Portland Youth Philharmonic offers more scholarships than ever before - seeking brass, wind, and percussion players for 98th season
Posted on July 7, 2021
PORTLAND, OR – Portland Youth Philharmonic, the nation’s first and oldest youth orchestra, strongly believes that great music education should be accessible to every interested young person. PYP provides need-based tuition assistance to any musician who passes an audition, as well as financial support to cover the costs of private lessons, instrument rentals, concert attire, and other expenses as needed. The organization is now accepting new auditions for its 98th (2021 - 2022) concert season through mid-August.
All PYP musicians benefit from rigorous training and perform exciting repertoire that includes the “classics,” contemporary music, and world premieres. Musicians receive regular coaching from Oregon Symphony players and a comprehensive music theory curriculum led by nationally-renowned Portland composer (and PYP alumnus!) Kenji Bunch. The organization supports two full symphony orchestras, a wind ensemble, a string orchestra, and a percussion ensemble. Members range in age from 9 to 23, and come from communities across the region, representing over 100 different schools. Through dedication and hard work, applicants are encouraged to take the next step in their musical journey and unlock their full potential with PYP.
The organization has an exceptional need for middle school aged wind, brass, and percussion players for its growing Wind Ensemble. All new auditions this year will be by video submissions. The deadline to submit an audition video is 11:59 PM on Friday, August 13, 2021. The video quality does not have to be professional; smart phone recordings are fine. However, the musician performing must clearly be visible and the video must all be recorded in one take. Audition videos should be no longer than 10 minutes. Videos will only be heard by PYP’s conducting staff.
Applicants must visit www.portlandyouthphil.org/audition to first submit an online application and then may begin working on their videos. Each application requires a $30 non-refundable fee. Auditioning string players must be at least 9 years old. Wind, brass, and percussion players need to have played their instrument for at least one year and should be in 7th grade or higher. No one over 22 years old will be auditioned.
Applicants will find a checklist of all that they need to prepare for their audition video, as well as helpful audition tips at www.portlandyouthphil.org/requirements. Once a musician passes their audition, PYP can help with tuition and other expenses as needed. No musician is ever turned away for lack of ability to pay for tuition.
In 2019-2020, 24% of enrolled musicians received nearly $43,000 in scholarships, financial aid, sibling discounts, and private lesson scholarships. The organization hopes to give out even more scholarships for their upcoming season. More details about PYP’s confidential financial aid process are available at www.portlandyouthphil.org/financialaid.
The orchestra plans to return to in-person rehearsals and concerts for the 2021 – 2022 season, as government mandates allow. PYP expects to open its 98th season in November at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, premiering the first public live performances of works commissioned during the pandemic as part of the Youth Orchestra Commissioning Initiative.
To learn more about how to audition for PYP’s upcoming 98th season, please visit www.portlandyouthphil.org/audition.