JPO AUDITIONS

Young instrumentalists are invited to apply to take part in the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2011 Youth Concerto Festival in August.

Entries for this vibrant annual showcase of up-and-coming musical excellence close on May 6, with live auditions taking place on May 28. Should applicants be out of town or unavailable on May 28, the JPO audition panel will accept a live DVD (not an audio CD) recording of their audition performance.

Only a handful of the country’s most exceptional young instrumentalists will subsequently be selected to participate in the prestigious Youth Concerto Festival, alongside the JPO.

Applicants must be aged 25 or younger, and the orchestral parts must be available, or easily obtainable, in South Africa. The repertoire can include short pieces written for soloist and orchestra, and does not necessarily have to be part of a concerto. Each musician’s chosen work should be no longer than 11 minutes in duration.

This year, the JPO’s sixth annual Youth Concerto Festival will be held at 20h00 on August 31 at the Linder Auditorium in Parktown, Johannesburg. The event is headed up by Sonja Bass, who oversees the JPO’s development and education programme.

Reminder – the deadline is May 6 and auditionees have a chance of sharing the spotlight with the cream of young South African musical talent! For further information and application forms, contact Kgaladi Thema at 011 789 2733 or email education@jpo.co.za