Young Artists Series Audition Application

2024-2025 Audition Applications are CLOSED.

Thank you to all who have applied for the 2024-2025 season. We hope you will support our current winners by attending the Young Artist Series concert on Sunday, February 16, 2025, at Ventura First United Methodist Church, 1338 E. Santa Clara Street.

If you wish to apply for the 2025-2026 season, please come back to this webpage in February 2025. please read the information below.

Application Information

Intending to connect our youth to live performances of classical music, The Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra announces auditions for young artists to perform as soloists with the orchestra in its 15th Annual Young Artists Series in January-February, 2025. The auditions will be structured as follows:

ELIGIBILITY: 

  1. The applicant shall reside or attend school in Ventura County. 

  2. The applicant shall be 21 years of age (25 years for vocalists) or younger on January 15, 2025.  

  3. The applicant shall provide a reference: recommending themselves for the auditions. The reference shall be a music teacher, music coach, or other leader in the musical community. 

  4. YAS performers are eligible to reapply 2 years after a performance year.

  5. Applicants who performed with the orchestra at the Young Artists Series in February 2024 are not eligible to audition again this year but may do so in future years.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: 

  • An application with a shareable YouTube link of the applicant performing a music selection will be submitted for the first round of auditions. The application must include a link to a video recording presenting a piece of music that is performance-ready for orchestra. The submitted selection must be queued and readily accessible on the recording.

  • The application should list at least two additional [performance-ready] pieces. The Artistic Director decides the final selection of the performance piece. from which the final selection can be made by the Artistic Director. Final selections will include considerations of rental availability and cost and suitability of the piece for performance with the orchestra.

  • The live auditions will be held in mid-June 2024 in Ventura, CA. with the exact location to be announced near that time.

  • After the live audition, several finalists are will be selected to perform [at the upcoming Young Artists Series concert with the chamber orchestra]. to perform a movement of a concerto, an aria or art song, or one or more other types/pieces of music appropriate for performance with a chamber orchestra.

  • The audition process and Young Artists  Series are subject to changes. For any questions or further information, contact Dr. KuanFen Liu by emailing downbeatplus@gmail.com

[APPLICATION AND] AUDITION SCHEDULE: 

  1. [January - April 2025: Application submission]

  1. May 15, 2024: Due date for submission of application application submission and YouTube link to a recording. audition video.

  2. End-May 2024: Finalists selected and announced. 

  3. Mid-June 2024: Finalists’ live audition.

  4. July 2024: Final selections announced.