mvt. I: 4 to 6
Mvt. II: 5 measures after 5 to 8 measures after 6, and 26 measures before 12 to 3 measures after 13
Mvt. V: 1 measure before 2 to 23 measures after 2 and 5 measures after 17 to 2 measures before 18 and 2
measures before 21 to 22

There will be sightreading.

The Philadelphia Orchestra - Section Cello 2/96

Complete concerto of your choice from the standard repertoire (all movements). (An accompanist will be
provided during all rounds.)

All of the following excerpts:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ("Choral"): Recitative
Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro Overture, K. 492
Mozart: Symphony No. 35 in D major, K. 385
Mozart: Symphony No. 39 in E-flat major, K. 543
Strauss: Don Juan, Op. 20 (critical edition)
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40
Verdi Messa da Requiem: Offertorium

Sightreading

The Minnesota Orchestra - Section Cello 8/95

Solo Repertoire:
1. First movement of major concerto (no accompaniment).
2. Prelude of any Bach Suite.

Orchestral Excerpts
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Fugue from last movement
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, second and third movements
Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, third movement Trio
Brahms: Symphony No. 2, second movement (measures 1 to 16)
Brahms: Symphony No. 3, first movement (measures 187 - 202) and third movement (measures 1-16)
Debussy La Mer, two measures before reh. no. 9 for 9 measures
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer's Night Dream, Scherzo
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4, first movement (measures 25 - 85, 260 - 287)
Mozart: Symphony No. 40, first and fourth movements
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Prokofiev Symphony No. 5, second movement (reh. no. 55 to 56) and fourth movement (reh. no. 79 to 80)
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, beginning through seven measures after reh. no. 13
Strauss: Don Juan, all
Verdi: Requiem, Offertorio, first page

Savannah Symphony - Principal Cello 4/97

(section cello is the same but without the orchestral solos at the end)

One movement (applicant's choice) from a major concerto or a major solo work (no sonatas)

Orchestral repertoire:

Beethoven: Symphony no. 5

Mvt. 2, measures 1-10

Mvt. 2, measures 98-106

Brahms: Symphony No. 2, Mvt. 2, measures 1-18

Debussy: La Mer, Mvt 1, 2 measures before reh. no. 9 to 6 before reh. no. 10
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, Mvt. 4, measures 134 - 181
Strauss: Don Juan
Beginning to reh. let. C.
Un Poco Piu Lento to to 4 after reh. let. H.
Tempo I before W to 4 after W.

Verdi: Requiem, Offertorio, beginning to measure 29

Orchestral Solos:

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2

Haydn: Symphony No. 31
Suppe: Poet and Peasant Overture

Note: I was a candidate at the most recent audition, 6/7/97. I didn't make the finals. What they asked for in the
preliminary round:
1. Solo work. (about 1 minutes worth.)
2. Beethoven excerpts.
3. Mozart excerpt.
4. Strauss excerpt.
5. Brahms Piano Concerto solo, the section at the start of it.
They were very good about it, and told us what was going to be asked in the preliminary round, and the final
round. I wish all auditions could be run like this one was!

The Nashville Symphony - Principal Cello 2/90

Solos:
Bach: Movement of your choice from any unaccompanied Cello Suite
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Concerto: Your choice, approximately 2 minutes.

Orchestral Excerpts:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, 2nd and 3rd Mvmnts.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, 4th Mvt.
Brahms: Piano DConcerto No. 2, 3rd Mvt, Solo.
Mendelssohn: Scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream
Mozart: Symphony No. 41, 4th Mvt.
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, 4th Mvmt, top line of 79 to 80
Rossini: William Tell Overture, Solo Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, first page to [6], page 7 [43] to [50]
V. Suppe: Poet and Peasant Overure, Solo
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake, Solo
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, 2nd Mvt.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra - Principal Cello 4/11/88

Solos:
Haydn: Cello Concerto D major, 1st Movement (until recap.)
And Your Choice Of:
Dvorak: Cello Concerto, 1st Movement
Or
Schumann: Cello Concerto, 1st Movement

Orchestral Solos:
Strauss: Don Quixote, Theme, Variation I, Variation V, Finale
Rossini: William Tell Overture
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2
Suppe: Morning, Noon, & Night
Strauss: Bourgeois Gentilhomme (as found in the cello excerpt book published by International Publishing)
Puccini: Tosca, solo in Act III

Orchestra Parts:
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, 2nd Movement
Debussy: La Mer
Dvorak: Carnival Overture
Verdi: Requiem "Offertorio"
Mendelssohn: Midsummers Night's Dream, Scherzo
Strauss: Don Juan

Candidates may also be asked to play other material not on this list.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra - Section, January 2001

SOLOS:

One of the following concerto movements (with MSO piano accompanest in finals)
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One of the Audition
following concerto movements (withLists
MSO for piano
Orchestral Cello Jobs in finals)
accompanest

Dvorak: first movement (beginning to measure 267)

Dvorak: last movement (with coda; play mm. 33-421)
Haydn D: first movement (beginning to m. 128)
Haydn D. last movement, complete

Bach Preludes to Suites # 1, 2, 3 or 4

Popper Etudes # 5, 10 or 22

EXCERPTS:

Beethoven: Sym. 5, 2nd movement, mm 1-10, 49-59, 98-106; 3rd movement, mm 1-213 with repeat
Brahms: Sym #2, slow movement, beginning to A
Dvorak: Carnival Overture: E-F, and L-M
Janacek: Glagolitic Mass, movement IV, Veruju: mm 130-145 (part available)
Mahler: Symphony #5, second movement: #5-#9, Langsam after #11-#13; last movement: pickup to #2-
#3
Mozart: Symphony #35, last movement: 6 bars before B to C, 10 after D to E
Schoenberg: Variatons for Orchestra, opus 31: measures 34-57 (part available)
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben: beginning to #14

CHAMBER MUSIC

Schubert: String Quintet in C (D 956), 2nd cello part, first movement: mm 1-154 only (please use bowings
as marked in our copy)
Shostakovich: Piano Trio in e minor, opus 67, Scherzo (2nd movement), complete (The audition
committee acknowledges that the printed metronome marking is widely considered to be unreasonable.
Bowings are the choice of the candidate.)

SIGHT READING

Greenville Symphony (South Carolina) 8/98

In addition to the orchestral excerpts listed, one movement from a concerto

of your choice is required.

Bach: Unaccompanied Suite (two contrasting movements)

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (second movement)

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (Presto beginning-A; Fourth movement recitative)
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 (Andante)
Mahler: Symphony No. 2 (Opening)
Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night's Dream (Scherzo 296-323)
Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (beginning first 8 measures)
Rossini: William Tell Overture (solo)
Strauss: Don Juan (beginning to C)
Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring (186 to the end)
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The Richmond Symphony/Sinfonia Section Cello 9/20/1990

One movement from a concerto of your choice

One movement from a Bach Suite

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, 2nd and 3rd movs.

Brahms: Symphony No. 2, 2nd mov.
Brahms: Symphony No. 3, 3rd mov.
Mendelssohn: Scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, 4th mov.
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5, 1st mov. - No. 32 to 3 bars after 38
Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture, 1st 2 pages
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra, Bewegt after #3 to #5, and Schnell after #17
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Beginning to 3 bars after #2, and 4 bars before #12 to 7 bars after #13
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring, #104 to #109, and #111 to #114

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra - Section Cello 2/2/1990

Concerto
One movement from a concerto of your choice (classical or later period)

Orchestral Repertoire
Mozart: Symphony No. 35, 4th movement
Brahms: Symphony No. 2, 2nd movement
Brahms: Symphony No. 3, 3rd movement
Strauss: Don Juan (Symphonic Poem)
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, 2nd movement and 3rd movement
Beethoven: Symphony No. 8, 3rd movement (Trio)
Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture
Debussy: La Mer (prepare all divisi lines)

Sight reading may be required

Phoenix Symphony Orchestra - Section Cello 7/11/90

Solo Piece of your choice.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - 2nd and 3rd movements

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 - 2nd movement beginning through letter A
Debussy: La Mer - 2 measures before #9 (the entire passage)
R. Strauss: Don Juan - Letter F to H.
Wagner: Lohengrin (Etude from David Popper from High School of Cello Playing Opus 73.)

Sight Reading.

Phoenix Symphony Orchestra - Assistant Principal Cello 7/11/90

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Cello 7/11/90

Solo Piece of your choice.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9

Brahms: Symphony No. 2
Mozart: Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5
Strauss: Don Juan
Strauss: Don Quixote

Sight Reading.

Metropolitan Opera - Section Cello 1997

(all the music was included in the package.)

Lalo: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, mvt. 1

Wagner: Die Walküre: Act II, scene 4
Verdi: Requiem: Mvt. 3, "Offertorio"
Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel: Act III, scenes 2 and 3
Giordano: Andrea Chenier: Act I
Berg: Wozzeck: Act I, Scene 4
Beethoven: Fidelio: Act II, No. 13, Trio; and Act II, No. 14, Quartet
Mozart: Cosi fan Tutte: Act I, No. 16, Trio
Wagner: Tännhauser: Overture
Wagner: Gotterdämmerung: Act III, scene 3, #46 & #71
Bizet: Carmen: Act III Finale
Tchaikovsky: Variations on A Rococco Theme, Op. 33

Shreveport Symphony Orchestra - Section Cello - May 98

Solo Work: Prepare an Allergro movement from any standard concerto.

Orchestral Excerpts:

Beethoven - Symphony #5, Movements two and three

Brahms - Symphony #2, Second Movement
Mozart - Symphony #35, Fourth Movement
Mendelssohn - Scherzo from Midsummer Night's Dream
Smetana - Overture to the Bartered Bride
Tchaikovsky - Symphony #4, Second Movement
R. Strauss - Don Juan
Verdi - Requieum, Offertorio

Sightreading

Excerpts will be provided for reference, however candidates may use their own.
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Solo work will be played first followed by orchestra excerpts and sightreading.

Candidates will draw lots to determine audition times. Each preliminary audition will be approximately 10-15
minutes in length. The committee will hear 4-6 candidates in one hour's time.

Finals, if necessary, will be held immediately following preliminaries.

Two URLs of interest:

http://www.shreveportsymphony.com
http://www.softdisk.com/comp/opus

Los Angeles Philharmonic - Section Cello - 4/91

Haydn: Concerto in Cmajor - memorized, first page only

Beethoven: Symphony #5

Andante: measures 1-10, 49-60, 98-107, and 114-124

Third movement (trio): measures 140-214

Beethoven: Symphony #9
Recitative section of the last movement

Brahms: Symphony #2
Adagio: first 12 measures

Debussy: La Mer
From 2 measures before #9 to 6 measures after #9

Mozart: Symphony #35

Finale

Strauss: Don Juan

Omaha Symphony - Principal and Assistant Principal Cello - 5/88

Bach: any two contrasting movements from the Six Suites

Dvorak: Cello Concerto (1st movement, beginning to the first Grandioso orchestra tutti)

Beethoven: Symphony #5 (2nd & 3rd movements)

Beethoven: Prometheus Ballet (solo) PRINCIPAL ONLY
Brahms: Piano Concerto #2 (solo)
Brahms: Symphony #3 (3rd movement)
Debussy: La Mer (I, quartet section, first part)
Dvorak: Symphony #8 (1st & 4th movements)
Mozart: Symphony #35 (1st and 4th movements)
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Rossini: William Tell Overture (solo)
Strauss: Don Juan (first page and similar entrances)
Shostakovich: Symphony #1 (solo) PRINCIPAL ONLY
Tchaikovsky: Symphony #6 (2nd movement)
Von Suppe: Poet and Peasant Overture (solo)

Finalists may be asked to sightread during the final rounds. Finalists may be asked to read quartet literature with
members of a string quartet.

Grand Rapids Symphony - Principal Cello 11/89

Solo works
Two contrasting movements of a Bach Suite
Entire 1st movement of Dvorak Concerto orSchumann Concerto

Orchestral solos
PLEASE NOTE - Where a specific edition of a work is listed, it is only as a reference for the letters and
measure numbers. You may use your own edition.

Strauss - Don Quixote (International Edition, ed. Leonard Rose)

Massig theme
Variations I & II
Var. III - Viel Langsamer before 36 to end
Variations V & VI
Var. VIII (with upbeat) to 5 bars after 62
Var. X - 69 to to end of piece

Brahms - Piano Concerto No. 2, Andante (Kalmus Edition)

opening to downbeat of 9 after A; D to end

Rossini - William Tell Overture

1st solo in opening to end of solo section

Orchestral tuttis
Strauss - Don Juan (Kalmus Edition)

beginning to downbeat 5 bars after D

Un poco piu lento to downbeat of H
R to downbeat of T
Tempo I before W to downbeat 4 after W

Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 (Breitkopf-Weisbaden Edition)

2nd mvt. - meas. 1-10, 49-59, 98-106, 114-123

3rd mvt. - beginning to downbeat of bar 18; A to downbeat of bar 118; C major double bar to 1st ending
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Mozart - Symphony No. 35, Finale (Kalmus Edition)

beginning to A
6 before B to downbeat 5 after B
18 after B to downbeat 1 before C
10 before D to downbeat 1 before E

Brahms - Symphony No. 2, 2nd Movement

beginning to 2 before A

Brahms - Symphony No. 3, 3rd movement

beginning to downbeat 2 before B

Mendelssohn - Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo (Breitkopf Ed.)

3rd beat of C to downbeat of D

3rd beat of N to downbeat of O

Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker, Pas de Deux

bar 4 to end of 2nd bar after B

Bartok - Concerto for Orchestra

Introduzione - 22 to downbeat of 30; 2 after 35 to 1 before 51; 2 after 231 to 1 before 272; 488 to
downbeat of 317
Finale - 126 to 1 before 148; 231 to 6 after 249; 292 to downbeat of 317; 1 after 408 to 3 after 441

National Symphony Orchestra - Principal Cello 11/94

I. A complete concerto of your choice. An accompanist will be provided.

II. A complete Bach Suite of your choice

III. Orchestral solos:

Brahms: Piano Concerto #2, 2nd mvmt.

Rossini: William Tell Overture, beginning to bar 48
Shostakovich: Symph. #1

Mvmt III, #1 to 2 after #2

Mvmt IV, #36-#40

R. Strauss: Don Quixote, whole solo part

R. Strauss: Bourgeois Gentilhomme, #84-#88
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake Suite, mvmt. IV (white swan pas de deux)
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IV. Tutti Excerpts

Beethoven: 5th symphony

Mvmt II, bars 1-10, 49-59 and 98-106

Mvmt III, bars 1-18 and 140-177

Beethoven: 9th symphony, entire 4th mvmt.

Brahms: 2nd symphony, Mvmt.II, beginning to bar 15
Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Var. G
Debussy: La Mer, 2 before #9 to 6 after #9
Mahler: 4th symphony, mvmt. III, bar 1 to #1, #4 -#5, 2 before #9 to 16 after #9
Mahler: 5th symphony, mvmt II, 12 after #11 to #13
Mozart: 35th symphony, mvmt IV, bars 134-181
Prokofiev: 5th symphony, mvmt III, #60-#61, and 9 before #76 to 6 after #76
Smetana: Bartered Bride Overture, beginning to A
R. Strauss: Also Sprach, 4 before #3 to 6 after #6; 14 before #18 to #18; 4 before #27 to #29
Tchaikovsky: 4th symphony, mvmt II, beginning to A
Tchaikovsky: 5th symphony, mvmt II, 13 before B to B
Tchaikovsky: 6th symphony, mvmt II, beginning to A
Verdi: Requiem, Offertorio, beginning to bar 29

V. Possible sight-reading.

Just a note: At this audition, only some of this was heard. Only part of one mvmt was asked from the concerto,
no Bach, only the theme and part of the dream var from Don Quixote, Brahms Piano Concerto #2 solo,
Bartered Bride, only a couple of other things.

Note: This info was provided by Yvonne Caruthers, a cellist in the NSO. Email her for more info!
You may also be interested in looking at the National Symphony's Homepage.

New Jersey Symphony -Section-March 1999

One movement from a standard concerto

Bach, one movement from the unaccompanied suites
Beethoven, Symphony 5, 2nd and 3rd movements
Brahms, Symphony 2, 2nd movement
Brahms, Symphony 3, 3rd movement
Debussy, La Mer, 2 bars before 9 for 8 bars, top only
Elgar, Enigma Variations, var. XII, excluding solos
Mendelssohn, A Midsummernight's Dream, Scherzo, (C to D and M to O)
Mozart, Symphony 40, 1st movement (bars 114-138)
Strauss, Ein Heldenleben (opening to 14 and 1 bar before 46 to 50)
Tchaikovsky, Symphony 6, 2nd movement (opening to B)
Verdi, Requiem, offertory (bars 1-28)

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The New York Philharmonic - Section cello - 4/98

Solo Requirement:

Standard Concerto of player's choice (complete concerto with cadenzas)

Bach: Prelude from unaccompanied Suite No. 2, 3, 5, or 6. And one movement of player's choice from any
Suite.

Orchestral Repertoire:

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; 2nd and 3rd movements

Brahms: Haydn Variations; Variation I and V
Brahms: Symphony No. 3; 3rd and 4th movements
Debussy: La Mer; 2 before '9' to 7 after '9'
Mahler: Symphony No. 5; 2nd and 5th movements
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream; Scherzo
Mozart: Marriage of Figaro; Overture
Mozart: Symphony No. 40; 1st and 4th movements
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5;

1st movememnt '9' to '10'

1st movement '13' to '14'
2nd movement '55' to '56'
3rd movement 5 after '74' to '77'
4th movement '79' to '80'

Schoenberg: Verklarte Nacht; measures 69-81, 161-168, 310-319

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 1; 1st and 4th movements (without solo passages)
Smetana: Bartered Bride; Overture
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Beginning to '39' and '43' to '50'
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6; 2nd movement

Sight reading from the standard orchestral repertoire may be asked for during these auditions.

The Florida Philharmonic - Principal Cello - 6/96

I. SOLO OF THE PERFORMER'S CHOICE

II. ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2; Solo, 3rd mvt.

Brahms: Symphony No. 2; 1st mvt, 2nd mvt., 4th mvt.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; 2nd mvt.
Beethoven: Symphony No. 8; Scherzo (Trio)
Corigliano: Symphony No. 1; Solo Excerpts (we'll provide)
Debussy: La Mer
Mahler: Symphony No. 2; 1st mvt., 2nd movt., 3rd mvt.
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Mendelssohn: Midsummernight's Dream; Scherzo
Mozart: Symphony No. 40; 1st mvt., 4th mvt.
Rossini: William Tell Overture, Opening solo
Puccini: Tosca; Act 3 solo; 1st and 2nd parts
Saint Saens: Carnival of the Animals; The Swan
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; meas. 1 - 24
Von Suppe: Poet and Peasant Overture; Opening solo

III. SIGHT READING

You can access their web page for more info at http://ww.flaphil.com/auditions

Houston Grand Opera Orchestra - section cello Spring 1999

Solo Repertoire

Bach, movement of choice from an unaccompanied Suite

Concerto, movement of choice from concerto of choice

Opera Excerpts

Puccini, Manon Lescaut, Intermezzo; Tosca, Act III opening (all 4 parts)
Rossini, The Barber of Seville Overture
R. Strauss, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Act II Scene 2
Verdi, Requiem, Offertorio

Excerpts provided

Houston Symphony - section cello 6/94

Tape Audition Repertoire

I. Five minutes of the first movement of a standard concerto

II. Excerpts:

Mozart: Symphony No. 35; Finale: bar 134 to 181

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5; Second mvt: Opening to bar 10, bar 98 to 106
Brahms: Symphony No. 2; Second mvt: Opening to bar 16
Strauss: Don Juan; R to T

Audition Repertoire List

I. First movement of a standard concerto

II. Excerpts:

Mozart: Symphony No. 35 "Haffner"; Finale

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Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

Second mvt: Opening to bar 10, bar 49 to 59, bar 98 to 106, bar 114 to 123
Third mvt: Opening to bar 18, bar 52 to 74, bar 140 to 218

Brahms: Symphony No. 2; Second mvt: Opening to bar 16

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4; Second mvt: bar 21 to 42, bar 252 to 274
Verdi: Requiem; Offertorio: Opening to bar 29
Strauss: Don Juan; Opening to bar 9, A to C, 7 before G to H, R to T, Temp I after V to 4th bar of W
Debussy: La Mer; First mvt: (Top Line) 2 bars before 0 to 6 bars before 10
Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5
Third mvt: 60 to 61, 72 to 73
Fourth mvt: (Top Line) 79 to 80

This List was provided by Steven Taylor. Thanks!

Detroit Sympony - section cello 5/89

Solo: 1st mvt. of a Major Concerto of your choice

TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6 (Mvts. I, II & III)

BRAHMS: Symphony No. 2 (Mvts. II)
BRAHMS: Symphony No. 4 (Mvts. III & IV)
VERDI: Requiem (Offertorio)
STRAUSS: Don Juan
STRAUSS: Ein Heldenleben (Beginning to #13)
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 (I & II Mvts. & IV Mvt. Recitative)
SMETANA: Overture to The Bartered Bride

This list was provided by Steven Taylor.

Virginia Sympony - Core and Per Service, April 29, 1999

First movement concerto of candidate's choice

Beethoven, Sym 5, movement 2, opening and first 2 variations; Sym 8, movement 3, trio
Brahms, Sym 2, movement 2, opening to m 15
Debussy, La Mer, cello solo 2 m before rehearsal 9 to 7 m after rehearsal 9
Mendelssohn (Core only) Midsummer Night's Dream, Scherzo, N to O
Mozart, Sym 35, movement 4, mm 1-37
Prokofiev (Core only) Sym 5, movement 2, 55-56; movement 3, 60-61
R. Strauss, Don Juan, mm 1-9, R to 4 m after U; 7 mm before G through H
Tchaikovsky, Sym 4, movement 2, mm 21 to A; mm 252-274

Cello Heaven

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