Important Dates

Friday, April 24, 2026

Audition Registration Deadline

Audition Fee: $55.00

Friday, May 1, 2026

Late Audition Registration Deadline

Late Audition Fee: $80.00

Audition registration will CLOSE at 11:59 PM HST on this day.

Friday, May 8, 2026

Audition emails will go out with audition times and reminders for the auditions. These emails will only go to the PRIMARY PARENT/GUARDIAN as entered in the audition registration form.

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Violin & Woodwind IN-PERSON Audition Day @ Niu Valley Middle School

**Please note that Harp students will submit a VIDEO audition instead of coming to do an audition live.

Sunday, May 17, 2026

Viola, Cello, Bass, Brass & Percussion IN-PERSON Audition Day @ Niu Valley Middle School

July 3, 2026

Audition Results will go out via email to the Primary Contact email address as listed on the registration form by the end of the day on 7/3. 

If you have questions, contact HYS admin at (808) 941- 9706 or admin@hiyouthsymphony.org

Auditions for the 2026-2027 Symphony Program have passed and we are no longer accepting audition registrations.

For students who auditioned, audition results will be emailed to the Primary Contact by 5:00 PM on July 3, 2026.

2026-2027 Audition Excerpts

2026-2027 CO/YSII Audition Music

2026-2027 YSI Audition Music

2026-2027 Audition Registration

Audition registration for the 2026-2027 Symphony Program is now CLOSED.

Important Deadlines:

11:59 PM Friday, April 24, 2026 – Audition Registration Deadline – $55.00 Audition Fee

If you have specific times you CANNOT make it for auditions, you need to register by the April 24 deadline or we may not be able to accommodate your request.

11:59 PM Friday, May 1, 2026 – Late Audition Registration Deadline – $80.00 Audition Fee

**If you are not able to pay the audition fee due to financial difficulties, please contact us at admin@hiyouthsymphony.org. We will put you in touch with someone who can talk you through some options.

2026-2027 Symphony Program Ensembles

General Requirements

Audition Information

Where will auditions be held?

Auditions will be held IN-PERSON at Niu Valley Middle School. (310 Halemaumau Street, Honolulu, HI 96821). You will receive an email with your specific report time and audition time on Friday, May 8, 2026.

Who will be in the room when I audition?

Auditions will be proctored by HYS conductors and professional musicians chosen by HYS. Auditions will be videotaped, and the videos will only be viewed by HYS conductors and used for audition purposes only. Only HYS staff are allowed to record in the audition room.

Can I use an iPad or other device in place of printed music?

Students must use PRINTED, PHYSICAL SHEET MUSIC for the auditions. Electronic devices (iPads, tablets, phones, smartwatches, etc.) will NOT be allowed in the audition room. Students CAN use their electronic devices in the warm-up room to tune and practice with. However, they will need to leave all electronic devices in the warm-up room or outside of the audition room (there will be a proctor outside the room and an area to leave devices).

If you need a hard copy of the music and don’t have access to a printer or device, please make an appointment to come to pick-up a copy of the music from the HYS office.

What if I cannot make it to auditions on May 16 or 17?

There will be a questions in the audition registration form asking your availability on the two days. We prefer that you come on the day your instrument is scheduled to audition, but if needed, you can audition on the other day. The registration form will guide you through some scheduling questions. Answer the questions, and if you live on Oʻahu, and you need to do an early audition, complete the audition registration form by April 24, and then call the HYS office (808) 941-9706 to arrange to do an in-person early audition ON OR BEFORE 5/14 with one of our HYS staff. NO self-recorded videos will be accepted for students who live on Oʻahu.

What music do I need to play for the auditions?

There are TWO separate audition music packets.

Youth Symphony II (YSII)/Concert Orchestra (CO) Audition Music – Is for students who are auditioning for YSII and/or CO only. Students are expected to play all the excerpts in the YSII/CO packet, but it is NOT expected that a student can play the excerpts up to tempo. Students should play the excerpts at a tempo that they can play with accurate rhythm, intonation and articulations while still adding in musical elements.

Youth Symphony I (YSI) Audition Music – Will have the YSII/CO audition music AND additional excerpt(s) for YSI. Students trying out for YSI, must play ALL the YSII/CO excerpts AND the YSI additional excerpt(s). Students auditioning for YSI are expected to get close to the suggested tempo on the excerpts while still being accurate with rhythms, intonation and articulation. Musical elements should not be ignored.

What if I live on a neighbor island or I am a mainland/international student moving to Hawaiʻi after the audition date, but want to audition?

We prefer live auditions, but we understand that for our neighbor island and students moving to Hawaiʻi that may not be possible. Please fill out the audition registration form. There will be a question asking where you live. Click on the appropriate answer and then go through the form. Instructions for neighbor island students and students moving to Hawaiʻi after the audition dates from the mainland or internationally will be given in the form. We will follow up with you once we receive your audition registration form and payment.

What if I play the HARP?

If you are a harpist interested in auditioning, you will NOT need to come for a live audition but will submit a video audition instead. After you do the audition registration form, the primary parent on the form will receive a confirmation email with a link to submit your video by 11:59 PM on Saturday, May 16, 2026. Please note that harpists are not guaranteed to play with a group during the year as it is dependent on the repertoire that is chosen for each ensemble. If you are selected as a harpist for HYS, you will not need to pay the full tuition cost and will be notified in advance by the symphony conductor of the group you are assigned to when you need to be at rehearsals.

What if I’m a current 2025-2026 Youth Symphony I (YSI) student?

If you were a student in YSI for the 2025-2026 season and plan to return for the 2026-2027 season, you DO NOT NEED TO AUDITION. Please note that this is the last year we are allowing YSI students to do this. Starting next season, ALL YSI students will need to go through the audition process.

An “Intent to Return” form was sent out to you in your weekly YSI email on 3/18. You will need to fill out that form and pay a non-refundable $200 deposit that will be later applied to your tuition for next season by April 10, 2026.

If you DO NOT fill out this form by 4/10, you will forfeit your seat, and if you decide you want to return, you will need to audition for a spot again.

What if I’m a current 2025-2026 Youth Symphony II (YSII) or Concert Orchestra (CO) student?

Students who are currently in YSII or CO for the 2025-2026 school year WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH THE AUDITION PROCESS. It is NOT guaranteed that a current YSII or CO student will keep their seat in the orchestra or “automatically” move up to another orchestra.

Audition FAQs