Skidmore College Orchestra

The Skidmore College orchestra is a semi-professional orchestra made up of Skidmore students and top players from several regional professional orchestras, including the Albany Symphony, Berkshire Symphony, Schenectady Symphony and Glens Falls Symphony Orchestra. Skidmore's unique orchestral program emphasizes students in the most important orchestral positions and features students in the most important solos. Our professional members create a unique atmosphere where students participate in a living orchestral lesson each week with the top professional players assisting our students in each rehearsal. This combination of professional and student players creates an exciting synergy and an exciting concert atmosphere for players and audience members alike!

Student soloists are also featured each year as winners of the Orchestral Concerto Competition.

Joining the Skidmore Orchestra is an easy process. You simply play a live audition for the conductor (Professor Holland). The audition has three parts:

• playing one or two prepared excerpts [about 6 minutes of music total], one excerpt which shows off your technical abilities (fast notes) and another which shows your more lyrical abilities (sustained slower notes, especially in various ranges). The most important part is that you prepare in advance for this. The occasional wrong note is not important in this audition. The most important thing is the overall level of playing you demonstrate.
• sight-reading a brief orchestral excerpt.
• playing scales: you might be asked to play a few major and minor scales. If you are a little rusty on your scales, this is a good time to practice up a bit. Scales are not essential for passing the audition, but it doesn't hurt if you are fluent in them.

If you are thinking of auditioning for the orchestra, please contact Professor Holland (518)587-6103 and request an audition date and time. Welcome one an all to the Skidmore College Orchestra! 

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Skidmore College Orchestra Residency 2007-2008 Michele Kim Assistant Concertmaster New York Philharmonic
Skidmore College Orchestra Residency 2006-2007 Hai-Ye Ni Principal Cellist The Philadelphia Orchestra
Skidmore College Orchestra Residency 2005-2006 Mark Ludwig Boston Symphony Orchestra Photo Gallery
Skidmore College Orchestra Residency 2005-2006 Michael Ludwig Associate Concertmaster Philadelphia Orchestra