Joining Lakeview orchestra

Lakeview Orchestra is home to dozens of avocational musicians from diverse backgrounds and professions. We're an orchestra of lawyers, waiters, accountants, salespeople, stay-at-home parents, teachers, doctors, architects, scientists, baristas, programmers, entrepreneurs, aspiring professional musicians, and many more! We have at least one thing in common: A commitment to musical excellence and performing to the best of our ability.

Current Openings

Sign-up to audition for a current vacancy.

Section Violin (3)

  • Violinists are rotated to play first and second through the season

Associate Concertmaster (Violin)

  • Open to current and prospective members

  • Non-members auditioning for assoc. concertmaster should prepare the section violin excerpts in addition to the concertmaster excerpts.

Section Cello (3)

Violas Substitutes

  • Substitute players are called on to play with the orchestra when there are open chairs in the section, and may not perform on every concert cycle in a season.

To be notified when other vacancies are announced, please sign up for our newsletter .

Audition Excerpts

Please prepare the selected excerpts and a short 3-5 minute solo selection representative of your instrument. All auditions will be performed unaccompanied.

All audition excerpts available here.

Associate Concertmaster (Violin)

Non-members auditioning for assoc. concertmaster should prepare the section violin excerpts in addition to the concertmaster excerpts.

  • Dvorak: Symphony No. 8, mvt. 2 letter D through the end of the solo

  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 1, mvt 1, 4 before reh 19 thru 3 after 22 (don't count rests in between)

  • Shostakovich Symphony No. 1, mvt 3, reh 16 thru reh 17.

Section Violin

  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, mvt III, measures 99-114

  • Mozart: Symphony No. 39, mvt II, beginning to measure 38 (no repeats)

  • Mozart: Symphony No. 39, mvt IV, beginning to measure 78

Section Cello

  • Smetana: The Bartered Bride, Overture, beginning to ‘A’ (play top line of divisi)

  • Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4, mvt. II, 21 measures before ‘A’ to ‘A’ (measures 21-42)

  • Beethoven: Symphony No. 5, mvt. II, measures 1-10; 49-60; 98-106

Viola Substitute

Only excerpts are required, not an additional solo selection.

  • Brahms: Symphony No. 3, mvt I, ‘E’ to ‘G’ and ‘L’ to ‘M’ (meas. 77-101 and 178-201)

  • Mozart: Symphony No. 35, mvt IV, measures 134-181

Next Audition Date

Tuesday, August 18 6-9PM

at Bethany United Church of Christ

4250 N. Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60613

How to Apply

To apply for an audition and membership in the Lakeview Orchestra, please:

  1. Review the Related Information links at lakevieworchestra.org/auditions including:

    1. Musician Member Policies

    2. Audition Policies & FAQs

    3. Sign-up to audition for a current vacancy

We will review your completed application form and contact you if we wish to schedule an audition. We cannot guarantee every applicant will be selected for an audition.

Audition excerpts can be found online HERE. You can also find excerpts at http://orchestraexcerpts.com/ or https://imslp.org/.


If you have questions not addressed in the Audition FAQs or other documents provided, please contact us at audition@lakevieworchestra.org.

Related Information

It is recommended that you arrive 20-30 minutes prior to your scheduled audition time to check-in and warm up. A shared warm-up space will be provided along with chairs and music stands.

Copies of sheet music for your solo selection for the audition panel is appreciated but not required.

Accompanists will not be provided, so please plan accordingly.

There may be a callback round for certain positions. Further details will be provided during the audition process.