Auditions
Audition for the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra | A Community Orchestra in Bloomington, MNThe Bloomington Symphony Orchestra (BSO) invites highly qualified musicians in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the greater Twin Cities area, to audition for our volunteer (unpaid) orchestra. Whether you play strings, winds, brass, or percussion, we encourage you to explore our audition opportunities.
BSO Musicians are committed to the values of Excellence, Collaboration, and Dedication. Member musicians contribute their time in personal practice, their talents in rehearsal and performance, and their treasure through membership dues*, to help accomplish the mission of bringing music lovers and accomplished musicians together to experience inspirational performances of orchestral music, with community as our cornerstone.
* While we ask members to contribute, we are committed to ensuring that financial limitations are never a barrier to participation.
Photo by Leslie Plesser
Current Openings
These positions are currently open:
- Horn III
- Second Trombone
- Principal Percussion/Assoc. Principal Timpani
- Associate Principal Second Violin (second chair)
- Assistant Principal Viola (third chair)
- Section Violin
- Section Viola
- Section Cello
- Bassoon III/Contrabassoon
We are accepting videos for substitute positions in all other sections.
Upcoming Audition Dates
Fall 2025 Auditions
- First-round videos due Monday, August 11
- Second-round in-person auditions (invitation only) on Tuesday, August 26 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts
Winter 2025 Auditions
- First-round videos due Monday, November 24
- Second-round in-person auditions (invitation only) on Monday, December 8 at the Bloomington Center for the Arts
How to Audition
The Bloomington Symphony Orchestra has a two-part audition process. The first round is a self-tape video audition, submitted online. Candidates who pass to the second round are invited to perform in person.
First Round – Video Audition
• This audition round is a video submitted online.
• For position-specific deadlines, please refer to the Audition website.
• If you have any issues with access to technology to complete the first-round audition contact info@bloomingtonsymphony.org to ask for an accommodation.
Video audition instructions:
Record yourself playing through the audition materials without stopping (i.e., solo followed by excerpts, in one long take) as you would at a live audition. Edited, enhanced, or altered recordings
are ineligible for consideration.
a. State your name and what you are auditioning for (ex: titled or section position)
b. Play about three minutes of a standard solo
c. Play the excerpts in the order they are posted in the audition packet.
1) Upload your video to YouTube as a Public or Unlisted* (not private)
video.
2) Click the link to submit the video (QR code available in PDF below):
* Sharing the link to an unlisted video ensures that only those have access to the link will see the video. Unlisted videos do not appear in any of YouTube’s public spaces, like your channel or search results.
Second Round – In-Person Audition
• The second-round audition is performed for BSO Music Director Manny Laureano and a committee of BSO musicians.
• Second-round repertoire is the same as the video round. No scales or sightreading.
• Unless previously announced, second-round auditions will be scheduled at a mutually agreeable date and time at a venue in Bloomington.
Click here for the PDF with full information: Audition Materials and Instructions
Audition Interest Form
Complete this form to learn more about auditions or to express interest in auditioning for the BSO. All fields are required.
Photo by Leslie Plesser