Brief Summary

Application Google Form: click here to fill out.
Video Link Submission Google Form: click here to turn in.
Video Link Submission Deadline: Dec. 31, 2022 (11:59 PM Pacific Time)

Detailed Information

Application Form

Click the Google Form link above to fill out. If you want to receive a hard copy of Application Form which you need to fill out manually and scan to submit, email us at layouthphil@gmail.com

Pay the audition fee of $1,000 per student (refundable) by Zelle or Venmo. If you are not accepted, you will get refunded $945 (the process fee of $55 only will be charged/debited)

Zelle: “The recipient email is layouthphil@gmail.com. Account’s name is Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic”
Venmo ID “@Gene-Chung-3” The last four digits of the phone number is 6079. Do not toggle “Goods or Service”(see the details below)
Credit Card: in the Google Form, enter your credit card number, name on it, expiration date, CCV code, billing address, zip code. The process fee (3.5%) will be charged. Take a photo for both sides and upload them one after the other via Google Form
Upload the screenshot: After you made a payment, take a screenshot of the transaction via Venmo or Zelle and upload it via Google Form to show proof of your payment.

*The Venmo account “@Gene-Chung-3” is linked to “Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic” which is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt/non-profit organization. If you tag your transaction as a good or service, Venmo puts us as the seller to charge the transaction fee. Please notice that our program is for non-profit and NOT a good or sale item for profit. At the end of each fiscal year, you may request us to issue a tuition fee certificate for your tax return.

Zelle or Venmo If you do not have either a Zelle or Venmo account, please visit the following websites and watch the videos below.

Zelle: https://www.zellepay.com/
Venmo: https://venmo.com/

Video clips

Zelle: https://youtu.be/sgaJS0dB8Ow
Venmo (sign up): https://youtu.be/V9VJ5wLSQPs
Venmo (add bank account): https://youtu.be/o_pquWjUW6U

Video Link Submission Form

Click the Google Form link above to turn in your shareable link & upload a PDF copy of your audition piece.

There will be online audition only (NO in-person audition)

Step 1 (Record): How Do I Record My Video?

Record your video in a quiet environment with your camera distance being good enough to capture posture, keyboard, fingering, hand shapes, etc.. (see the example videos below at Scale section)

Introduce Yourself (7-20 seconds; include your first/last name, school, grade)
Play Your Scale & Arpeggio
Play Your Audition Piece

A one merged video is preferred, but you may submit your separate audition video clips or unedited or uncut videos if you have already recorded them respectively.

Alternative: You may submit your most recent solo recital/exam or any type of performance video instead of recording your new video. In this case, you need to merge your multiple videos into one file or you may submit a separate video link of the required scale & arpeggio in addition to your solo performance video.

Solo Piece	Select a concerto (one fast movement only, including a cadenza if applicable) from the suggested repertoire below or a piano concerto your teacher recommends.
Scale & Arpeggio	Play the scale & arpeggio as fast as possible to demonstrate fluency in the key which your solo audition piece is written in before you perform it. If it is written in the minor key, play the melodic minor. If your solo piece is atonal or non-traditional, play F-sharp major or E-flat melodic minor scale. It is optional to play a relative or parallel minor or chromatic scale. If you have already recorded your solo performance video, send us a separate video of scale & arpeggio. –Play a chromatic scale (ascending & descending). –To watch an example video, click video 1 video 2
Technique Demonstration	If the solo piece you perform does not include the techniques you would like to demonstrate, you can display them through playing a scale, a short etude (8-16 measures) or an orchestral excerpt.
Sheet Music PDF	Submit a PDF copy of your audition piece being performed, with measure numbers written at the beginning of each staff (if not printed) and markings like fingerings, articulations, musical expressions, interpretations etc., after scanning. Please make multiple pages into one file. Suggested mobile app: Adobe Scan- Mobile PDF Scanner (https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/mobile/scanner-app.html). To make your existing scanned multiple pages into one file, visit https://www.ilovepdf.com/ and you can merge them here easily.
Audition Video Link	Submit your shareable audition video links via Google Form after you upload it on YouTube. Click the link on Step 3 below to submit your audition link and PDF copy. Alternative: You may upload your video to share on one of your preferred online cloud services like Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud etc. with no expiration date or password.
Memory	Memory is not required but strongly recommended.
Accompaniment	No second piano accompaniment required (optional).
No repeat	No repeat: Do not take a repeat.
Dress Code	You are encouraged to wear your formal concert dress.

Step 2 (Upload): How do I upload my audition video and get a link on YouTube?

Sign in to YouTube (a parent can create an account at www.youtube.com)
Click “Upload”
You can choose the video privacy settings (“public” or “unlisted”)
Copy the shareable link (which is the URL address created when uploading)

Step 3 (Submit): How do I submit my audition video link and sheet music?

Submit your shareable audition video links via Google Forms after you upload it on YouTube.

Alternative: You may upload your video to share on one of your preferred online cloud services like Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud etc. with no expiration date, no password required, no download required, or no sign-in required to watch.

Suggested Concertos

	Suggested Piano Concerto Repertoire
J.C. Bach	Piano Concerto, Op.13, No. 4 or No. 2
J. S. Bach	Clavier Concerti: No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052 No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1053 No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1054 No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055 No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056 No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1057 Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050
C.P.E. Bach	Concerto in E-flat for Fortepiano, Harpsichord, and Orchestra
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerti: No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19 No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor”
Johannes Brahms	Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
Frederic Chopin	Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21 Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op. 22
A. Glazunov	Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Major, Op. 100
Edvard Grieg	Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
Franz Joseph Haydn	Piano Concerto No. 11 in D major, Hob. XVIII/11 Piano Concerto in G, Hob. XVIII/4 Piano Concerto in F, Hob. XVIII/3 Piano Concerto in C Major, Hob. VIII:1 Piano Concerto in D Major, Hob. VIII:XI
Franz Liszt	Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Felix Mendelssohn	Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 16 Piano Concerto No. 3 in E Minor, Op. Posth.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	No. 1 in F Major, K. 37 No. 3 in D Major, K. 40 Piano Concertos K. 107 based on sonatas by J.C. Bach No. 5 in D Major, K. 175 No. 6 in B-flat, K. 238 No. 7 for Three Pianos in F, K. 242 “Lodron” No. 8 in C, K. 246 No. 9 in E-flat, K. 271 “Jeunehomme” No. 10 for Two Pianos in E-flat, K. 365 No. 11 in F, K. 413 No. 12 in A, K. 414 No. 14 in E-flat, K. 449 No. 15 in B-flat, K. 450 No. 16 in D , K. 451 No. 17 in G, K. 453 No. 18 in B-flat, K. 456 No. 19 in F, K. 459 No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466 No. 21 in C, K. 467 No. 22 in E-flat, K. 482 No. 23 in A, K. 488 No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491 No. 25 in C, K. 503 No. 26 in D, K. 537 “Coronation” No. 27 in B-flat, K. 595
Francis Poulenc	Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1949)
Sergei Prokofiev	Concerto No. 1 in D-flat, Op. 10
Sergei Rachmaninov	Concerto No. 1 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 1 Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 43
Camille Saint-Saens	No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22 No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 44 No. 5 in F Major, Op. 103 “Egyptian”
Robert Schumann	Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 Introduction and Allegro Appassionato in G, Op. 92
Dimitry Shostakovich	Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Op. 102
Igor Stravinsky	Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments
Peter Tchaikovsky	Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23

Note: Play one fast movement only; Teachers may choose any other piano concertos of comparable skill level.

Organ

Teachers may choose any other organ concertos of comparable skill level.

Play one fast movement only

Submission Checklist:

Fill out your Application Form (via Google Form)
Pay your audition fee by Venmo, Zelle, or Credit Card
Submit your shareable video link and your sheet music PDF (via Google Forms)
Optional: You may send us your resume or supplementary materials to let us know more about you via Google Form.

Additional FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Rehearsals & Performance

Q: Do you have any other information regarding the frequency, duration, and schedule of intensive rehearsals?

A: There will be three intensive rehearsals prior to the concerts. Each rehearsal runs about four to eight hours as below. The finalized rehearsal schedules will be announced in April or May each year.

Rehearsals with Orchestra: Subject to change; the schedule below was for the past 2022 summer concert

Rehearsal 1	Sat. June 18.	Place: Pasadena Christian School Auditorium Address: 1492 N Garfield Ave. Pasadena, CA 91104 Time: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM Both in-person & online
Rehearsal 2	Sat. June 25	Place: Pasadena Christian School Auditorium Time: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM Both in-person & online
Rehearsal 3	Sat. July 2	Place: Pasadena Christian School Auditorium Time: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM Both in-person & online
Tutti Rehearsal	Fri. July 8	Place: Pasadena Christian School Auditorium Time: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM In-person only
Dress Rhs & Performance	Sat. July 9	Walt Disney Concert Hall (111 S Grand Ave. LA, CA 90012) 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Dress Rehearsal 8:00 PM – 10:15 PM Performance

**Section rehearsals may be added.
*Time Zone: Pacific Time (Los Angeles)

The extra rehearsals may be arranged on other days with conductors and accompanists.

Rehearsal Rule: All the intensive rehearsals are mandatory for all the qualified winners performers to be the finalists, and there will be no excuse for the dress rehearsal.

Makeup Rehearsals: If you have time conflicts with your school/community orchestra/choir concerts, exams, competitions, camps, workshops, family events, or any other engagements, you need to contact us to arrange a make-up rehearsal on other days or watch the recorded rehearsal videos.

Q: Your website states “attending all rehearsals is mandatory for accepted student performers to qualify as finalists.” What does “qualify as finalists” mean?

A: The finalists mean the performers who completed all the required rehearsals. If you miss a rehearsal, you cannot be qualified as a finalist to perform at the concert hall. See Rehearsal Rule above.

Q: I would like to know the schedule of the performance day at Walt Disney Concert Hall. What time will we need to participate?

A: It is all day. The draft is 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (morning rehearsal), 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (dress rehearsal), & 8:00 PM – 10:15 PM (performance), which will be finalized in April or May. As the situation is subject to change, we plan to announce it when we receive the confirmation from Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Q: How may I watch the past videos of the concertos performed by the soloists?

A: To watch an example video from our past concerts, click piano, double piano (virtual), piano (virtual), double piano (virtual), piano

Audition

Q: Are the auditions for summer season only?

A: No. Once you are selected as winners, you are qualified to participate in the chamber music series or recitals after or prior to the next summer concert.

Q: Would you be able to clarify the difference between the piano concerto competition and the regular audition for orchestra | band | choir?

A: Piano Concerto Competition is to select a student piano soloist who can perform a concerto from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Modern/Contemporary period or premiere the commissioned piano concerto. The regular audition for orchestra | band | choir is to select an orchestral pianist who will play as an orchestral member or collaborative pianist for a choir.

Q: What is the normal length of an audition video?

A: It depends on your solo piece. For example, if a student selects a concerto (fast movement) of J. S. Bach’s Clavier Concerto No. 4, it takes about 4-5 minutes. To play a scale and arpeggio takes about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Thus, the total may be within 5-7 minutes for this case.

Q: I have technical difficulties combining my scale/arpeggio/chromatic part and the solo piece videos together. I recorded my videos separately. Is it possible to send 2 different links for each portion?

A: Yes, that will be fine.

Q: Does this competition require multiple rounds or live auditions ? Is December 31 the final deadline?

A: The deadline is the final. There will be NO multiple rounds like first round, second round, and final. There will be NO in-person, live, or synchronous auditions. All the auditions will go on by the recorded video only.

Soloist & Age Requirement

Q: What is the process to determine if s/he will be a concerto soloist?

A: The Performer Selection Committee nominated outstanding student performers as a potential soloist during the piano concerto competition. All the winners as a potential soloist may be invited to perform at our Chamber Music Series which takes place in October, December, or March. A potential soloist may be nominated as a concerto soloist by the Performer Selection Committee when there is an opening.

Q: How many winners do you select?

A: We select winners in three areas: high school grade level, middle school, and elementary school. The number of the winners depends on the participants’ playing level and readiness as a concerto soloist.

Q: What is your age requirement?

Over 4th school grade (4th through 12th). Younger students (K-3rd) who have been playing the piano at an earlier age and who can play a concerto from the suggested repertoire above may apply for the competition.

Q: If nominated then there is an extra audition for the solo performances?

A: No, there will be no additional audition. All the winners as a potential soloist will be asked to submit his/her solo repertoire.

Q: What pieces (concertos) will be performed in concert? Will the audition piece be the concerto that the winner will be performing with the orchestra?

A: The conductors will select the repertoires for each concert. The finalized repertoire will be notified about 6 months prior to the concert, usually in January so that a piano soloist can have enough time to prepare for a concerto from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, or Modern/Contemporary period or premiere the commissioned piano concerto.

Fee, Ticket Sale, & Donation

Q: What, if any, cost is involved?

A: The audition application fee is $55 (per student; non-refundable); There will be the registration fee ($195) for each qualified student who passes the audition, and this fee for each performer will cover all the rehearsal expenses.

Q: Do you sell concert tickets?

A: The Walt Disney Concert Hall Box Office will start selling tickets 4-6 weeks prior to the concert.

Q: Do you accept donations?

A: We welcome donations as the fee and ticket sale do not meet the rehearsal and concert expenses.

Performance

Q: Where does the summer concert take place?

A: Walt Disney Concert Hall (physical address: 111 S Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90012)

Q: Can you provide any information as to what/how many pieces each ensemble will be doing?

A: The repertoire will include original concert pieces, concerto, vocal pieces, & arrangements. Each group will perform about 20-30 minutes respectively including the stage walk-in/out process.

Dress Code

Q: What is the attire/dress code for the rehearsal/performance?

A: For rehearsal & performance:

For rehearsals: free dress

For performance:

Boys: White long-sleeve collared shirt with a black necktie (not a bowtie), black dress pants, black dress socks, and black dress shoes (no sneakers/boots, no hat).
Girls: White long-sleeve blouse, black floor-length skirt or dress pants, black dress stockings, and black dress shoes (no white stockings); hair band or hair pin for long hair style
Soloists: Free-colored formal concert dress

Google Forms & PDF Copy

Q: We are not able to upload a file via Google Forms. How can we fix this problem?

A: In order to upload a file via Google Forms, you are required to sign in to Google. If you do not have a Google account, click this link https://support.google.com/families/answer/7103338?hl=en and create one for your child.

Q: How can I merge multiple pages into one?

A: Please give it a try (either one).

1. iPhone or smartphone app: Adobe Scan- Mobile PDF Scanner (https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/mobile/scanner-app.html).

Install it on your iPhone or smartphone
After scanning and saving multiple pages as one combined copy of PDF, share it via AirDrop to transfer to your computer or send it to your email address as an attachment (then download and save it on your computer in order to upload it to Google Forms).

2. On your computer:

Visit https://www.ilovepdf.com/
Click “Merge PDF” and follow instructions.
Download and save a merged file on your computer in order to upload it to Google Forms.

Supplemental Materials

Q: Do you accept a recommended letter from my private studio teacher/school orchestra director/mentor?

A: Yes, we do. A recommendation letter is optional. You may include it or any other materials when submitting your final audition video via Google Forms in order that the Performer Selection Committee may know more about you.

Q: May I submit my concerto repertoire, resume, or more materials?

A: Yes. To submit your concerto repertoire, resume, or supplementary materials is optional. You may submit it via Google Forms along with your audition video.

Miscellaneous Questions

Q: Is this audition open to the students living in the LA area? Can students in other states apply for it?

A: It is open to all around the world.

Q: Do you offer housing options for students not in the near vicinity?

A: No. If you travel from another state or country, you need to arrange your travel/stay plan by yourself. You may visit https://www.airbnb.com/, https://www.expedia.com/, https://www.priceline.com/ for travel and hotel information.

Q: Is it alright if I am also a member of another symphonic/orchestral/choral organization?

A: Yes, it is. Our program is a summer music festival.

Q: What kind of music binder does a student performer need?

A: Each individual performer needs to have an orchestra binder or choral folder even though stringed instrumentalists share a music stand: orchestra binder (color: black/dark; ring size: ½ inch; paper size: letter; available online: click here Staples Office Depot ); choral folder (click here Choral Folder or 1/2 Inch Binder White)

Donation