VERBIER FESTIVAL JUNIOR ORCHESTRA Verbier Festival Artist Training Programmes 2019 INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS This document includes guidelines to apply to the 2019 Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra (VFJO) programme. Please read it carefully before starting your application and before sending any questions to the Verbier Festival Artist Training Programmes 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 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 Junior Orchestra (VFJO) must be aged 15 to 18 on 30 June 2019. Musicians are invited to become members of the VFJO for one edition of the Verbier Festival. They may be re-invited three times; these re-invitations are not guaranteed. To be re-invited, musicians must be aged 18 or younger on the last day of the festival (3 August 2019). Successful candidates, whether minors or adults, are required to sign an agreement with the Fondation du Verbier Festival, thereby committing to the entire Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra summer session from 15 July to 3 August 2019, and accepting all rules of the VFJO. 2. HOW TO APPLY Applications to Verbier Festival Artist Training Programmes are submitted through the Acceptd on-line platform. VFJO applicants may choose to audition live or submit an application by video audition should he/she be unable to make it to an audition city. The 2019 VFJO 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 $25 USD Live Audition Expenses Applicants are responsible for their own expenses related to live auditions (travel, accommodation, etc.) - 2 -
Costs for Successful Candidates Each position in the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra is fully funded by the Verbier Festival, except for travel to and from Verbier, visa expenses and pocket money. 5. AUDITION REPERTOIRE The excerpts for the 2019 VFJO auditions will be uploaded here in October / November 2018. 6. IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PERCUSSION AUDITIONS Percussion Live auditions will be held only in Geneva and New York. If these cities are not possible, 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 two people at 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. Please note that you must perform all the works/orchestral excerpts listed under 'Audition Repertoire' here. You must play the works (both solo and orchestral) as if you were giving a live audition (i.e. straight-through in the order listed). The recording must be made in one take, without cuts or edits. The duration of the one or two solo works (depending on the instrument) should be approximately three minutes' each (typically the exposition of the concerto or - 3 -
sonata), without any accompaniment. Please choose a place which makes musical sense to stop; works 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 15 or older than 18 on 30 June 2019 We do not accept applications from candidates younger than the stated requirements. Musicians older than 18 may consider applying to the Verbier Festival Orchestra.. 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. 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. - 4 -
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 spoken presentation be in a language other than English? We do not accept a spoken presentation in a language other than English. It is important for us to evaluate your level in English in order to make sure that you can easily exchange with your fellow musicians, coaches and conductors during the project. 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 or Charlotte Malherbe Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra Manager - 5 -