Student conductor, brown hair in a bun, black button up collared shirt, directing concert ban with baton against dark background.

UC Davis Symphony Orchestra

Row of focused clarinetists in black tuxedos playing in an orchestra
Clarinetists of the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center on October 25, 2025. (Phil Daley/UC Davis)

Audition Requirements, Fall Quarter 2026

The CRN number to register for MUS 141 will be given to all applicants admitted into the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra AFTER the auditions are completed.

General Auditions

  1. Two contrasting pieces (one fast, one slow). Ideally, one of these should be an orchestral excerpt. Orchestral excerpts from Shostakovich 11 are preferred — see below — especially for returning UCDSO members, but not required
  2. Expect some sight-reading

Audition for Principal Positions

  1. Work of your choice (concerto movement or equivalent)
  2. Two contrasting orchestral excerpts (at least one from Shostakovich 11 — see "Suggested Excerpts" below)

Expect to play about 1–2 pages of your prepared pieces; you may be stopped in audition due to time constraints.

Schedule an Appointment

10-minute appointment slots are available Monday, Sept. 21, and Tuesday, Sept. 22 beginning at 10 a.m. (exact times shown while scheduling) in Room 1148 (“Strings Studio”), Pitzer Center. Percussionists should choose the percussion option on sign up to see available options.

Suggested Excerpts

Orchestral excerpts from Shostakovich 11 are preferred, especially for returning UCDSO members, but not required.

Some resources for the specific excerpts include
Violin
Viola
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11
    • 5th bar of Rehearsals 28 to 3rd bar of reh. 30 
    • Rehearsal 102–105
  • Beethoven 5, 2nd mov.
  • Mozart, Haffner
  • Brahms, 2
Cello
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11

    • 5th bar of Rehearsal 28 to 3rd bar of reh. 30

    • Rehearsal 138–142

  • Mozart, Haffner, mov.4
  • Mendelssohn, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scherzo
  • Elgar: Enigma Variations
  • Brahms: Symphony no.4
Double Bass
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11

    • From Rehearsal 27 to 4th bar of reh. 28

    • Rehearsal 138–142

  • Mozart, Symphony no.35, 4th mov
  • Mozart, Symphony no.40
  • Tchaikovsky, Symphony no. 5
  • Wagner, Meistersinger Overture
Piccolo
Flute
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11

    • Rehearsal 38–40; 174–177

  • Beethoven: Leonore (second excerpt)
  • Mendelssohn: Midsummer
  • Brahms 4
  • Ravel: Daphnis
  • Debussy: Afternoon of a Faun
Oboe

English Horn

Clarinet
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11

    • 2 measures before Rehearsal 126 to reh. 127

    • 174–177

  • Puccini, Tosca
  • Mendelssohn: Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Sibelius, Symphony no.1
  • Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnole

Bass Clarinet

Bassoon
  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11

    • 2 measures before Rehearsal 126 to 127

    • Rehearsal 174–177

  • Mozart: Haffner
  • Mendelssohn: Scottish Symphony
  • Tchaikovsky 6
  • Ravel: Rhapsodie Espagnole
Horn

Collected Excerpts via the Horn Society

A:

  • Borodin Prince Igor Overture solo
  • Brahms Symphony no.1 – slow movement solo
  • Schubert Symphony no.9 – opening
  • Dvorak Cello Concerto – first movement solo
  • Firebird solo
  • Midsummer Night’s Dream Nocturne (in original key of E)

B.

  • Beethoven 6 scherzo solo
  • Beethoven Eroica Scherzo (trio) horn 1 or 2
  • Schumann- Rhenish 
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion / Timpani

Collected Excerpts via Carnegie Hall.org

  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 11: 

    • Timpani / Rehearsal 65–68; 83–84; reh. 177 – end

    • Snare Drum / Rehearsal 65–68; 84–89; 177 – end

    • Bass Drum / Rehearsal 65–68

Piano

Course Information

Concerts

Conductor with raised baton leading orchestra on dimly lit stage

November 22

Fall Concert

Jessie Montgomery: "Hymn for Everyone" (2021); Alma (Schindler) Mahler: Five Songs, arr. David and Colin Matthews; Dimitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 11 in G Minor (“The Year 1905”)

More Details
Singers in evening gowns and tuxedos with orchestra on a wood-paneled concert stage

Rising Stars of Opera: Feb. 7
Smiling woman with short curly hair in black-and-white dress leaning on a grand piano in cozy room

March 13

Winter Concert

Lili Boulanger: "D'un matin de printemps"; Francis Poulenc: Concerto for Two Pianos in D Minor; Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 1 in C Major

More Details
Full symphony orchestra on wooden concert hall stage with conductor and soloist in pink gown.

May 23

Spring Concert

Chris Castro: New Work; Selection to be announced with the winner of the 2026 UC Davis Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition; Amy Beach: Symphony in E Minor (“Gaelic”)

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