Need based financial aid available
Portland Youth Philharmonic, the nation’s first and oldest youth orchestra, is accepting online applications and video auditions from local, young creatives interested in participating in the organization’s 97th season.
Portland Youth Philharmonic, the nation’s first and oldest youth orchestra, is accepting online applications and video auditions from local, young creatives interested in participating in the organization’s 97th season. Need-based financial aid is available to every musician who passes the audition.
The philharmonic’s music director David Hattner says the orchestra has a plan to operate under COVID-19 restrictions with online learning in the fall and in-person rehearsals and concerts beginning in January.
“We are currently in the process of commissioning new music for our musicians to play,” Hattner said. “We are asking incredible composers to create new works specifically designed for remote performance. In other words, they will be rehearsed from our musicians’ homes and recorded in parts for assembly.”
He said the new works will be composed primarily by women and musicians of color. Composers include Efrain Amaya, Laura Brackney, Giancarlo Castro D'Addona, Darrell Grant, Jessica Meyer, Polina Nazaykinskaya, Jim Stephenson and more.
Interested musicians should visit portlandyouthphil.org/audition to first submit an online application. Each application requires a $30 non-refundable fee. Once an application has been submitted, musicians may start working on their audition videos. The deadline to submit a video audition is Monday, Aug. 24 by 5 p.m.
The Portland Youth Philharmonic strongly believes that great music education should be accessible to every child. In 2019-2020, the orchestra said 24% of its enrolled musicians received nearly $43,000 in scholarships, financial aid, sibling discounts and private lesson scholarships.
When a musician passes their audition, they receive an enrollment packet that includes a financial aid application form. Learn more about PYP’s tuition fees and tuition assistance at portlandyouthphil.org/financialaid.