For Musicians

About Arizona Philharmonic

Peter Bay, Principal Guest Conductor

The 2024-2025 season marks the orchestra’s seventh year! AZ Phil is a professional orchestra based in Prescott, Arizona. We draw musicians from Prescott and across the Southwest to perform orchestra and chamber concerts around the Northern Arizona and Phoenix regions.

Auditions will be held Saturday August 24th and Sunday August 25th on the ASU School of Music campus in Katzin Hall.

Please see below for the positions  available and  the corresponding repertoire.

Musician-Centered

This is a musician-centered orchestra.

The administrative budget is modest and volunteers are vital to the organization. This structure provides comfortable working conditions and increasing compensation for our musicians. Since our inception in 2018, AZ Phil has increased principal pay by 11% and section pay by over 28%.

All rehearsals feature a hospitality table with snacks and water. A community meal is provided on one day of a large orchestra cycle.

Musicians are encouraged to join the board. A musician council does not yet exist, but would be heartily welcomed by both the board and administration.

As we grow, we create additional paid performance opportunities outside the main season, so additional special concerts like school outreach, Highlands Center chamber music, fund-raisers will be announced soon.

Chamber Opportunities

Each season, Arizona Philharmonic also organizes several chamber music opportunities featuring its musicians. In the past, these have included Fridays with AZ Phil, concerts at the Highlands Center for Natural History, house concerts, and collaborations with the Embry-Riddle University Planetarium.

Positions and Repetoire

SECTION VIOLINS I and II

Solo:
MOZART: Concerto N0. 3, 4 or 5 – 1st mvt, exposition
Mvt. 1, exposition of any standard 19th or 20th century concerto. (please bring 2 copies for the judges)

ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – mvt 2, m 21 – 77
BRAHMS: Symphony N0. 4 – mvt. 4, m 33 – 80
MOZART: Symphony N0. 39 –  mvt. 2, m 1 – 27 (no repeat); 96 -108 downbeat
and mvt. 4, m 1 -41 downbeat
R. STRAUSS : Don Juan, 1st page (beginning to13 after [C]]
TCHAIKOVSKY: Nutcracker – Ouverture miniature, m 134 to end

ASSOCIATE CONCERTMASTER

All of the above PLUS:
BRAHMS:   Symphony No.1 – mvt. 2, the solos
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV:  Sheherazade – mvt. 1, first solo
mvt. 3, solo before [L] to [N]
mvt. 4, first two solos

SECTION VIOLA

Solo:
J. S. BACH: Solo Suite movement of your choice
Mvt. 1, exposition of any standard 19th or 20th century concerto. (please bring 2 copies for the judges)

ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 – mvt. 2, m 1-10; 49-59; 98 -106
BRAHMS: Variations on a Theme by Haydn – Variation 5 (upper line)
MOZART: Symphony No. 41 –  mvt. 4, m 94 – 135, downbeat
R. STRAUSS: Don Juan, beginning to [D]

PRINCIPAL VIOLA

All the above Plus:
J. S. BACH: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Viola 1 part, mvt. 3, m 32-38 downbeat

SECTION CELLO

Solo:
J. S. BACH: Solo Suite movement of your choice
Mvt. 1, exposition of any standard 19th or 20th century concerto  (please bring 2 copies for the judges)

ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 – mvt. 2, m 1-10; 49-59; 98 -106
mvt. 3, m 140 – 177
BRAHMS: Symphony N0. 35 – mvt. – 4, m 1 – 18
R. STRAUSS: Don Juan, beginning to m 9; [A] to 10 after [B]

PRINCIPAL CELLO

All the above Plus:
ROSSINI: William Tell Overture,1st solo part, beginning to Allegro
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake  – Act 2, No.13, 3 before [31] to [32]

SECTION BASS

Solo:
Work of your choice  (please bring 2 copies for the judges)

ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 5 – mvt. 2, m 114 – 123
mvt. 3, m  44 – 100; 140 – 177
BRAHMS: Symphony N0.1 –  mvt. 1, m 161 – 189
BRAHMS: Symphony N0. 2 – mvt. 4, beginning  to 32
MOZART: Symphony  No.35 – mvt. 1, m 13 – 48
R. STRAUSS:  Ein Heldenleben, [9] to 5 after [10] downbeat

PRINCIPAL BASS:

All the above Plus:
HAYDN: Symphony N0. 31 – mvt. 4, Variation 7, upbeat to m 113 to 128
MAHLER:  Symphony N0. 1 – mvt. 3, opening solo

FIRST HORN

Solo:
Exposition of a solo of your choice  (please bring 2 copies for the judges)

ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS:
J. S. BACH:  Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, mvt. 4, Trio, with repeats
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7, mvt.1,  m 86 – 110;  m 432 – 450
BRAHMS:  Symphony No. 3, mvt. 3, m 98 -110
MALHER: Symphony N0. 1, mvt. 1,  4 before [2] to one after  [3] ( m 42-46)
SCHUMANN: Symphony N0. 3, 1st horn, mvt. 1, m 367 – 386
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No.5, mvt. 2, solo from m 8 to 13 after [A]

Musician Interest Form

Please complete and send the form below.