Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra

logo

Becoming A Member

The Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra welcomes young musicians with a dedicated interest in orchestral music and ensemble playing. Membership in FRYO is open to students in the upper elementary grades through high school who have played their instrument for at least one year. Students must audition to become members.

FRYO offers students the opportunity to play a varied musical repertoire in four performance groups: advanced full orchestra, intermediate full orchestra, and beginning wind and string ensembles. Master classes, sectional coaching and chamber ensembles are part of our program.

Rehearsals: FRYO rehearses on Monday evenings during the school year at Ballenger Creek Middle School, 5525 Ballenger Creek Pike, Frederick, MD 21703. The Concert Strings and the Wind Ensemble rehearses from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., the Symphonia from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and the Philharmonic from 6:45 to 9:00 p.m.

Tuition for the 2011-2012 Season is $275/student and $250 for additional children in the same family. A limited number of need-based scholarships for tuition are available. To sustain the financial requirements of the organization and keep the tuition low, families are expected to participate in fundraising activities.

Frederick Regional Youth Orchestra is a non-profit, 501c3 organization supported in part by the Frederick Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council. 

Seating Auditions for Returning Members and New Members

Seating Auditions for the 2011-2012 season for both returning and aspiring members of FRYO will be on August 22 and 25 at Ballenger Creek Middle School.  Appointments are necessary.  Please call 301-845-2487 or 301-695-1187 to schedule an appointment.

Additional auditions for new members are held by appointment during the school year with the permission of the instructors.  Call Peggy Alley at 301-695-1187 for information.

First Rehearsal

Rehearsals will begin September 12, 2011 at Ballenger Creek Middle School.

Audition Requirements

Concert Strings and Wind Ensemble

The Concert Strings and Wind Ensemble are designed to cater to young musicians who possess one year of experience or more on their instrument (consult conductor if less than one year). Enrollment in these ensembles will help to reinforce your child's basic skills as well as build upon their prior training. During the audition, students will be asked to perform the following:

Strings

  • G major scale; one prepared solo selection.
  • A short sight-reading piece to be provided by the conductor.

 Winds, Brass

  • Concert Bb scale; one prepared solo selection.
  • A short sight-reading piece to be provided by the conductor.

 Percussion Instruments

  • Snare solo required; long roll.
  • Scale on mallet instrument.
  • A short sight-reading piece to be provided by the conductor.

Symphonia

The Symphonia has full orchestral instrumentation. The program is designed to enhance performers' understanding of ensemble playing and build on their basic playing skills. Generally, students shall have played their instrument for a minimum of two years to join the Symphonia. During the audition for the Symphonia, students will be asked to perform the following:

Strings

  • Two scales in the chart below
  • A solo piece. Students should prepare a solo piece of music that is equivalent to the difficulty of Suzuki Book 3 or higher. This should demonstrate the student’s current level of musical and technical development.
  • A short sight-reading piece to be provided by the conductor.

Brass and Winds

  • Two scales from the chart below.
  • A solo piece demonstrating the student’s current level of musical and technical development.
  • A short sight-reading piece to be provided by the conductor.

 Percussion

  • Snare solo required as well as timpani or mallet solo
  • Demonstrate ability on bass drum and cymbals

Philharmonic

The Philharmonic has full instrumentation and is intended to give the student an advanced experience in ensemble playing. The Philharmonic performs complex music in a variety of genres. 
During the audition for the Philharmonic, students will be asked to perform the following:

Winds and Brass

See chart below for scale requirements unique to your instrument

  • Scales should be in eight notes at quarter note = 100 or faster. The tonic note should be repeated. The musician should be able to perform each scale:
  • Slurring every four notes.
  • Slur two, tongue two.
  • A solo piece.
  • Each musician should prepare at least six minutes of solo music of his or her choosing. This may be a single work with two contrasting sections, or two contrasting works. The student may be asked not to play each piece in its entirety. Please select solos carefully with guidance from your private teacher. Solo music should demonstrate your current level of musical and technical development. There is no advantage to choosing a work that is too difficult or elementary.
  • A rhythmic exercise and a sight - reading piece.
  • Students will be asked to clap out a short rhythmic exercise.

This should demonstrate the student's ability to subdivide into eighth-notes, and to move steadily through each of these. Musicians may also be asked to sight-read an instrumental selection selected by the conductor.

Strings

See chart below for scale requirements unique to your instrument.

  • The musician should be able to perform each scale:
  • Eighth notes at quarter note = 100 or faster, slurring four notes per bow, Half notes at quarter note = 60, one bow per note, with vibrato.
  • A rhythmic exercise and a sight - reading piece.
  • Students will be asked to clap out a short rhythmic exercise. This should demonstrate the student's ability to subdivide into eighth-notes, and to move steadily through each of these.
  • Musicians may also be asked to sight-read an instrumental selection selected by the conductor.
  • Each musician should prepare at least six minutes of solo music of his or her choosing. This may be a single work with two contrasting sections, or two contrasting works. The student may be asked not to play each piece in its entirety. Please select solos carefully with guidance from your private teacher. Solo music should demonstrate your current level of musical and technical development. There is no advantage to choosing a work that is too difficult or elementary.

Percussion Instruments

  • Snare solo required, as well as timpani and mallets.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with timpani tuning and ability with bass drum and cymbals. 

Scale Chart

Numbers before the scales denote the number of octaves required. All scales are in concert pitch.

  Symphonia Philharmonic
Violin 2/C G D A Bb; 1/F G chrm 1 or 2 octaves; 2/C G D A F Bb Eb 1/Ab E
Viola 2/C D; 1/G A F Bb C chrm 1 or 2 octvaes; 2/ C G D F; 1/A Bb Eb Ab E
Cello 2/C D; 1/G A F Bb C chrm 1 or 2 octaves; 2/C G D F; 1/A Bb Eb E Ab
Bass 1/C G A D F Bb E chrm 2 octaves; 2/E; 1/C G D A F Bb Eb Ab
Flute chrm 1 or more oct; 2/G D F; 1/C A Bb chrm 1 or more octs; 2/C G D A E F Bb Eb Ab
Oboe 1/chromatic; 1/C G D A F Bb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/D Eb; 1/C G A E F Bb Ab
Clarinet chrm 1 or more oct; 2/C G D A F Bb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/C G D A E F Bb Eb Ab
Bassoon 1/chromactic; 1/C G D A F Bb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/C D; 1/G A E F Bb Eb Ab
French Horn 1/chromatic; 1/C G D A F Bb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/G F; 1/C D A E Bb Eb Ab
Trumpet 1/chromatic;1/C G D A F Bb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/C G A Bb Ab; 1/D E F Eb
Trombone 1/chromatic; 1/C G D F Bb Eb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/F G ; 1/C D A E Bb Eb Ab
Tuba 1/chromatic; 1/C G D F Bb Eb chrm 1 or more oct; 2/F G; 1/C D Bb Eb Ab A E
     

oboe