Auditions and Registration
Dear Young Artist,
We understand that auditions can be intimidating to many young people. Just remember, all of us at LYO were your age once. Auditions are our way of accurately placing each student into an ensemble where they will thrive as a young artist.
While we want you to take your audition seriously, please don’t overthink it. In most cases, students are harder on themselves than we are! Just do your best.
Please read the information on this website. It is your best guide. You may email info@lyo.org at any time for assistance. We’ll be delighted to help you.
Step 1 - Register to Audition
Click below to complete your registration form. This form tells us everything we need to know in order to welcome you into LYO. Use caution to complete the form accurately as any typos will be automatically carried forward in our software. If you need assistance deciding for which orchestra or ensemble to audition, please email us at info@lyo.org. We’ll be happy to help you decide.
A non-refundable $35 audition fee is due at the time of registration. If the audition fee is a financial obstacle, please email us at info@lyo.org. LYO is committed to ensuring access for all students.
To learn more about LYO and the 2026-2027 Season, see the Helpful Links section below.
Step 2 - Determine your excerpts and begin preparing
Click below to access specific instructions for your instrument family. If you need assistance determining for which LYO ensemble to audition, email us at info@lyo.org. Our conductors will be happy to help you decide.
Step 3 - Record and submit your audition video
Auditions are conducted via online video submission.
Audition videos are due by Sunday, September 6, 2026. While late submissions are generally accepted and reviewed, students who submit their video late will not be eligible for principal chair placement.
The production value of audition videos are not a consideration during the review process. Any families who are unable to record their audition independently, for any reason, may email info@lyo.org. A member of our staff will schedule an appointment to assist you.
Step 4 - The hard part... wait!
Auditions at LYO aren’t a “get it or not” sort of thing. We place every student in one of our eight ensembles carefully, primarily based on ability. Placements will be announced shortly after the video submission deadline, after every video is reviewed.