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Music is the universal language. It allows us to communicate across cultural borders.

- Dr. Osman Kivrak, CCYO Director

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Auditions for 2025-26 Season
​ Auditions will be held September 13 at Christ Church in

La Plata

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​Sign Up Here

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Scroll down for audition requirements.

​​​Returning members do not need to audition again unless moving to a different ensemble.

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Registration and Payment are due October 1. 

​Additional payment information found on our Registration/Payment page.​​

Audition Requirements

 Prelude Strings​

  1. One octave D major scale. (Focus on good position and technique.)

  2. #86 Ode to Joy, or #92 Can Can from Essential Elements book 1 (Or equivalent piece.)

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Encore Strings

  1. One-octave scales - C, G, A, F, B-flat; and the g melodic minor scale. 

  2. A prepared piece at MMEA grade level 2 or above. For example- Suzuki Volume Two or a grade-2 piece from the MMEA manual for Solo & Ensemble.

  3. Students wishing to be placed in the 1st violin section should be prepared to demonstrate 3rd position. This can be a prepared etude or solo.

 

​ Encore Band​

  1. Two scales of your choice.

  2. 7th grade and above: Turkish March, page 22 in Standard of Excellence Book 2.

      6th grade: Sawmill Creek, page 20 in Standard of Excellence Book 1.


CCYO Strings

  1. Two-octave major scales - C, G, D, A, F, B-flat, and E-flat; Violin/bass -- a melodic minor; viola/cello -- d melodic minor. Scales should be memorized and slurred 2 per bow. 

  2. Play a prepared piece at MMEA grade level 4 or above. (For example, Suzuki Volume 4 or a solo piece at MMEA grade 4 piece.) All solos need to demonstrate shifting.

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​CCYO Woodwinds and Brass

  1. Each student will be asked to perform the chromatic scale, beginning on a note of the student’s choosing, and major scales selected from the following keys: C, G, D, A, E, f, B-Flat, E-Flat, A-Flat. The scales must be performed from memory, evenly and smoothly in a 16th note pattern. All scales are to be played ascending and descending a minimum of one octave, except Flute and B-flat Clarinet who shall perform the scales a minimum of two octaves.

  2. A solo piece at MMEA Grade 4 or higher. Please refer to the MMEA Repertoire list at the bottom of the page. 


CCYO Percussion
Percussion audition requirements are the same as for All-State auditions. The specific requirements can be found here.

  1. Students should be prepared to audition on timpani and either snare drum or mallets.
  2. A solo of MMEA Grade 4 or higher will be required on both instruments. 
Please refer to the MMEA Repertoire list at the bottom of the page. 

Students are responsible for bringing their own snare sticks, mallets, and a pitch source (tuning fork or pitch pipe) for tuning the timpani.

Timpani: Be able to tune all drums from a pitch source (tuning fork or pitch pipe). Demonstrate roll exercises from the All-State requirements (page 4).


Snare Drum: Rudiments from the All-State requirements (page 2)
Mallets: Two-octave scales up to 4 sharps and 4 flats, plus a two-octave chromatic scale, in a 16th note pattern (page 3)

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“This program, Charles County Youth Orchestra, is sponsored in part by a grant from the Charles County Arts Alliance and

Maryland State Arts Council.”

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Subscribe to us on YouTube @CCYO

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© 2025 by Andrew Kivrak

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